Neighbourhood watch for birds

Forest and Bird, Issue 292, 1 May 1999, Page 8

Neighbourhood watch for birds

—Margaret Richardson.

ountry people have a repé utation for caring about their neighbours — yet in the rural community of Kaharoa, north of Rotorua, this goodwill is not just confined to the human population. A couple of years ago a local forester, Peter Davey, learned that a group of kokako living in the nearby forest was in serious trouble. Concerned that the Department of Conservation was unable to allocate funds for pest control, he consulted his partner, Rachael Vellinga. "Well, I guess that means we'll need to save them ourselves, she replied. So began a remarkable community effort to help a precious part of the Kaharoa neighbourhood. A long time proponent of forest and bird conservation, Peter Davey thought it would be straightforward, undertaking pest control in the nesting area. Inherently practical by nature, he swung into action, but soon encountered pitfalls. ‘Tt’s not just a matter of going out and setting a few traps. We needed to use poison which involves money and lots of red tape; he says. The remaining kokako are concentrated in 300 hectares of bush known as Aislabie’s Block, purchased by the Department of

Conservation after a campaign in the 1980s by Forest and Bird. The couple needed expert help, and that’s when they encountered Dale Williams. Not only is Dale a local, fortunately he is also a wild animal management officer for DoC. Familiar with pest control operations, and resource consent requirements, he was able to fulfil the technical needs of the project. Once local residents heard about the problem, they were keen to help. A Trust was formed, headed by Peter Davey, and proposals put forward for possum, rat and ferret control. ‘At first there was some opposition to using 1080 poison, but when we explained how it would be applied and what the options were, people soon came round, he says. Through educating and informing the community, a tremendous reservoir of manpower and support has been tapped. ‘?’m really amazed at the response. We never expected this level of local support. Not only has it enabled us to protect this block, it encourages local farmers to consider the bush on their own land as well’ By joining forces to make the neighbourhood a safer place for kokako, locals have boosted other bird life and the ecosystem in general. Going from strength to strength, the Kaharoa Kokako Trust has gained funding from private donations, as well as from State Insurance, in association with the Kokako Recovery Programme. Also, they recently received an award for their efforts from the Rotorua District Council, along with a cash sum funded by Transpower. After two seasons of pest control, at minimal cost using voluntary labour, monitoring has shown heartening results. As Peter Davey points out, however, "This must be kept up forever or it’s all for nothing. If these birds aren’t helped, they disappear’ Through involving the whole community, young and old, the long-term success of this project seems

assured.

For more information contact Peter Davey phone/fax (07) 332-2299.