Saddlebacks and other rare birds could become common visitors to Whangarei Heads gardens |
Yep, and this applies to conservation too. What can we expect from our efforts to restore (even if only in part) the ecology of our land?
Removing introduced mammalian pests such as possums, rats, cats, mustelids and dogs is the key to restoration. Even not replacing your moggie (or doggie) after it leaves for the happy hunting ground may help. I once watched with awe as our cat pluck a flying tui out of the air. When he started to scrag the backs of our legs we decided, for the sake of the grandchildren, to move him on. He was not replaced. Since then the bird life on our third-acre section has increased greatly. And they seem less timid.
Some Whangarei Heads developers, especially near key conservation areas, are putting the restriction of “no cats or dogs” on their properties. This will have a major positive affect on the recovery of native animals, including kiwi, in the adjacent land.
With control of possums and other pests to low numbers we can expect better general forest health and an increase in the number of native wood pigeons (kukupa); this happened in the Bream Head Scenic Reserve between 1993 and 2000.
Since then increased weed control and the control to low levels of possums, cats, and mustelids has resulted in additional threatened species such as kiwi (and possibly kaka) recovering in the Reserve. Many other Landcare groups are achieving similar results in their areas, especially for kiwi and kukupa.
If we want to see native birds such as robin, rifleman, whitehead and kokako in any of our bush remnants, in addition to the above we especially have to reduce rat populations. A level of about 2% (i.e. only two rats caught per 100 traps set) over the breeding period and sustained below 5% at other times is necessary. This will be difficult to achieve, particularly if they reinvade from outside areas.
Forest processes such as flowering, fruiting, and seed dispersal will improve, but germination and regeneration may not be so good because mouse densities could increase with the suppression of their predators and competitors.
But the ultimate goal, a fully functioning coastal forest with no significant impediments to its ecological processes, with the reintroduction of many extremely sensitive threatened species (tuatara, saddleback, stitchbird, burrowing seabirds, giant weta, Cyclodina skinks, Duvaucel's gecko all currently confined to offshore islands) requires the total and permanent eradication of mammalian pests. This can only be achieved by eliminating the pests within a predator-proof fenced area.
That’s expensive! But imagine the experience of walking into a patch of bush and seeing and hearing all these rare animals without having to get on a boat and visit an offshore island! Priceless!
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