Things were looking good at the start of the year at The Blade — at the top of Whakamarama Road. Possum and rat kills were down to a "trickle" each week, apart from the newly-added trap lines on the eastern boundary of the 300 hectare area, and the birdlife was thriving.
Then the team at The Blade stayed away for six weeks for safety reasons while the "roar" was on, leaving the bush to the hunters. During the break the wonderful volunteers made up another 100 rat trap boxes, so these can now be deployed over this year around the southern 10 lines to complete areas expanded into earlier this year.
Upon their return, they discovered the pests had marched back on in from surrounding bush and farmland, and kill counts have mushroomed back up to levels not seen in well over a year.
"We urgently need to get back on top of pest numbers before they get out of control. Can everyone please come in weekly until we do?", said co-ordinator Colin Hewens.