Environment – Vision for a pest-free Hibiscus Coast

With new residents continually arriving on the Hibiscus Coast, the New Year offers a good chance to explain what Forest & Bird’s Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Project does and the progress we’re making as a community toward reducing invasive predators.

Founded in 2013 by local conservation volunteer and artist Pauline Smith, the project began as a community response to the predator-proof fence going in at Shakespear. It not only thought ahead to what might happen as the species reintroduced to Shakespear “spread their wings”, but considered how could the wonderful places on the peninsula and beyond be made safer for the creatures that live there. 

Whangaparāoa Peninsula is not only a wonderful place to live but also a biodiversity hotspot. When bird surveys began in 2013, numbers were already high. The challenge was to protect and grow those populations, and we have.

The project’s vision remains:

“To create a safe, healthy habitat for native species transitioning from sanctuaries at Shakespear and Tiritiri Matangi along the peninsula and surrounding areas, enjoyed and cared for by the community.”

Today I am fortunate to manage the project with a small team of excellent volunteers, and a growing team of locals are working hard to make our environment a safer place for nature and people too. Hundreds of residents now use backyard rat traps, making a huge difference to species such as pīwakawaka (fantail) that are so vulnerable to predation. 

More than 140 volunteers work across parks and private land to remove rats, stoats, weasels, possums and hedgehogs, monitoring seasonal population changes with tracking tunnels and trail cameras. Thanks to support from the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board, 136 parks are covered. Imagine if the 50,000 rats removed last year were still here!

However, we must be realistic. I avoid the term “eradication” as the current tools and resources can only suppress predator numbers, not reduce to zero. Without ongoing effort, populations rebound quickly. Doing nothing isn’t an option; the damage caused by introduced predators is well known. 

To move beyond suppression, we must shift to an “elimination” model. This is similar to eradication but recognises the ongoing risk of reinvasion, such as pests swimming across the Weiti River. In 2023, Forest & Bird commissioned Wildlife Management International to assess feasibility. The first step is possum elimination through an intensive trapping programme, which is achievable with the right funding – currently my biggest challenge!

Our ultimate goal is to remove all the introduced predators so the  forests can thrive and the incredible species living in Shakespear can safely increase their range. 

If elimination becomes the next step, how would you like to be involved, and what would you hope to see in your backyard? I’d love to hear from you, and if you have a backyard trap, how’s it going?