Rangers Report - April 2014

Moth plant seed pods

Seed pods from the invasive moth plant weed.

This month the rangers and volunteers have really been getting stuck into the pests - mammals, plants and insects.

The exiting news is that we have been able to get well and truly stuck into the development of new lines in area 4 (mainly the valley behind the Newbold property). The northern boundary line now extends the entire length of the reserve from Urquhart Bay to Ocean Beach, this line being the key defensive system to re-invasion from those unwanted pests and predators. In just two days of being installed a possum, weasel and mouse were caught in the same trap area on this new line!
Some of the awesome dedicated Busby Trappers team recently got out of their ‘normal’ work zone and went hard treating a large Mothplant infestation on the northern boundary of the reserve behind Tim’s property. The team spent several hours cutting the stems, treating them with Vigilant Gel as well as removing the seed pods, dramatically reducing this tenacious, fast spreading, canopy dominating weed.
On the 8th May Evan and Adam were able to poison what will hopefully be the last Argentine Ant infestation site in Ocean Beach for a long time (ideally the last site in this area forever). 24 ‘Extiguish’ Ant control paste tubes were applied to approximately 10 properties and the roadside along Ocean Beach Road and we will monitor this area again early next summer to ascertain the success of this control operation.

There’s great work going on, and if you want to be part of it…

Let’s Get Planting!

We’ll be planting mainly one year old manuka and kanuka seedlings in root trainers, some pohutukawa and some young harakeke - a total of around 2000 plants.

When: Sunday 8 June and Sunday 15 June 2014
Time: 9 am to 12 noon.
Morning tea: 10.30 am – we will have a hot cuppa ready and bikkies.
Meet: Urquhart Bay car park at 9.00 am or if you come later just walk past the gun emplacements and drop down into Home Bay and you will see us hard at work.
What to bring: Wear warm clothing and gum boots or stout footwear and pack your raincoat, water etc. We’ll have some spades, but bring your own favourite if you can.

Read the April 2014 Rangers Report (446kB pdf) for more details on this and other stories.