Keep Tracking on with DOC - Department of Conservation

Published by
Department of Conservation
Palmerston North Area
Te Tai Hauauru - Whanganui
Conservancy
www.doc.govt.nz
ISSN 1172-1197 (Print)
ISSN 1172-1227 (Online)
<strong>Keep</strong> <strong>Tracking</strong> on with DOC
ISSue FIFTeeN - APrIl 2 ND 2009 - PAlmerSTON NOrTH AreA
Tracks and huts
A quick update on some of the work that has been
done on tracks and huts about the place:
• Work on the manawatu Gorge track continues.
Nearly all gravel dumps have been made and
staff have been using hand and motorised wheel
barrows to spread it. Contractors have made
good progress realigning and widening the track,
starting at the Ballance end. A digger may
be operating at times, and the surface may be
rougher than normal. If you are using the track,
please take care and wait until the operator signals
that the way is clear before passing. Delays are
expected to be short (less than five minutes).
DOC ranger Lyall Goggin carting gravel along the
Manawatu Gorge track.
• Kawhatau Base has been painted.
• The historic Top maropea Hut has been returned
to its former glory with a paint job in Forest Service
colours (orange), with an old style toilet installed.
• Over 18km of tracks have been cut in ruahine
Forest Park over the summer.
• A large slip was cleared on the Deerford track
• A proposal to develop a day visitor track in makino
reserve in partnership with mokai Gravity Canyon
has been prepared.
Flora and fauna
• Populations of Dactylanthus taylori, New
Zealand’s only native truly parasitic plant, were
monitored this month at mangaweka Scenic
reserve, Omatane Scenic reserve, Ngaurekehu
Scientific Reserve and on private land at Mokai
Station. The aim was to monitor flower numbers,
seed set, plant health and check for any rat or
possum browse. Flowers of both sexes were
found, which is a good sign. It is probably owing
to the possum-proof cages that have been
constructed around most of the known plants.
This male flower is one of the biggest dactylanthus flowers
that ranger Alison Dorrian has ever seen.
Short-tailed bats are known to pollinate
dactylanthus flowers, however this species is
now extremely rare and absent from most places
where dactylanthus occurs; pollination is now
done by moths and flies (plus rats and mice,
although they also browse the flowers).
• The 2008/09 White Bryony campaign has been
completed. It involved teams grid searching large
areas, with others abseiling to search the more
difficult to reach places. This is part of an ongoing
partnership with Bio-security New Zealand
to eradicate this invasive pest plant.
• Around 30 Pinus contorta (wilding pine) trees
were felled at raketapauma swamp.
• The mangaweka team have been doing lots of
weed work, controlling white bryony, old man’s
beard (Clematis vitalba), blackberry and willow.

Koi carp
Koi carp may be considered a fish of good fortune in
Asia, but here in New Zealand they are an unwanted
Organism. Koi carp look like large gold fish but have
two pairs of barbels or feelers by their mouths. They
feed like vacuum cleaners, sucking up everything
on the pond floor and blowing out what isn’t wanted.
This makes a mess of the pond, stirs up sediment
and deteriorates water quality. They also use up the
food and habitat of our native species.
The damage koi carp can do.
As far as we know, koi carp populations in the
manawatu are limited. We want to eradicate them
before they reach a point where they can’t be
controlled. In early February, a koi carp eradication
exercise was carried out on a local farm. roger and
marian Clausen unwittingly released these noxious
pests into their pond about eight years ago. They
first realised they had a problem when their pond
water turned very murky. Then, as water levels in
the pond dropped with the summer heat, they noticed
the banks of their pond were deteriorating. mr
Clausen began calling local bodies to find out what to
do. The pond was drained so the koi carp could be
scooped out and destroyed by DOC staff. It will be
left to dry out to ensure any remaining eggs are dead
before the mud is scraped out. mr and mrs Clausen
plan to restore the pond and re-stock it with native
fish.
A large koi carp removed from the Clausen’s pond.
Another koi carp exercise was carried out in the
Hokowhitu (Centennial) lagoon shortly after. We
have had previous reports of koi carp spotted in the
lagoon. The Waikato University electro-fishing boat
was in the area for another project, so DOC took
the chance to carry out a survey. The boat works
by sending a mild electric current into the water,
which stuns the fish and encourages them to float to
the surface enabling them to be caught, sorted and
measured. Fortunately, no koi carp were found in
the lagoon – a great result!
For more information about pest fish, see www.doc.
govt.nz/conservation/threats-and-impacts/animalpests/animal-pests-a-z/fish.
If you believe you
have koi carp or any other pest fish species on your
property, contact your local DOC office.
The roar
The deer roaring season is coming up, and it’s
looking to be another busy season in the ruahine
ranges. We’d like to wish hunters luck for the
season, and remind you to make sure you have a
current hunting permit and pesticide summary for
the area. remember that a hunting permit gives
you permission to hunt on DOC land but not to cross
private land to get to the reserve you want to hunt.
make sure you get permission from the land owner
where required, before you set off. Be considerate
of the private property you are crossing and leave
things as you find them.
Of course, safety is paramount. remember the
Firearms Code. If you are hunting with others, do not
fire unless your companions are in your sight. There
are going to be a lot of people out in the ranges, so
high visibility clothing is recommended.
Hunting permits and information are available from the
Palmerston North Area Office - phone (06) 350 9700;
the Pohangina Field Centre - phone (06) 328 4732; and
the Mangaweka Field Centre - phone (06) 388 2031.

Oroua Blue Duck Protection project
trap line extension
The Oroua valley stoat trap line extension went
ahead on march 21st and 22nd. Despite a late start
on Saturday, and only a small team of volunteers
working in extremely chilly conditions on Sunday,
it was a successful weekend with a majority of the
traps being laid and set.
There were a lot of people involved in helping to
make this a success - on the ground, in the air and
behind the scenes. We really appreciate the effort
of all those involved. Thanks to the volunteers who
did a great job; it must be said that Oroua Blue Duck
Volunteers have exceptional stamina and character.
Thanks also to the Tararua College students who
built the traps. Finally, thanks to sponsors rangitikei
Helicopters, the Lotteries Commission, Allflex and
Zeagolds Foods.
The ‘ground’ team wait for the helicopter to arrive on
Saturday morning.
Photo by Neil Gallagher.
Traps were laid around Iron Gates, Triangle Hut,
Tunupo Creek, the track to Tunupo high point and
the umutoi creek. This means there are currently
247 traps set in the Oroua catchment. Unfortunately,
two of the existing traps have been smashed, and
four have been stolen.
There are still 87 traps to be laid at a later date (after
the roar) and we’ll be looking for volunteers to help
out – watch this space! We also need volunteers to
carry out monthly checks. We’ll only be baiting 100
traps from now on, to save volunteers from having
to carry in 334 eggs each month. Trials around the
country are showing that un-baited traps catch stoats
just as well as baited ones.
To volunteer or find out more, email Stuart Penny
stoatless@yahoo.com or call Andrew mercer - phone
(06) 355 0496 or 027 264 5209.
ruahine kiwi chicks update
On 15th February, a successful kiwi egg/chick lift
from two ruahine male kiwi was carried out in the
NW ruahine ranges by Cape Kidnappers Wildlife
Preserve staff and two volunteers. These two birds
have transmitters attached to them that allow us to
monitor their nesting behaviour over the breeding
season. This time, the team removed a chick from
the bird named “rua”, and two eggs from “Black”
(although one was infertile). They also managed to
get the annual transmitter changes done. All in all, it
was a good trip but the volunteers tell us nests were
quite difficult to get to.
Biodiversity ranger Lorraine Cook gives the kiwi a cuddle
before releasing it.
During a trip into Aorangi Awarua Trust land recently
to extend the Te Potae O Awarua stoat trap line, the
first Ruahine kiwi chick from this breeding season
destined for the NW ruahine was released. This
young kiwi, Te Awhina, was taken as an egg out of
Black’s nest last October and has been growing up
at Kiwi encounter in rotorua. So far, four kiwi chicks
have been released back into the ruahines and one
at Cape Kidnappers. Two ruahine chicks that came
from the same egg lift as Te Awhina are soon to be
released at the Cape.
ruahine Forest Park map
With budget cuts and the current review and
restructuring of the east Coast Hawkes Bay
Conservancy, there have been some unexpected
delays in the development of the new ruahine Forest
Park map. It is estimated that it will be at least two
years away.

Discussing predator
traps on the first day
of the Central District
Field Days.
Sorting spinifex seed
inside.
Working with the soil to
pot up seedlings.
Central District Field Days
If you made it to the 2009 Central District Field
Days at Manfield Park over March 12th – 14th,
hopefully you popped
into the DOC tent. Staff
from Whanganui and
Palmerston North were
on hand to talk about all
sorts of issues, including
predator trapping;
culverts, fish passes
and other freshwater
issues; skink species;
hunting and recreation
opportunities; and
anything else people
wanted to chat about.
We featured ‘The Great DOC Pack race’, a game
aimed at raising awareness of local conservation
issues. Participants could enter the draw to
win a family set of three CamelBak backpacks
sponsored by Bivouac Outdoor. The winning entry
was rebecca Perry of Ohingaiti, who learnt about
keeping dogs away from wildlife.
mosaic Church group get involved
About 50 people from the Mosaic Church group
showed up en-masse to help DOC sow Pingao and
Spinifex seed for local
sand dune and school
planting projects. It
was great to have a
large, enthusiastic group
of people involved in
local conservation.
Participants ranged from
toddlers all the way up
to grandparents, and
gave some very positive
feedback about their
involvement in the event.
Next issue: if you have anything to bring to our
attention for this newsletter please contact:
Kelly Stratford, phone: (06) 350 9708 or
email: kstratford@doc.govt.nz
Growing together
Thanks to the generosity of a community conservation
group called A rocha and the longburn Adventist
College, DOC is now growing on native sandbinding
plants, Pingao and Spinifex, in the old lAC
horticulture block.
members of A rocha meet at the nursery block every
second Sunday between 1.30pm and 3.30pm to
weed, sow seeds, pot on and do general maintenance
around the nursery block. The fence and shade cloth
around the block needs some repair, and there is
quite a bit of weeding that needs to be done in the
outdoor section. It would be great if we could have
some DOC volunteers helping out at these sessions
every once in a while. The next meeting is on Sunday
12th April. Please contact Kelly - phone (06) 350 9708
or email kstratford@doc.govt.nz for more information.
Conservation Week 2009 is coming
Conservation Week 2009 is a friendly call for people
to ‘Get Involved’ in local conservation. It runs from
September 13th to September 20th, and will be here
before you know it, so we are starting our planning for
Conservation Week events now.
last year, a bit of collaboration went a long way to
help organise a great Conservation Week event at
Victoria esplanade, with over 1000 people coming
along to learn about pest plants and swap their
weeds for a native tree. It would be great to have
the community involved in Conservation Week 2009.
DOC is happy to support community events, so please
contact Kelly to discuss your ideas for a Conservation
Week event or project - phone (06) 350 9708 or email
kstratford@doc.govt.nz.
Start spreading the word and planning how you want
your community to ‘Get Involved’.
Visit www.conservationweek.org.nz or email
events@doc.govt.nz for the latest information.
Funding rounds
The government currently administers two different
funds to support conservation projects. Biodiversity
funds support projects on private land that enhance
biodiversity values. Community Conservation Funds
support community groups involved in restoration
projects on public land.
The next round of funding applications for these funds
is coming up. If you are looking for some money to
help out with a conservation project, you may be able
to apply to one of these funds.
To find out more, visit www.biodiversity.govt.nz/
biofunds or www.doc.govt.nz/communityfund, or call
in to the DOC office to pick up a brochure.