|
| Jodi
Percy
with
the
results
of
possum
control
|
Neighouring
land
owners
also
support
the
forest
restoration
in
allowing
pest
control
on
their
properties
and
some
land
owners
have
undeertaken
their
own
pest
control
work.
Bridget
Percy,
a
farmer
who
lives
at
the
northern
end
of
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce,
says
she
became
involved
in
the
predator
control
programme
after
being
invited
to
a
meeting
early
last
year.
“I
was
curious
about
what
DOC
and
the
councils
were
doing.
I’ve
been
to
three
or
four
meetings
now
and
have
learned
how
the
traps
work
and
which
native
trees
to
plant
to
attract
native
birds.”
Bridget
has
had
traps
installed
and
poison
laid
on
her
property
and
is
also
participating
in
a
survey
to
monitor
the
return
of
bird
life
in
the
area.
Fred
Keil,
another
Mount
Bruce
neighbour,
has
decided
to
take
it
a
step
further
and
is
laying
and
setting
all
his
own
traps.
Fred’s
property
includes
approximately
35
hectares
of
native
bush
that
leads
up
to
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest.
Fred
oversees
approximately
150
different
traps
including
Fenn,
Timms
and
bait
stations.
Greater
Wellington
supplies
the
bait
and
Fred
does
all
the
rest.
“It
takes
about
one
day
a
week.
I
do
it
when
I’m
out
checking
stock.
I
set
them
with
bait
and
make
sure
that
the
pests
I’ve
caught
are
disposed
of.”
Since
trapping
started
in
September
2002,
Fred
has
caught
two
cats,
three
stoats,
five
ferrets
and
a
large
number
of
rats
and
hedgehogs.
“The
amount
of
brodifacoum
taken
from
the
bait
stations
is
getting
less.
I’m
not
sure
how
many
possums
we’ve
managed
to
get,
but
we’ve
seen
a
number
go
down.
The
rats
also
take
the
bait,
but
that’s
fine.”
Fred
has
no
plans
to
stop
now.
“I
do
it
because
I
want
to
conserve
our
bird
species.
We
had
a
falcon
fly
about
one
metre
above
us
yesterday
and
kereru,
tui,
fantails
are
in
abundance.
We
hope
to
see
a
significant
increase
in
bird
numbers
next
breeding
season.”
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