My Account
A number of peninsula projects around Aotearoa-New Zealand have been successful in helping bring back native species.
Areas that have good bush reserves, as well as “pinch points” where fences or traplines can prevent or deter predators from re-invading, are great candidates for local groups to work together to turn these areas into pest free havens.
Restore Rodney East (RRE), with strong input from local groups and Auckland Council, has been researching the potential for the Mahurangi East peninsula to become another of these protected areas.
Over the past 18 months, we have been talking to residents associations, trapping groups, landowners, individuals and other partners and stakeholders to assess the level of interest in such a programme. In parallel, other large-scale initiatives, especially The Forest Bridge Trust, have been extending trapping footprints locally in conjunction with farmers and large landowners.
Overall, there has been strong support expressed for a pest free peninsula – the benefits are significant to the area, which is likely to extend north-south from Matakana Road through to Scott’s Landing and the new regional park, and east-west from Sandspit to the Mahurangi River. The challenge is to understand what type of organisation, if any, would be helpful to achieve the objectives.
As an early step, we have commissioned environmental consultancy Boffa Miskell to undertake a study to help identify where trapping or other forms of predator control are already in place, and to understand where there are gaps where pests can move freely along the peninsula without barriers.
Two such gaps are now in the process of being closed – one at the Goodall Reserve in Snells Beach and the other at Algies Bay, where trapping networks are being commissioned. The Goodall Reserve and nearby Te Whau walkway were open corridors for pests and having traps in place there is a big step towards preventing re-invasions. Thanks go to council and volunteers for their involvement there.
At Algies Bay, the residents’ association, led by Brendan Chaffe, has recently received donations of traps from RRE, thanks to funding from the Rodney Local Board, in order to give them a running start.
Many other groups including at Sandspit, Snells Beach, Scotts Landing and Warkworth have been able to step up predator control coverage this year, thanks to generous grants from Predator Free New Zealand.
Once the conversations with stakeholders and partners (especially iwi) are more complete, and the gap analysis work is finalised, it will be time to look at what type of voluntary organisation might help drive collaboration and achievement of pest free peninsula goals. The options include the whole range from “do nothing” to alternative ways to create more coordinated pest free outcomes.
We hope the momentum already underway continues and that there is ongoing community and stakeholder support for this initiative.
If you would be keen to volunteer to assist this initiative, please contact us at biodiversity@rre.org.nz
