Footnotes October 2009

Treasure trove of marine knowledge uncovered

Knowledge gleaned about Wellington’s marine environment over more than century, has been brought together in an interactive CD, to help guide decision makers.

Click on image to find out more

Department of Conservation marine ecologist Helen Kettles says a lack of accessible information on the marine environment prompted the department to create a repository of marine research.

“When issues arose, agencies involved in managing the marine environment had to go digging for information to guide them. It was time consuming and there was potential for duplication of effort. The marine environment is coming under increasing pressure from coastal development, marine energy, fishing, and pollution so it’s important to have easily accessible information to help make good decisions.”

Information for the Wellington Marine Information CD was gathered from a variety of sources, including government departments, councils, and the National Library, and collated into a searchable bibliography. It references 1381 reports and scientific papers that can be searched for by key word or location. Where possible, links have been made to full reports online. The development of the resource is an ongoing process.

"We welcome feedback, via the link on the CD. Our aim is to update the resource in the future and make it available online," says Helen. Read full media release

Recreation facility updates

Hot pools in Hawke's Bay have been upgraded, Wairarapa lodges can now be booked online, huts in the Rimutaka Forest Park offer an exclusive overnight bush experience, and the Hawke's Bay forest parks were hit by wind and snow. Find out more

Project Kākā aims at boosting birdsong in the Tararuas

The Tararua ranges should resound with increased birdsong as the result of a new pest control programme being undertaken by DOC.

Starting in spring 2010, rats, stoats and possums will be controlled every three years in a 22,000 ha belt across Tararua Forest Park -  from Otaki Forks to Holdsworth roadend.  It's been named Project Kaka - Tararua Nature Recovery, to reflect its goal of restoring a diverse native forest bird community to the park, including the native parrot kākā. While plentiful on nearby Kapiti Island and at Pukaha Mount Bruce, kākā survives only in low numbers in the park. The timing of the operation will ensure that native birds gain maximum protection during the vulnerable nesting period.

Find out more about Project Kākā and how you can help monitor bird numbers in the park

More than $150,000 awarded to community conservation projects

More than $150,000 in Community Conservation Funding has been awarded to projects in Wellington Hawke’s Bay Conservancy, including the restoration of a dune swamp podocarp forest in Kapiti, and riparian restoration projects in Wellington, Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay.

The Wellington region fared best in the country, with grants totalling $142,000 awarded to seven projects. Nationally $600,000 has been allocated from the Fund for 41 projects.

“The applications in this round were of a particularly high standard and illustrate the commitment and teamwork between the community, councils, and government departments working together on restoration projects,” Director General of Conservation Al Morrison said. Find out about the round two funded projects

Workshop upskills Wellington’s conservation volunteers

Volunteers restoring the health and vitality of Wellington’s natural ecosystems were equipped with skills to plan and monitor their projects at a workshop in the Rimutaka Forest Park in October.

View images from the workshop

Members of ecological restoration groups from throughout the region braved torrential rain and cold conditions in the Catchpool Valley to learn techniques to monitor vegetation growth, measure stream health, count and identify birds, and track pest mammals.

Organised by the Department of Conservation, the Wellington City and Wellington Regional Councils, and QEII National Trust, the workshop featured presentations from some of New Zealand’s leading restoration experts. Read full media release

$329,000 for private land conservation projects

Thirteen conservation projects on private land in the Wellington region, Hawke’s Bay and the Chatham Islands have received almost $329,000 in the Department of Conservation’s Biodiversity Advice and Condition Funds 2009.

They include weed control, fencing, freshwater restoration, and dune protection in areas of high biodiversity value.  More than $3 million dollars nationwide was allocated for more than 70 conservation projects across 23 thousand hectares of private land. The funding was announced in October by Conservation Minister Tim Groser, who said encouraging private landowners to get involved in conservation work is one of the Government’s priorities.

“Conservation is a partnership and this funding will provide strong support for my department’s conservation goals.”

Read full media release from the office of the Minister of Conservation

Find out about the fund recipients in Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and the Chatham Islands

Chatham Island covenantors acknowledged

Chatham Island landowners who have protected conservation values on their land were acknowledged by Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson during a visit to the Chatham Islands in October.

Kate Wilkinson and Nature Heritage Fund chairperson Di Lucas presented framed certificates to covenant landowners at a function. The Nature Heritage Fund has invested around $1.43 million protecting 3225 hectares of biodiversity on private land on the Chathams. Find out more

Forest and Bird celebrates Pauatahanui Inlet milestone

Wet weather seemed an appropriate tribute from nature for the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society's involvement with the Pauatahanui Wildlife Management Reserve in October.

Totara are planted at Pauatahanui
restoration anniversary celebrations

Day-to-day management of the reserve has been undertaken by committed members of Forest and Bird since 1985 and they didn't mind that it rained on their parade. "It's a wetland, after all," remarked member Des Dunbar. 
 
DOC works with Forest and Bird to manage the reserve, and DOC Wellington Hawke's Bay Conservator Alan McKenzie commended the committee for its vision and hard work in creating additional wildlife habitat and establishing tracks and educational facilities. 

He described the reserve as a "jewel" for Wellington which complemented a range of other restored sites in the region.

"There are a whole bundle of places that people can visit with very little effort to see a range of different ecosystems."

Two totara were planted to signify the Forest and Bird-DOC relationship and the ongoing commitment to protect the saltmarsh and other restoration areas established at the reserve. 

Find out more about Pauatahanui Inlet

Conservation hero retires from Pukaha roles

Colin Scadden hard at work weeding
at Onoke Spit

Colin Scadden’s lengthy commitment to conservation in the Wairarapa is acknowledged by DOC as he stands down from the National Wildlife Centre Trust and the Pukaha Mount Bruce board.

DOC Wairarapa Area manager Chris Lester said Colin had made a huge contribution to the conservation efforts at Pukaha Mt Bruce in Wairarapa as a member of the trust for 25 years, and of the board since its inception. His services to conservation earned him membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002.

“This is the end of a great era. What we know about New Zealand’s native birds owes a lot to people like Colin,” Chris says.

Colin will continue to volunteer at Pukaha Mount Bruce.

Find out more about Pukaha Mount Bruce

Friends of A’Deanes Bush management agreement signed

The department’s Hawke’s Bay Area and Friends of A’Deanes Bush signed a formal management agreement in August, to work together to restore, protect, and enhance the indigenous flora and fauna of the 38 hectare A’Deane’s Bush Scenic Reserve near Ongaonga (Central Hawke’s Bay). 

The initial three year partnership is for the department to provide a new entry way & toilets while the Friends control plant and animal pests - old man’s beard, Tradescantia, periwinkle, rodents, and mustelids. Tui and kereru will be monitored to gauge the success of the partnership.

Weedbusting efforts earn a Chathams Conservation Award

Keri Moir's weedbusting efforts have earned her a Chatham Islands Conservation Award.

The Chatham Islands Conservation Board, which hosts the annual award, said Keri's diligence with observing, monitoring and reporting weeds and her dedicated interaction with Chathams DOC staff greatly enhanced the department's weed control work.

Chathams Conservation Award
recipient Keri Moir

Keri’s advocacy work with conservation education and ardent participation in the Weedbusters programme was also recognised in her nomination, all benefitting the conservation values of the Chatham Islands.

Meanwhile the Wellington Hawke's Bay Conservancy and Conservation Board won't be holding awards this year as they're working on the development of joint conservation awards with Greater Wellington Regional Council from next year.

Find out more about the Chatham Island Conservation Awards

Popular songbird nests on Chatham Islands mainland

Tūī transferred from Rangatira Island to the Chathams mainland earlier this year have begun breeding, much to the delight of locals.

“They're over the moon because some of them have never seen a tūī - soon they might have these songbirds gracing their gardens,” Chatham Islands resident & conservationist Liz Tuanui says.

“The last time tui were seen in any numbers on the Chatham islands’ mainland was 25 years ago, so anyone under that age is unlikely to have seen or heard tui.” 

Read the full media release on the Forest and Bird website

Find out more about the Chatham Island tūī

Keeping kiwi wild in Wellington

Spring has heralded in a significant milestone in the Rimutaka Forest Park, with the first kiwi chick left to hatch naturally in the park being born in September.

“We are ecstatic” said Rimutaka Forest Park Trust spokesperson, Melody McLaughlin.

“We've been re-introducing kiwi into the park for the past five years and this is a positive step towards the kiwi becoming a self-sustaining, free-ranging population”

Find out more on the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust website

Mana Island shearwater expires on Australian beach

One of the fluttering shearwater chicks translocated to Mana Island by the Friends of Mana Island and DOC has been found dead on the Victorian coast in Australia.

The chick fledged in good condition on 30 Jan 2008, and was found dead 13 months later in March 2009 at the mouth of the Powlett River. Young fluttering shearwaters are known to head to south-east Australia before returning to breed when 4-6 years old. The first translocated chicks are not expected back on Mana Island for another year or so, but two adult females have established burrows there after being attracted by the solar-powered sound system, that broadcasts shearwater calls through the night.

Find out more about the restoration of Mana Island

Swapping the classroom for field work on Matiu/Somes Island

Banding penguins on Matiu/Somes Island is among the tasks tackled by Teacher Fellows Shelley Holmes and Glenis Weaver, who swapped the classroom at Upper Hutt Primary School for a four month stint with the DOC's Poneke Area Office.

Teacher Fellow Shelley Holmes
carefully handles a blue penguin on
Matiu/Somes Island

“Working with DOC is giving us the opportunity to learn more about the nature of science from a conservation, biodiversity and sustainability perspective,” Shelley explained.   

Monitoring blue penguins on Matiu/Somes Island was a “magical experience” despite the birds' stroppiness. “Cute as they look they have a rather nasty habit of pecking and biting if they get a chance, so you soon learn to be quick and to hold them carefully,” laughed Glenis.      

Before finishing their tenure with DOC in December, Glenis and Shelley will spend more time on Matiu/Somes Island learning about weed control, counting robin populations and participating in a range of other activities with the help of the island rangers. 

Find out more about the Royal Society Teacher Fellowship programme

Solar water heating installed on Matiu/Somes Island

Solar hot water systems installed on housing used by staff, iwi and volunteers on Matiu/Somes Island, have reduced the reliance on diesel generators for electricity to heat the water... and the cost to DOC. 

Results so far have been  encouraging with positive compliments from people living and staying on the island. Find out more about Matiu/Somes Island

Conservation Week a huge success

Conservation Week 2009 was a huge success in the Wellington Hawke's Bay Conservancy with weed swaps, guided walks, tramps, bike rides, planting days, talks, a heritage open day, a kiwi health check, and a Chathams recycling day among the many events on offer.

Thank you to the community conservation groups, schools, councils and businesses who worked with DOC and TVNZ 6 to give New Zealanders great opportunities to get involved.

View images from events

Conservation blog launched

Conservation Week 2009 saw the launch of the Conservation blog on the DOC website, giving a behind-the-scenes look at what DOC staff are up to and a chance to send us your comments.

The trainee ranger experience  – Briggs Pilkington

Helping to organise Conservation Week events in the Wairarapa is among the varied work being tackled by trainee ranger Briggs Pilkington since he began his two year traineeship with DOC's Wellington Hawke's Bay Conservancy in July. He shares his experiences with Footnotes readers

New lease on life for former field centre house

An empty house removed from a contaminated site at Ongaonga in Hawke's Bay has a new lease on life, accommodating volunteers at the Boundary Stream Mainland Island.

Moving house - from Ongaonga to
Boundary Stream

The house, at the DOC field centre at Ongaonga, had been unoccupied for some years, after the site was found to be contaminated. The site had been used for timber treatment before DOC acquired it in the 1990s. The house was relocated to Boundary Stream and upgraded over winter to provide much-needed accommodation for volunteers who undertake pest control and species monitoring in the reserve.

The Ongaonga site has been cleaned-up, grassed and planted out in natives and continues to be used for day-to-day operations.

Find out more about the Boundary Stream Mainland Island

Staff appointments

Amber McEwan, freshwater technical support officer, Conservation Support Unit

Amber has worked for DOC as a pest fish ranger in Kapiti and has recently finished her Masters thesis in the behaviour of native fish in the wild - living in a caravan in the Tararua foothills "chasing" radio tagged redfin bullies, shortjaw kokupu, and koaro. 

Bryan Welch, programme manager biodiversity assets, Hawke's Bay Area

"It's really good to be back," says Bryan who began his career in 1991 as a volunteer at Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre, and later worked there in a paid role in captive species management. He also worked for DOC on Aotea (Great Barrier Island) and at Twizel with the kaki (black stilt). His career has involved stints with the Queenstown Kiwi and Birdlife Park, Orana Park, and Auckland and Melbourne Zoos. He's recently been travelling through SE Asia for several months "to defrost".

Emma Greig, recreation technical support officer, Conservation Support Unit

Emma will help plan recreation facilities for the conservancy. She previously worked with New Zealand Transport Agency researching sustainable transport.

Jack Mace, animal pest/biosecurity technical support officer, Conservation Support Unit 

Formerly a biodiversity ranger with the Taranaki Area Office, in charge of vegetation monitoring, Jack has also worked as a ranger with DOC on the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project in the Nelson Lakes National Park, and spent a summer working on a joint Otago University/DOC project to monitor the breeding success of robins and saddlebacks transferred to Ulva Island. He recently honed his backcountry skills with a holiday in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Kailee Smith, fire/CITES/biodiversity ranger, Poneke Area Office

Kailee worked with the Ministry of Fisheries, monitoring the health and safety aspect of fisheries officers in the field, before joining DOC. 

Lisa Clapcott, community relations programme manager, Kapiti Area Office

Lisa, formerly the QE ll National Trust regional representative, has also been an eco-tourism guide and worked in recreation industry training. She's recently been working as a community relations contractor at the Kapiti Area Office.

Pat and Abi Liddy, fauna rangers, Chatham Islands Area Office

A married couple, Pat and Abi are monitoring Chathams birds, including Chatham Island oystercatchers, Chatham and Pitt shags, shore plovers, black robins, Chatham petrels and Chatham Island taiko.  Abi runs the species work on Mangere and Rangatira Islands. They've previously worked for DOC on Raoul Island and and at Haast, and spent a few weeks changing transmitters and night catching at the Okarito and Haast kiwi sanctuaries before taking up their roles on the Chathams.

Steve Johnston, programme manager biodiversity threats, Chatham Islands Area Office

Steve, who has previously worked with the NZ Army and Police, will be responsible for managing biodiversity risks on the Chatham Islands.

Feedback to be invited soon on draft Wellington CMS

We advised readers in the June 2009 edition that the Wellington Conservation Board was well down the track with a review of the Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) when work was halted with the creation of a new conservancy, and the need to create a new Wellington Hawke's Bay CMS. 

The hard work put in to date by the existing Conservation Board members and those already consulted on the Wellington CMS will not be lost. It's well captured in the draft and will be built on in the development of the new CMS, which is on hold until late in the 2010/11 financial year.

Comments from the public will be sought on the draft Wellington CMS which will go onto the DOC website shortly.  A final check is being made to ensure it's concise and easy to read and set at the correct level of detail for a strategy.

Recent media releases

Seal torment prompts DOC plea to let them be

“Leave seals alone” is the plea from a Wairarapa Department of Conservation officer who, responding to a Labour weekend call-out to a sick seal at Riversdale, found it being prodded with sticks by children, and terrorised by motorcycles and dogs. Read release 

Biosecurity breaches threaten harbour sanctuary

Illegal landings by yachts, one bringing a dog, marred an otherwise positive Labour weekend on predator-free Matiu/Somes Island in Wellington Harbour by threatening the biosecurity of the island’s wildlife. Read release

Chatham Island Conservation Board appointments announced

Associate Minister of Conservation Hon Kate Wilkinson has announced this year’s appointments to the Chatham Islands Conservation Board. Read release

Returning waders will be protected from dogs in Ahuriru Estuary 

Stricter dog control measures are in place at Napier’s Ahuriri Estuary to protect the migratory and resident birds which rely on estuaries for their food. Read release

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