The Waipoua Forest Trust is preparing for a stepped-up assault on pests after recently being granted $6211 from the Queen Elizabeth II Trust for predator control.
The trust is also reinforcing precautions in its own regenerating forest and other reserves to prevent the spread of kauri-dieback disease that is killing the giant trees.
The large predator control grant from the QEII's Stephenson Fund enabled the trust to buy 150 Philproof rat bait stations and 24 Timms traps and pest control items.
Highly targeted pests are possums, rats and mustelids. The equipment will enable the trust to extend its trapping efforts in the 155ha Millennium Forest, adjacent to and south of the Waipoua Forest Sanctuary. The trust is calling for more helpers for that task.
''We are currently looking for volunteers to help us put these pest stations out and to work with us on other conservation efforts as this is an enormous task that can only be achieved by the community,'' manager Courtney Davis said.