This year in particular is a year where the environment either thanks us, or sighs with exasperation that we are not doing enough. Luckily, we have 27% of landowners in the Wairoa River Catchment onboard with our environmental restoration vision, and we’re fairly confident the environment will be responding positively to our collective efforts and thanking us this year.
This summer we are entering a mast seeding event for our native plant species, something which happens every 2-6 years, where some native plants produce far more seed than in other years. This leads to plenty of fruit in the forest for pest animals like rats and possums to feed on. When the plentiful plant-based food disappears, they switch to eating our native animals instead.
However, when we remove pest animals from the environment, our native species can use the abundant forest fruits to have a very productive breeding year, sometimes raising two or even three nests-worth of chicks. We hope that our collective efforts in predator control allow our native birds to have many babies this season, and that plenty of those seeds germinate to continue the cycle of a healthy forest.
Look around you as you walk the land – look up! Can you see what we’re talking about? Can you see the flowers, fruits and seeds on the native plants on your property? Why not snip off a tiny branch of seeds (leave plenty behind for the birds), and try to sow them in some soil and see what happens? If you get a bunch of seedlings, why not plant them on your property to extend habitat for the birds for next season, or share them with your friends? Nothing is lost if we fail, but nothing will happen if we don’t try either. Have some fun with it and get the kids or grandkids involved!
Friends of Te Wairoa are finishing the year on a positive note, having employed a Catchment Regeneration Coordinator to help landowners with pest plant control and restoration planting advice, connecting and strengthening relationships with partner organisations, and a hugely successful day at the Hūnua Country Fair.
If you want to contact Chris directly about advice for tackling your pest plants, or where to start with your native planting initiatives, or even what financial or on the ground support options are available, you can now contact him directly at regeneration@tewairoa.org.nz.
At the Hūnua Country Fair, we popped up a gazebo with our usual bait and trap day offerings, helping landowners with advice and materials to continue their pest plant and pest animal control journeys. A record 49 properties came to see us, 16 of those new to our services – welcome on board! We gave out loads of traps, bait stations, bait, and herbicide gels for your pesky pest plants, and loved every story that we heard on the day. Sharing your stories helps us to learn your struggles and successes, and gives us insights to help us help others. If you missed out, keep an eye on www.predatorfreefranklin.nz for further upcoming events.
This year, you’ve reported to us:
- 115 ferrets
- 6 feral goats
- 11 hares
- 173 hedgehogs
- 46 magpies
- 1,305 mice
- 64 myna
- 2 feral pigs
- 1,732 possums
- 788 rabbits
- 1,063 rats
- 32 stoats
- And 22 weasels
In total, that’s well over 5,000 pest animals that you have removed by trapping or shooting, and reported to us. That’s almost 10 pests for each property that we have on our database – well done! If you can add to those numbers, report your catch to us by emailing pestcontrol@tewairoa.org.nz.
We’ll start planning our 2026 calendar soon, with all of our usual offerings, plus hopefully some new ones in the mix so watch this space! Have questions or suggestions? Email us at info@tewairoa.org.nz.
Friends of Te Wairoa couldn’t make the impact that we do in restoring Te Wairoa River without the support and individual actions of many landowners in the catchment. 27% of you are on board with the mission, and we never take that for granted. Life is busy, yet still you find time and energy to restore the environment around us, and leave it a better place for future generations of people, plants and animals. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Have a wonderful summer, and we’ll catch you out and about in the new year!
