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Meet Luke
The project has just taken on a fifth staff member to keep everything running smoothly, as recommended by last year’s Pest Elimination Feasibility Study. Luke Wafer is the new Field Support Officer and joins the team to maintain and extend the pest control and monitoring network and support volunteers. Thirty-year-old Luke has lived in Auckland all his life and his Dad has lived in Whangaparāoa for longer than that, so Luke knows this area well. He is an outdoors person, enjoying camping and hiking in his spare time. Having worked for Wildlands Consultants for the last two years, where he completed a Predator Free apprenticeship, he was keen to work for a community-based, not for profit organisation like Forest & Bird. Luke is passionate about protecting native wildlife through pest trapping and is looking forward to bringing his experience to the team and learning new skills.
Forest and Bird’s Jenny Hanwell says the Hibiscus Coast Pest Free Project continues to progress well towards its vision of a safe haven for native species on the peninsula and surrounding area, cared for by the community.
Last year, the project reached milestones of 150 volunteers and more than 2000 predator control devices on parks, and it is currently very close to its goal of having 2000 residents trapping rats in their backyards.
The number of rats, judging from the project’s monitoring, is the lowest it has ever been, with only 7 percent of tracking devices set last August showing rat footprints.
Nearly all the schools in the area are involved in some way, and the team hopes to work with more young people this year.
This year, the project has set a few priorities to ensure it continues to grow and increases its visibility in the community. To achieve this, more volunteers are urgently needed, particularly in these areas:
• Adding more pest control lines to local parks – did you know that just over 100 parks have pest animal control carried out by Forest & Bird volunteers and staff in partnership with Auckland Council? Each year they remove 1000s of rats, plus possums, stoats and weasels.. Training is provided by volunteer coordinator Rhiannon Thomas, and there is a role to suit everyone.
• More possum control in residential areas – in the last three years, possum catches and detections have reduced significantly, indicating that real progress is being made, with only one possum making it into Shakespear Open Sanctuary since May 2021.
However, there are still pockets of bush where they are present and causing damage to native trees and nesting birds. This year the project will be looking for residents in the Wade Heads area to host possum traps long term – one resident on Wade River Road caught five in her trap in the week leading up to Christmas.
• Increasing backyard trapping – there are now huge numbers of people who have ordered rat traps from the project, however it is vital to grow this number and ensure that all those who have traps set them regularly.
Although residents may never see a rat until it is in the trap, they are there. Traps can be ordered from www.forestandbird.org.nz/how-can-you-help-pfhc
Community activator Andrea Dick is looking for volunteers to support this work by doing mail drops and signing up their neighbours to work together, to create a greater impact.
• Connecting with youth – there are a lot of opportunities for young people to get involved in conservation work, gain work experience and really see a tangible difference. This year the Pest Free Hibiscus Coast team wants to work with local youth organisations to facilitate this, as well as encourage more Forest & Bird Youth programme members.
• Connect people with the whenua – through a partnership with Ngati Manuhiri, and its events programme, Pest Free Hibiscus Coast is seeking to provide opportunities for the community to connect with the environment, incorporating the principles of Te Ao Māori and supporting people to stop and notice nature.
The Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Project is funded through grants and private donations, and is currently supported by ratepayers through Auckland Council and the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. The project is seeking additional funding from businesses and grant giving organisations so it can continue its work.
Info: email project manager Jenny Hanwell, j.hanwell@forestandbird.org.nz
