COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER – Mahi tahi!!

Rangers’ Report – March 2019

Operational Summary...

Kiaora koutou

Wow, what another awesome month at Bream Head Scenic Reserve, with some beautiful late summer days and the very

welcome relief of some rain at last. I am sure all the native species are much happier now with some moisture in the forest

floor producing much needed nourishment to invertebrates, which in turn are vital food sources to those higher up the food

chain. The long, dry, hot summer days this year have allowed all plant and animal species either native, endemic or

introduced to breed/seed very well indeed. The introduced vespula wasps species (German and common wasp) have really

enjoyed the dry winter/spring and summer past, breeding up into very high numbers and now feeding on invertebrate

protein to feed their pupae. Our awesome volunteer/ranger team have reacted very quickly to this threat and installed a

robust grid wasp bait station network, laced with a clever vespula wasp specific toxin to try and suppress this nasty

pest/predator. More about this later in the report.

Other pests/predators have fared well from the ideal breeding weather, in particular and of note, the possums and stoats.

As you can see in the trap data statistics below, we have had five possums and three stoats caught in March 2019, whereas

we caught none of either in March 2018. The good news is that the stoats were only caught on the intensively trapped

boundary and evidence through our toxin uptake is that we have caught most of the possums before they have become

resident in the reserve (if we don’t catch possums in traps, they will eat the toxin from the rat toxin stations – which we

have not seen evidence of in March). Even though observationally we have seen some rat and mice catches in the field, the

data reveals that we have caught far fewer of these critters in comparison to March 2018.

Other awesome mahi and results have been achieved through the month

of March such as an argentine ant monitoring and specific control

throughout Ocean Beach residential area, progress is coming along well

with our relationship with Northport to upgrade/develop our fantastic

operational headquarters, seabird expert Chris Gaskin visited the reserve

to conduct a site suitability survey for a possible gannet

reintroduction/breeding location, DOC confirmed an additional $5000 per

annum toward the install and servicing of the intensive placostylus and

Bream Head skink site protection project (protection down to mouse level

– THANKS DOC!), a large mothplant infestation above Dead Horse Bay

has been treated, the Busby Head Trappers and Smugglers maintenance

teams have continued their impressive trapping, toxin and track

maintenance, rabbits have been processed and salted for lure baits and

we also had an awesome pre Northpower Wild Kiwi corporate event held

on a stunning afternoon around Busby Head. I told you guys March was

going to be another full on month – actually they all are amazingly busy

months in this fantastic, intensive community project!

Read on for the control and monitoring statistics as well as a more in-depth look into some of the key items listed above.

This is how we roll - legendary Trustee and volunteer Geoff

Pike, here seen providing a lovely morning tea for newcomer

BHCT ranger Ripley Dean.

Monthly predator control results: March 2019

Pest Total #

caught this month

# of Total caught inside

reserve (i.e. not on boundary/buffer zone).

# caught this

month in 2018.

# of Total caught inside

reserve (i.e. not on boundary/buffer zone).

# caught

2019 YTD

# caught

2018 YTD.

Rat 13 3 of 13 30 8 of 30 37 61

Possum 5 4 of 5 0 0 12 0

Stoat 3 0 of 3 0 0 4 6

Weasel 5 3 of 5 10 1 of 10 10 11

Ferret 0 0 0 0 0 0

Feral cat 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mouse 7 2 of 7 22 1 of 22 22 55

Hedgehog 1 1 of 1 2 0 7 5

Totals 34 9 of 23 64 8 92 140

March’s total monthly predator trap catch results are almost half that for the same month in 2018 (64 in 2018, 34 in

2019). However. there are more possum and stoat catches than in March 2018 (Possum 2019 - 5 catches, stoat 3

catches). The stoat catches were on the boundary, however. These are still dramatically low variability rates, but

something we keep a close eye on. The YTD totals are looking really positive for 2019, especially considering we still had

not installed the extra 140 odd extra traps along the boundary until April/May 2018 – so there are a far greater number of

trap nights available in these first few months of 2019, compared to the same time in 2018. It will be interesting to

compare data sets when we get past May 2019.

Monthly Species monitoring results/updates: March 2019

Species Method # ID Sex Location Status/comment

Tackling the beast – mothplant gets knocked

down! A large infestation of the nasty invasive climbing weed known as mothplant

has been dealt to by the dedicated weed team of BHCT ranger Ripley Dean,

and volunteer extraordinaire Marc Lawrence. The approximately 100x100m

site on the exposed, steep hillside above Dead Horse Bay is amongst rank

kikuyu, gorse and some low native pohuehue (muelenbeckia). Approval was

given to spray the area to control the mothplant, as hand pulling and

pasting of the weeds’ stumps is almost impossible under the rank kikuyu.

The muelenbeckia will get some spray burn but experience shows that it will

recover well, especially without the mothplant competition. Ripley and Marc

worked well together to spray half of the tricky site over the few hours

available and the plan is for them to return as soon as possible when the

conditions are right to finish the task. This work comes on the back of the

fantastic mothplant work done just south of this site by our local DOC island

weeds team, who did some very steep rope weed control work a few weeks

earlier. It’s very satisfying to work in a coordinated effort with DOC,

volunteers and Trust rangers to maximise our efforts and results! This is all

part of the strategic weed management plan under construction by BHCT,

which has an initial goal to suppress as many mature seed laden plants

before they disperse seed and increase the infestation throughout Bream

Ripley and Marc debate the best method of attack!

Guano Island is in the background.

Head Scenic Reserve. As we

hopefully find more financial support

for weed control at Bream Head, the

plan will be to continue the focus on

known weed sites and targeting

matures first and foremost, with the

vision to revisit and hopefully

eradicate known sites overtime (may

require 20+ years) as well as train

volunteers to ID weeds as they

service trap lines, and conduct full

reserve weeds surveys for new

invasions. This will require that

coordinated effort to continue and

some good funding support, so one

day hopefully our weed management

will be as intensive and effective as

our excellent predator control

systems.

Expert advice for proposed gannet reintroduction site(s)… On another stunning late summer’s day at Bream Head we had the absolute pleasure and honour of hosting Northland

seabird expert Chris Gaskin, to take a look over the terrain and habitat of the reserve as part of a site suitability survey for

the proposed gannet reintroduction. Volunteer Jenny Lawrence put on a beautiful morning tea which stimulated good

conversation around even greater seabird monitoring by

the Trust and other interested seabird groups on Bream

Head/Te Whara. Chris provided some excellent advice on

what the Trust needs to do initially to fund the best

equipment for our seabird detection and attraction projects

going forward. After this Chris and I took a walk up to one

of the proposed sites near the light house at the eastern

end of the reserve. Utilising the excellent report from AUT

student Siobhan Ryan, we used our combined knowledge

and further discussed important site variables such as

slope, aspect, height above sea level, prevailing winds,

soils, habitat, site access, terrain, lighting, flight paths,

predator levels, human interaction/interference, other local

colonies, power, and other items were discussed. Chris

then went on by himself to another possible site on Busby

Head to have a look there too. The Trust is eagerly

awaiting a report from Chris with his recommendations for

a suitable site and other conditions we will need to

consider. I am looking forward to a continued relationship

with the Northern Seabird Trust and other key parties,

whom might be interested in pursuing the Bream Head/Te

Whara Scenic Reserve as a possible Northland mainland seabird recovery/restoration area.

Spot the weeders - the light green patches are the mothplant plants. Ripley is in the bright orange overalls.

Chris Gaskin (left) surveys a possible site by the lighthouse.

Taking the sting out of the wasps… As discussed in the operational section above, the recent long dry summer

produced a favourable environment for excellent breeding of all plant and

animal species, in particular, the introduced vespula germanica (German

wasp). In high numbers this wasp can devastate the invertebrate population,

as they predate on this important ecosysyem food source to supply their young

pupae with protein. The Trust very quickly reacted to this threat through good

adaptive management, allocating the funding necessary to implement an

introduced wasp control project in March with the goal to suppress the

majority of these pests/predators. Four hundred and fifty small plastic stations

were installed on trees between 700mm and 1m high off the ground. The

stations were installed 50m apart along our existing rodent bait lines and the

lines chosen were 300m apart parallel over

the majority of the reserve. The bait used

was fipronil, which is an insecticide used in

common flea collars, and the same toxin

used to control argentine ants. The lure is

meat based, as vespula wasps switch to a

protein based diet at this time of year to

feed their pupae. The worker wasps gather

the toxin from the wasp specific bait stations

and return it to the queen, who in turn

approves it as a good food source that the entire colony then eats, effectively delivering

the control of themselves.

Initial observational data shows that most areas within the reserve treated have seen a

high reduction in the density of Vespula wasps. Some areas that had very high pre-

treatment densities have had a significant reduction, but some wasps still remain. This

positive result will need to be followed up with another control operation next summer, or

when we experience a similar dry, hot spring/summer again next. Our volunteers and

rangers, and visitors I am sure, will be happier with less of these nasty stinging pests in

our beautiful ngahere (bush) too!

Corporates get prepped for Northpower Wild Kiwi event… BHCT and Northpower combined powers in March to

host a fun, relaxed corporate event for Whangarei

businesses to get together and have a pre Northpower

Wild Kiwi run/walk around Busby Head and BBQ on the

beach at Urquharts Bay. Staff from Northpower

(including the CEO), Totalsport and Northport joined

myself and other BHCT volunteers/supporters for a nice

gentle run/walk around Busby Head with great

conversations and equally great vistas enjoyed (and

just a little sweat). The vision is to host this pre event

each year prior to the main event in order for local

businesses to get together in a relaxed, beautiful setting

like the Bream Head Scenic Reserve, which has the

purpose to further develop good local

family/community/business relationships – a value held

very dearly by both BHCT and these other businesses.

Pre-treatment - Wasps on rabbit bait in SA2 cat trap.

One of the 450 small wasp bait stations

with toxin in the centre.

Trustees Lil Ruffell and Greg Innes Northpower CEO Andrew McLeod and

BHCT Head Ranger Adam Willetts

Wild Kiwi Offer We have partnered with event organisers Total Sport to offer discounted Wild Kiwi entry to Trust friends and supporters.

The first 20 people to become Friends of Bream Head Conservation Trust with a $100 donation get free entry into Wild Kiwi

2019 (very limited numbers so be quick!).

Subsequent Friends of Bream Head Conservation Trust with $100.00 donations get 50% discount on entry into Wild Kiwi

2019.

Supporters who donate at least $50.00 to Bream Head Conservation Trust are entitled to 25% discount at Wild Kiwi 2019.

But wait, there’s more. Make any of these donations to qualify for the Bream Head Combo Offer – a half price Bream Head

Conservation Trust t-shirt at only $20.00.

Contact Claire to take up this deal: Claire@breamheadtrust.nz or 09 434 0571

Visit thewildkiwi.co.nz for more details of the event.

Environmental education booming at Bream Head/Te Whara … The Whangarei Girls High School (WGHS) has confirmed another year of visits with our Trust at Bream Head/Te Whara in

2019. On Friday March 22nd, on yet another stunning day at Whangarei Heads, a large class of approximately 40 young

ladies made up of year 9 and year 11 students were treated to an introduction about our Trust and what we do. After that

both groups played the restoration game with me which demonstrates the importance and science behind why/how our

group restores the full ecology in our area. After a nice lunch break on the beach at Urquhart Bay, the groups split and the

year 9 students went with Northland Enviro schools coordinator Jacque Knight to study habitat variations at Home Bay,

whilst the year 11 students went on a walk with

local farmer Murray Jagger to learn all about how

he farms sustainably on Bream Head and his

other farms around the Heads. There are two

more visits booked by WGHS for this year, and

many other primary school visits and educational

activities, all being meticulously organised by the

great BHCT educational committee led by the

wonderful Lil Ruffell. By the end of 2018 the Trust

had helped organise and educate over 500

students, as well as help develop level accredited

study programmes with Jacque, effectively

making this topic part of an achievable study

programme for students. Many, many thanks to

Jacque, Murray, Lil, Robin Lieffering and Shirely

Peterson (Kiwi North Educator) for the absolutely

huge organisation in our local region to get school

aged children out and educated on this vitally

important topic. Not much point doing what we

are doing unless the future generations continue

to look after this valuable resource!!

Students from WGHS gather for the days' activities

More results from our wonderful BHCT volunteers …! Just when you think our local community couldn’t do anymore, they just keep on giving. I know these people are having

fun, don’t like the spotlight and get great pleasure from helping out but I just have to let others know what goes on. A

recent new project initiated and implemented by Ocean Beach local Paul Cornille has been the ring barking of old mature

pines and macrocarpa trees on the northern slopes of the reserve. This will overtime kill the introduced and invasive weed

trees whilst they are still standing and by the time they fall down they will be nothing more than mulch pulp, ready to add

valuable nutrients to the forest floor for invertebrates and the like. The other great mahi I wanted to let others know about

is a bit of a ‘behind the scenes’ project, but it is such a huge help to the ranger and volunteer predator control teams. The

task is one that has been the pet project of our wonderful own Roger Clarke and the preparation of our rodent toxin into

125gm bags, ready to be delivered into stations by our teams. As you can see from the photo below right, there is an awful

lot of toxin to be measured separately into freezer bags, then tied and placed back into the sacks. In this photo you will

also notice the two buckets of Diphacinone bait, which is the bait we are using at the intensified mouse control sites

protecting the placostylus hongi snail and Bream Head skink species. This month John and Anne Green of Ocean Beach

helped bag these baits. A massive thank you to all our volunteers that make this project run so smoothly, your work not

only allows direct results, but it also allows the ranger team to divert hours into other projects too…plus it’s great having

you all along for the ride!!

Weed of the Month (from the Whangarei Heads Weed Action website http://weedaction.org.nz/weed-of-the-month/)

Wild Ginger

Hedychium gardnerianum Also known as kahili ginger, ginger lily

What does it look like?

Non-woody perennial with soft erect stems, growing up to 2m tall, with a short pinkish ‘collar’ at the

base. Forms deep beds of dense, many-branched taro-like rhizomes (rhizome beds can be up to 1m deep).

Large wax-covered, lance-shaped leaves arise direct from the unbranched stems, alternate arrangement.

Produces flower spikes (25cm – 45cm) with fragrant lemon-yellow flowers (Feb-Apr) with conspicuous red

stamens, which . develop into a fruiting spikes with fleshy orange fruits (15 -20 mm long), containing many

bright scarlet seeds. Under full light conditions up to 100 seeds produced per flowerhead.

Why is it a problem

Wild ginger is shade tolerant, long-lived and fast growing. Eventually replaces all other species as nothing

can grow up through the dense mats of tubers it creates, and the dense leaves block light and smother

native plants preventing regeneration. The rhizome beds , while they can be deep themselves, are shallow

rooted, so when they become heavy with rain they can slip on steep sites and s tream banks, causing

erosion. Spread easily from birds eating the seeds, and by fragments of rhizome which can survive

immersion in the sea, crushing, and years away from soil.

How do I control it?

Special disposal notes: Rhizomes extremly hardy. For manual control methods dispose of rhizomes in

landfill, or by drying out and burning. Stems can be composted.

• Slash stems. Remove any seed heads and destroy. Dig out all rhizomes and take to land fill. It is also possible to mulch with a lawnmower (not a mulcher) and compost. Young seedlings can be hand

pulled and crushed, taking care to remove any strings of rhizomes.

• Cut above the pink “collar” at the base of the stems & immediately treat stump with (1g metsulfuron/1L water). Picloram gel can be used on smaller plants, but is less effective than

metsulfuron.

• Spray dense patches away from roots of vulnerable species, spring – late autumn (5g metsulfuron +

10ml penetrant/10L water). Don’t replant sprayed sites for 6 months/until seedlings appear naturally.

Seeds are relatively short lived – approximately 6 years, meaning it is possible to eliminate this plant from

a site relatively quickly; Maintain a rolling front. Check and treat area every two years before seed set

(May). Don’t replant sprayed sites for 6 months/ until seedlings appear naturally.

CAUTION: when using any herbicide or pesticide PLEASE READ THE LABEL THOROUGHLY to ensure that all

instructions and safety requirements are followed.

Coming up in April: Placostylus hongii (flax snail) protection intensification…BHCT rangers will extend the intensified predator

control network at the Placostylus site so that it will control mice populations to very low numbers allowing for improved

breeding conditions for this ‘range restricted’ land snail.

HQ works…some earthworks and other initial construction tasks will hopefully be conducted throughout April.

Northpower Wild Kiwi event, April 13 2019…Trustees, rangers, trust volunteers and supporters will help within

the Northpower marquee, as well as be involved in the event as participants or event logistics.

Mauri ora (good spiritual health!) Adam Willetts (Head Ranger/Project manager) M: 021 155 7380 h: 972 7996 (local Heads number) e: bhctrangers@gmail.com