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Kiri Te Kanawa becomes forest patron
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has accepted an invitation to be patron of the Puketi Forest Trust.
Her patronage will be marked at the Trust's upcoming Kauri Ball and Auction on September 30, in Dame Kiri's absence as she will be meeting concert commitments overseas at the time.
Trust chairman Gary Bramley said this week, "The Trust, which is working to restore the dawn chorus to the Puketi Kauri Forest, is thrilled to have the critically acclaimed soprano and New Zealand icon as its patron."
On accepting the role, Dame Kiri made the following statement: "I congratulate all those involved for their foresight in establishing the Trust which will provide many opportunities to highlight the desperate need to protect the Puketi Forest. I share with you a strong interest in this project which is so important for our small community. I am proud and honoured to be a patron of the Trust and encourage you all to support its activities."
After three years of intensive pest control, the Trust has realised good results, including an 85 percent increase in bird numbers. Also on the rise is the population of kiwi in the forest.
Trapping holds promise for Puketi Forest Stoats consume about 100g of food a day. If birds make up half of one stoat's daily intake, that equals six birds, or roughly two fantails, one tomtit, two greywarblers and a silver-eye.
Predator control is working
Bird numbers in Puketi Forest are increasing.
Puketi Forest Trust member Ian Wilson said this week the total number of birds recorded from eight bird count locations, in a core 350ha rat trapping area, had increased from 53 last autumn to 98 this autumn - an increase of 85 percent.
This was after just five months of targeting rats.
The four previous counts (three before rat trapping and one a month after it began) were remarkably consistent ranging from 51-53 birds.
Mr Wilson said, "Although the Trust's rat trapper, Clint Sturge, told me he was seeing a lot more fantails I was quite unprepared for the massive increase in fantail numbers recorded. An increase from three last autumn to 16 this autumn (433 percent) highlights the impact rats have on native birds."
Silvereyes had also shown a big increase, from 10 to 26 (160 percent), he said: "These two species breed until the end of February and would have received benefit from the removal of the 504 rats trapped during January."
Since rat trapping started in December, 1340 rats have been removed from the forest.
At seven bird count locations outside the rat control area there was an increase of only eight percent in bird numbers. This reinforces the impact that rats have on the smaller bird species.
The Trust also traps mustelids (stoats, weasels and ferrets) and feral cats over a 4000 ha area of the forest. This summer 109 stoats, one weasel and four cats were caught.
In the meantime, Takou Were-Te-Mokai Landcare, a body which is working to enhance the number of Northland Brown Kiwi on land in the Takou Bay area, last week erected a sign on a Landcorp block on SH10, aiming to increase public awareness.
Project manager Clinton Rameka says the group is committed to making their piece of dirt free of predators such as stoats, ferrets, weasels and feral cats:
"We believe Northland could be unique, in becoming a Kiwi Kaitiaki area. If we pull together, and do our bit to save the kiwi from becoming a history lesson. Education and kiwi protection is on top of the agenda for us. Working alongside the New Zealand Kiwi Foundation, we have been trapping for nearly three years and have currently caught, 92 stoats, 12 weasels, 32 feral cats, 320 rats, and over 5,000 possums.
But all the trapping in the world, doesn't stop wandering dogs and cats from coming into kiwi areas, creating havoc, and undoing all of the effort we put in to protect our indigenous bird. That's why we're extending our areas of integrated predator control, without using pest-proof fencing, so we can make a safer and bigger area for the kiwi to live in it's natural open habitat, like it has done for many millions of years.
Also, we're educating Northland Landowners to the benefits of predator trapping and taking control over their pets. The sign is a reminder, that introduced animals and all of our friendly little pets are a threat to our national icon."
Both Takou Were-Te-Mokai Landcare and the Puketi Forest Trust are soon starting kiwi monitoring.
During May and June kiwis are getting ready to breed and are more vocal than at other times of the year. Soon after dark they leave their burrow and will often call, before beginning to forage for food. From time to time they call during the night to keep in contact with their mate and to warn other kiwi away from their territory.
By listening for these calls and noting the direction, distance and sex of the calling bird it is possible to estimate the number of adult kiwi in the area.
Hearing the stillness of the night pierced by a kiwi call is such a buzz that many people look forward to kiwi listening each year.
Mr Rameka added, "We are keen to hear also from people who'd like to volunteer their planting skills for our coastal planting days - a day at the beach."
If you are interested in listening, contact the Puketi Forest Trust: Ian Wilson (4019056) or Gary Bramley (405 0074) or Takou Were-Te-Mokai Landcare Project Manager, Clinton Rameka 021 407291.
Air Force flies traps into Puketi
Help from the Royal New Zealand Air Force saw 1,600 timber rat traps airlifted to 25 sites in the heart of the Puketi Forest in a two day exercise.
The traps will, hopefully, go a long way to restoring birdsong to one of New Zealands greatest forests.
The RNZAF contribution has saved many thousands of dollars for the Puketi Forest Trust (Oha Mai Puketi) predator control campaign.
Volunteers on the ground are now distributing the traps 25m to 100m apart along 43 km of tracks, which have already been cut in 250 ha of the Trusts target area of 2,000 ha.
RNZAF 3 Squadron, based at Ohakea, sent five aircrew and an Iroquois helicopter to do the job.
The Squadron places a high priority on its ability to deploy and operate in the field. This capability has been tested in recent years in Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.
The Puketi exercise provided 3 Squadron personnel with a valuable training opportunity.
The aircrew were tested with depositing unfamiliar loads (they are accustomed to people and packs, not bulky bundles of rat traps) in a very heavily forested area, through small holes in the canopy.
This meant that the pilots had to maintain a very steady hover for long periods to avoid snagging people and rat traps in the trees and to avoid delays repositioning the helicopter over the correct spot.
All these elements helped provide 3 Squadron opportunities to refine flying skills while helping with a valuable community project.
The crew comprised two pilots and one helicopter crewman. They used two techniques, using a rescue winch, which has a maximum load of 270kg, and underslung loads for the heavier bundles of traps.
The Puketi Forest Trust exercise required use of Global Positioning System and precision flying with loads of 150kg and 300kg dropped into small gaps in the dense foliage.
The traps will be baited with peanut butter and white chocolate buttons. The Trust is aiming for a 600 rat count in the first twenty four hours the traps are set.
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Playing a key role in the challenging logistical task of airlifting traps into Puketi is UK volunteer Rachael Davies, seen here with some of the 1,600 rat traps to be dropped into Puketi Forest. The traps, made by Puketi Forest Trust and DOC volunteers required 2.5km of timber, 19,200 nails, 3,200 sq m of wire mesh and 14,600 staples. Rachael has a biology degree from Sussex University where she majored in Conservation. |
Pronged attack on kiwi killers
The Royal NZ Airforce is backing the ambitious Puketi predator control campaign by airlifting 1,600 timber rat traps into the forest.
This is the next phase of the Puketi Forest Trust (Oho Mai Puketi) campaign to restore birdlife to the forest.
The drop is scheduled for September 1 and 2. Bags, each carrying 36 traps will be lowered onto blue tarpaulins positioned in the forest. Volunteers on the ground will then distribute them 25m to 100m apart along 43 km of tracks, which have already been cut in 250 ha of the Trust's target 2,000 ha area of predator control.
The traps will be baited with peanut butter and white chocolate buttons. The Trust is aiming for a 600 rat count down in the first night the traps are set.
At the same time a kiwi recovery programme now stretches along an unbroken stretch of coastline from Kauri Cliffs to the Purerua Peninsula.
The Takou Kiwi Project began in May 2004, aiming to create a safe environment for kiwi to survive and prosper.
Initiated by the tangata whenua of Takou Bay, the campaign is a strong move to maintain and enhance the indigenous habitat and wildlife values of their rohe (territory). The trust is also undertaking weed control and re-vegetation work. The aim is to protect kiwi over an area of 1,500ha, with integrated pest management and possum control.
World Wildlife Foundation funding, provided through the Habitat Protection Fund, will enable wages to be paid to identify and create new trap and poison lines in the southern Takou Bay catchment and Honda sponsorship has provided a quad bike.
Clinton Rameka has been controlling predators in the Takou area for the past 14 months. He was saddened recently by finding a kiwi mauled by dogs and he is calling for people on neighbouring blocks to ensure their dogs are tied up or confined at night.
The Far North District is one of the few regions in mainland New Zealand that still has significant populations of kiwi and there is a real urgency to protect kiwi from predators on public and private land.
More and more landowners in Northland are making the commitment to keep these populations healthy on their land with nearly 20 projects underway. Among them is the Russell Kiwi Project, which covers 2,500 ha of land.
Residents and landowners are being made aware of their responsibilities as pet owners and the Northland Kiwi Landcare Dog Advocacy Project aims to protect kiwis through a dog control programme.
At the same time DOC is reminding possum trappers to set their traps at least 70cm off the ground, out of the way of kiwi, and asks that people ensure kiwi can escape from holes, water tanks or trenches on their properties by installing escape ramps.
Puketi campaign knocks out killers
The Puketi Forest Trust (Oho Mai Puketi) is determined to restore bird life to the forest.
Estimates indicate that the number of kiwi in the forest dropped from about 370-500 birds in 2000 to about 160-200 birds in 2004 and it is this slide that the Trust is working to halt.
Trust chairman Gary Bramley says, "We want the people who visit Manginangina to not just spend five minutes seeing big trees, but be overwhelmed by birdsong and engaged with native birds and other animals (not mynahs as it is at the moment). What kind of message are they taking away about subtropical kauri forest?"
The Trust aims to remove rats from 600 ha this year. The long term goal is to "sell" 2000 ha of sponsorship, control pests (rats, cats, stoats) over 2000 or more ha, control rats over 1350 ha, and contribute to conservation education and advocacy.
The Trust needs $750,000 for the first five years. Predator control for years one and two are already funded but about $600,000 is needed to keep the campaign going for another three years.
The trust has recently signed a management agreement with the Department of Conservation that allows it to cut tracks and trap in the management area. Local residents and visitors are asked to sponsor hectares, donate money and volunteer time.
The Trust will hold a public meeting on Wednesday April 13 at the Union Church Hall in Kerikeri, to discuss the issue of dogs and pigs in the forest and invite solutions from locals. The meeting will involve a short presentation about the trust and what it has achieved, a short talk about kiwi and the threats and then an open forum for discussion on how to deal with the pig issue in the forest. Pig hunters are invited to help deal with the pig problem, which threatens to derail the rat eradication campaign because pigs disturb the traps.
Dr Bramley is delighted with the degree of public support for the campaign."We have more than $50 000 in the bank to support pest control in the forest, plus $40 000 in grant money left. Many local people and businesses have donated time, goods, money to get the project up and running, and of course the nine trustees have spent a lot of time on the campaign."
In the past six months the Trust has received grants from the Sir John Logan Campbell Residuary Estate ($5000), ASB Charitable Trust ($42 500) and Pub Charity ($30 000). Contributors have sponsored 547 ha , some of it until 2009. There is sufficient money in hand to control stoats/cats over 2000 ha and rats over 600 ha for the next year.
The Trust is now seeking funds for the next phase of the project, which will include expansion of the area of rat control and monitoring.
Dr Bramley says: "We have been able to run sustained pest control in the forest since October 2003 (which has never happened before) and we have seen juvenile kiwi and young kiwi footprints in the management area (they don't call until they are two years old, so we haven't detected them in our call counts yet), so perhaps the decline of kiwi might be at least slowed. There is one juvenile kokako that has been bred in captivity from a Puketi bird.
The grants have allowed us to set up the rat framework and we will be starting that trapping soon. The most amazing thing for me has been the financial support from all around NZ, but also the world (USA, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, England etc) and many people write notes saying why they feel Puketi is special or what it means to them. There is a huge swell of spiritual connection with Puketi and I think that is something we underestimated - particularly DoC when they chose to let it fall down the priority list."
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Puketi kiwi in dire peril |
Kiwi will become extinct in Puketi Forest within 50 years unless stoats, weasels, ferrets and feral cats are controlled.
Alarm bells follow monitoring of kiwi numbers and population trend over the past four years in one of the country's top ranked forests.
Estimates show that kiwis in Puketi Forest plus neighbouring Omahuta Forest number just 237 and that the population has decreased by 35 percent between 2000 and 2004.
Puketi Forest Trust member Ian Wilson presented the data at the first annual general meeting of the Puketi Forest Trust (Oho Mai Puketi) held this week.
The Trust has been trapping since October last year. Results in the early stages are promising but the campaign will have to be intensive and sustained to save the kiwi population at the current rate of decline.
In September 2000, the Department of Conservation co-ordinated the monitoring of 29 sites in Puketi Forest and 16 sites in adjacent Omahuta Forest. Those taking part listened for kiwi calls for the first two hours after dark on two nights. The average density at these sites at that time was calculated at 0.043 birds/hectare at Puketi and 0.025 birds/hectare at Omahuta.
It has been established that if listening is extended for another two nights 13 percent more birds will be heard. Using these figures the number of birds in Puketi (7500 ha) in September 2000 was estimated at 368, and 195 in Omahuta (7000 ha), giving a total population of 563 kiwi.
Down 35.5 percent over four years
During June and July this year the Puketi Forest Trust co-ordinated a survey at four sites and found the number of birds heard is down 35.5 percent compared to 2000.
Mr Wilson said, "If the results from these four sites are extended to the whole of the Puketi Forest area it can be deduced that during the past four years kiwi numbers have decreased by 131 to 237. In 50 years time, if numbers continue to decline at the same rate, kiwi will be extinct in the Puketi-Omahuta Forest."
On a positive note, Mr Wilson reported that during the recent survey a small kiwi was seen in the area where the Puketi Forest Trust is controlling predators. He said it is likely this young bird survived predation due to the work of the Trust which is beginning to make an impact.
So far, trapping has seen the eradication of 68 stoats, 18 cats, 5 weasels, 278 rats, 20 hedgehogs and 39 possums.
The Puketi Forest Trust has raised enough money to pay for about a year of predator control in a targeted area of the forest but much more is needed. Trust chairman Gary Bramley said this week, "We have a huge amount to do to make this forest safe for native species."
People are invited to sponsor a hectare of pest control, a kilometre of track or help fund traps.
Contact Gary Bramley at 09 4050074 for mail to The Puketi Forest Trust, PO Box 257, Kaeo.
The shortjaw kokopu
Stream survey uncovers
significant fish find
Department of Conservations Northland Conservancy has discovered a previously unknown population of a threatened NZ native freshwater fish in the Mangamuka Gorge.
The find is seen as significant, uncovering the biggest population of the species in Northland.
Often better known as whitebait in a fritter, this fish (Galaxias postvectis) is classed as threatened and only small and localised populations can be found throughout the country.
Shortjaws begin life in freshwater streams as small gelatinous eggs. The tiny transparent larvae then travel down-river and eventually head out to sea.
After about 5 months, those that have survived will have developed into whitebait (about 50 mm long). It is at this stage that the shortjaw returns to freshwater as part of the annual whitebait run.
The relentless drive of some shortjaw whitebait has seen them slither and clamber their way more than 150km inland and scale vertical waterfalls greater than 8 m high.
The kauri snail
Going Bush with Department of Conservation officer Carolyn Smith
What's in the woods at night
Forests by day are beautiful places, but at night the fun really starts. Here's a little taste of what people can experience on a moonlight walk through the bush...
The forest is full of really interesting little creatures, and most of them are nocturnal.
Most people realise that the kiwi is a 'late bird' but did you know that there are many species of insects and even snails that prefer the dark? The kauri snail is one of them. This beautiful snail with its large glossy chocolate brown shell can be seen prowling around the forest floor looking for tasty bits to devour.
As you walk through the forest at night, your ears hear a strange rasping sound, that's the song of the mighty weta. The two types found in Northland forests are the tree weta and the cave weta. The tree weta produces this distinctive sound by rubbing the hind femurs against the abdomen as both parts have short, stout spines and raised plates.
A morepork (ruru) is often to be heard putting in his order for dinner.
If you're lucky you might hear the distinctive call of the kiwi. The male generally makes a series of loud high-pitched calls, repeated at least 15 times. The female utters a guttural sound, which ends in a high note. These remarkable birds are still found in small numbers in Northland, something we can't take for granted when we consider other places in New Zealand where the forest is now bereft of this member of the night chorus.
The forest is also home to some wonderful little bats (pekapeka). New Zealand has two sorts, the more common long tail bats and the rare short tail bats.
The short tail bat is one of the few bats in the world which forages the forest floor for food, using its folded wings as 'front limbs' for scrambling around.
The long tail bats, although weighing in at only 8-11 grams can fly at the astonishing speed of 60 kilometres per hour and has a home range of up to 100square kilometres!
Even the streams come to life as our native fresh water fish come out of hiding. There are about 35 freshwater fish in our waters; nearly all of them are solitary, nocturnal and highly secretive.
A common find in a forest pool is the banded kokopu, this little guy is a deep brownish-olive with narrow, pale vertical bands.
As you walk through the forest, look under damp overhangs and along stream banks and you may see the night lights, the little glowworm, with its fishing lines out hoping to catch a tasty insect for tea.
The glowworm carefully constructs up to 70 lines of suspended silk threads and decorates them with droplets of mucus to form sticky beads. The unsuspecting prey is then lured in by the light, and, as it rises upwards, is caught in the drops, and dinner is ready.
As part of our Conservation Awareness Summer Programme, the Department of Conservation have held a couple of moonlight walks. If you missed out, you have another opportunity as we are having another walk on Sunday April 4.
Meet at the Puketi Forest Park Headquarters on Waiare Road at 6.30pm. Bring a torch and warm clothing. For further information, contact Mita Harris or Carolyn Smith at the Bay of Islands Area Office 09 407 8474.
Desperate bid to save Puketi kokako
In a bid to stem the critical decline in kokako numbers at Puketi Forest, all remaining kokako in the forest are to be captured and transferred to predator free Mauimua Island, off Bream Bay, for a breeding programme.
Kokako numbers at Puketi have declined rapidly from at least 100 in 1984 to just six or seven single male birds at the 2003 census.
Marooning the remaining Puketi males on a predator free island, to pair with female kokako is seen as the best option.
With so few male birds remaining in Puketi, it is a priority to secure the genetic material and dialect from these birds before the Puketi birds die of old age or are too old to breed.
Up to ten females will be sourced, as nestlings, from North Island sites, which have a robust population. The young females will be hand reared at Hamilton Zoo.
Kokako are territorial birds that use a range of calls and song to mark their territory and attract mates and the chicks will be trained in the Puketi dialect, which differs from other kokako populations.
The translocation is planned before the end of January and will allow the kokako to breed in safety.
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When a population of eight breeding paris has been reached, all the extra adult pairs or singles will be transferred back to Puketi to re-establish a core population.
The capture and transfer of the Puketi males will take up to a month to complete while the hand rearing of the female chicks will take about two months.
The project is taking place the auspices of the Department of Conservation?s Kokako Recovery Group.
Previous attempts to hand rear chicks were successful but the birds raised over a four year period were killed by predators when they were released into Puketi.
In the meantime, to prepare the forest for release of birds, the Puketi Forest Trust has embarked on a five year predator control campaign.
The Trust has raised more than $17,000 so far, to fund trapping and cutting of tracks. Trapping is already underway and the results are encouraging says Puketi Forest Trust chairman Gary Bramley.
A total of 280 trap sites are now in place with regular monitoring and bait refreshing.
Since the Puketi Forest Trust campaign got underway, there has been a promising increase in numbers of predators killed, compared to previous years. In 2001 six stoats were caught, in 2002 another six stoats and two cats were caught. Since the new campaign started 16 stoats, 5 cats, 3 weasels, one ferret have been trapped. Rats will be targetted in Year Two of the project.
The Trust is asking for people to continue supporting the campaign
For further information ring 405 0074 or visit the website www.puketi.org.nz |
Articles & pics courtesy of The Bay Chronicle www.bayofislands.co.nz/chronicle
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