Kereru comeback
More kereru, an increase in rare mistletoe... these are all benefits of Greater Wellington’s pest control programme.
“We’re seeing a comeback of rare native birds and seedlings in our parks and forests – this indicates that the programme is working well,” says Greater Wellington’s Philippa Crisp. In Kaitoke Regional Park, kereru counts have increased from 29 birds in 2003 to 84 in 2007. Rare native mistletoe and raukawa have also increased.
Greater Wellington does aerial 1080 poison drops to eradicate pest animals such as possums in large blocks of land, hand-lays poisons closer to residential areas, and controls goats and pest plants. We also work with community groups like Mainland Island Restoration Operation (MIRO) on pest control projects.
MIRO has been crucial in reducing possum numbers in East Harbour Regional Park by servicing traps in the park’s 1,700 hectare forest. MIRO chair Gail Abel says: “We’ve removed 1,700 possums in the past three and a half years, allowing native bush to flourish and native birds to return. Our work makes a difference – I’ve spotted bellbirds, riflemen, whiteheads and kakariki in the park. These were rare or absent a few years ago.”