Possum control to continue in river park

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 680, 1 April 1997, Page 10

Possum control to continue in river park

The second stage of a possum con trol programme in the Whanganui National Park and Waitotara Conservation area was due to start in March, following on from last year's efforts. Senior conservation officer Bill Fleury says there is a new flush of growth in areas that were aerially treated with 1080 poison last year. "The forest was on the verge of collapse so this recovery has been amazing. There are new shoots on the branches of trees that were near death, and the bird life in the area seems more abundant than before the poison drop. There' s lots of tomtits and robins, and very little indication of possums." Recent surveys by DoC staff of native birds and bats in the area indicate healthy increasing populations and monitoring will be carried out both before and after the 1080 drop. A long-term study looking at the effects of 1 080 on a North Island robin population in the Pokeka Valley is due to start this year. Last year's Waitotara stage one which aerially treated 13,268 hectares with 1080, was the Wanganui Conservancy's most successful operation for the year, Mr Fleury said. It produced a kill rate of 93 percent, plus or minus two percent. The area that was to be treated in March lies between the Omaru Stream and the Matemateonga Track, and is about 15,000

hectares. Like neighbouring areas, it is suffering from severe possum damage, said Mr Fleury. 'The area we're going to poison is in really bad shape. It's looking very grey with little foliage and there' s lots of dead wood sticking out of the canopy, which is the result of possum damage." He said possums, directly and indirectly, are one of the greatest threats to native plants and animals in the area. They destroy plants through browsing, they eat bird eggs, fledglings and insects, and reduce forest diversity. Five year knock The 1080 treatment should knock possums back for five to eight years. DoC has contracted Landcare Research Ltd to monitor the recovery of the forest in a joint Landcare Research/DoC 10-year study to look at how vegetation recovers after possum control and how much control is needed to protect species. The possum control programme was due to start in early March, and was to take five to six days' flying, depending on" the weather. Aerial dispersal of 1080 was chosen over ground-based techniques as it is to date, the best available method for largc scale possum control in rugged country Mr Fleury said. Dogs are very susceptible to 1080 anc poisoned possum carcasses, and should b kept out of the area or muzzled.