Predator Free Wellington (PFW) are working on the second phase of their eradication project, which will soon involve Tawatawa and other conservation projects on the South Coast.
Whilst much of the activity is focused on the properties in Roseneath and Hataitai at present, PFW will begin to set up the next ‘barrier’ as close to the start of the eradication project as possible, to minimise reinvasion during the eradication process.
The barrier will run through Mt Cook and follows the green belt through the bottom of Prince of Wales park, over Tawatawa Reserve, Manawa Karioi, Paekawakawa Reserve and into Ōwhiro Bay.
The barrier will aim to minimise incursions of predator species into the eradication area to near zero from the west including Te Kopahou Reserve and the Southern Landfill.
A fence can’t be erected to protect the area from reinvasion like at Zealandia, so PFW are developing a plan to create an intensive barrier of bait stations and traps.
The barrier presents an exciting opportunity for community trapping groups to be directly involved in a large-scale eradication project, and protect the city from predator species incursions. Volunteers will gain skills and experience in pest species monitoring, line cutting, and different eradication methods.
We’ll be looking for volunteers to be part of the project – helping to install and service the devices and feed back data to the eradication project. The model created with this project is likely to be replicated throughout New Zealand and supports the Predator Free 2050 goal.
The plan is in development and is likely to begin being rolled out in late summer/early autumn.
If you are keen to be a part of it, you can express your interest by filling out this form.
Jenny Kilpatrick has kindly offered to help coordinate barrier activities for Tawatawa. Jenny has been involved with trapping around the reserve since we started last year and is now keen to step up to help implement new Stage 2 barrier. Here is a little about Jenny:
I’m Jenny Kilpatrick and I have lived in Island Bay with Tony since 2012. Our 2 dogs Smitty and Java joined us a couple of years later. We are walking in some part of the Tawatawa Reserve, Manawa Karioi Restoration Project, Paekawakawa Reserve or the Oku Reserve every day. It’s been a joy over that time to see the plantings mature and to see and hear the increase in birdlife. Smitty and I signed up early on to clear one of the Tawatawa traplines and then one of the Manawa Karioi traplines.
I am also a tramper and am always sad when the bush is quiet. Just recently, I was in the Mt Arthur/Tablelands area and was very impressed with the intensive trapping that The Friends of Flora do. The Wellington Predator Free team have learned a lot from their work on the Miramar peninsula, and I am excited to be able to help put in practice what they have learned and be part of the next stage of helping Wellington to become pest free.
If you would like to know more about becoming a Community Ranger, Jenny can be contacted on jenny@portablepanic.co.nz or 022 045 7340
Tawatawa Reserve 