Kia ora trappers!
Wow, it feels like the world has woken up with the arrival of spring from a long 2.5-year covid-induced slumber.
We’ve had some neat events in the past few months, including a Natural Area Restoration Workshop, a follow-up in-field session to see the theory put into practise at Jodie and Steve’s place, and with Predator Free NZ we hosted Cam Speedy.
Upcoming events:
Pest Plant Workshop on Sunday 16th October – spaces strictly limited, email info@tewairoa.org.nz to register and for more information
Predator Free 2050 drop & learn session at the Auckland Botanic Gardens on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd October
Clevedon A&P Show on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November at the Clevedon Showgrounds
Hūnua Market Day on Saturday 26th November at the Hūnua Hall. Come and see us for your pest control materials and top-ups.
With spring and baby birds in full swing, it is time again to refill those bait stations and check traps. Use the opportunity to teach kids and grandkids about bait and trap safety and get them involved while they’re off on school holidays. We have plenty of precious taonga species hanging around and hanging on, just. We can give them a chance at respite from predation by doing our bit.
Keep those catch tallies coming in by email or via the trap.nz app. If you need any advice or support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We have the ability to do property visits if you are completely overwhelmed and confused.
There is a small update in the way we are operating.
As some of you know, alongside other pest control groups in Franklin, we operate under the umbrella support of a group called Te Ara Hīkoi (TAH). TAH applies for large sums of funding in order to purchase bulk pest control materials at wholesale prices, which are then distributed to groups like ours which can then give them away for free.
Unfortunately, Covid has limited the funding that is available, alongside increased demand, inflated prices, and the increase in predator control groups competing for funding from the same sources has left us a little short.
Hence, on behalf of TAH, we must start asking for donations. A donation of, for example, 50% of the wholesale cost of materials taken will go a significant way towards helping us make the gear stretch further for those in need. All donations will be used directly to purchase more gear for others.
As an indication of the cost of pest control materials, excluding GST…
| Item | Wholesale cost |
| 10kg Pest off | $47.70 |
| 2kg Double Tap | $55 |
| Philproof bait station | $11.80 |
| Pied piper bait station | $16.77 |
| Flipping Timmy | $51.20 |
| Eggsellent Lure | $20 |
| Blue Possum Lure | $13.04 |
| Rat traps | $15.50 |
For donations over $20, email accounts@tearahikoi.nz for a tax invoice. Donations can be made to:
Te Ara Hikoi Trust
12-3023-0111364-00
Please enter ‘donation’ in the reference field.
TAH are also open to receiving commercial sponsorship or donations. If your business is interested in this contact Debbie at accounts@tearahikoi.nz. Even better, if you have stickers of your logo we will be happy to attach these to a run of pest control materials that your donation has helped to fund.
You receive these newsletters as you are on the Friends of Te Wairoa mailing list. You may have been to one of our bait and trap days, or been in touch via email. We realise that people shift around a lot. Check this map to see whether you are connected with the right group and subscribe to their newsletter. At the bottom of this email is a link to unsubscribe if you are no longer in the area or do not wish to receive these emails, which are sent only five times a year.
Happy trapping,
Lenny van Heugten
Pest Control Co-ordinator
Friends of Te Wairoa
pestcontrol@tewairoa.org.nz