Motutapu and Rangitoto August 2009 project update
Going well... two down, one to go!
Where are things at?
Staffing the operations
Where are things at?
Two of the three planned aerial rodent bait drops have been successfully completed.
A combination of near perfect weather and thorough planning resulted in a textbook operation: so much so that both drops took less time to complete than anticipated.
Looking across Rangitoto Island to
Motutapu
This reduced the the number of days that the islands needed to be closed. Project Manager Richard Griffiths has been extremely pleased with the roll out of the restoration project:
"The eradication of rodents is the first step towards a pest free Rangitoto and Motutapu and so far everything has gone according to plan. Excellent coverage of both islands was achieved and the good islands was achieved and the good weather meant that the rodent bait lasted long enough to do its job. There will now be a small delay until the third and final bait drop carried out sometime in August.
"In the meantime follow up control of rabbits is now underway. Many rabbits will have consumed rodent bait but in every rabbit population there are some that are fussy eaters. Because rabbits can breed prolifically it is important that any survivors are targeted before they get a chance to build back up in numbers."
More than forty DOC staff were joined by volunteers with a passion for the two islands.
The Rangitoto Wharf, Islington Bay and Beacon End bach communities all assisted. Betty Tricklebank from one of the Beacon End baches has been going to Rangitoto for over 60 years. Her role in the operation was to assist staff to lay baits inside those baches.
Clearing the beach of bait after the
aerial bait drop
"I really enjoyed the experience" said Betty. " I have noticed bird populations decline over the years I have been coming to Rangitoto and am really looking forward to seeing more birds around and having no more rats!"
DOC Ranger Pam McLeod is usually the office administrator for the Auckland Area. She worked with Trevor Stones of the Motutapu Restoration Trust on the hand baiting team. This team's job was to lay baits in the areas which would not be reached by the helicopter drops. Historic military buildings and bunkers, the DOC field centre offices, workshop sub-floors and attics and all outbuildings down to the humble woodshed were targeted.
The buildings of the Motutapu Outdoor Education Camp and Motutapu Farms received bait attention also - even the farm's 'Wendy house'! Baits were laid in small tin-foil pie dishes and workers noted how many baits had disappeared between drop one to drop two.
Pam said "Being involved made the project more real for Auckland Area staff. It showed me just how much research and detailed planning had gone into the project such as bait sites being plotted by GPS."
Briony Senior is DOC Auckland Conservancy's Geographic Information Systems Conservation Support Officer. Her role was to download helicopter data about flight lines, GPS accuracy and bait spread. This tracking ensured even coverage of bait across the islands. She says "It's really exciting to be involved at the outset of a programme which will result in the island's restoration to a healthy eco-system of endemic plants and animals."
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