Mangonui School children continue to do their bit in controlling pests at Rangikapiti. Photo / Supplied
Mangonui School children continue to do their bit in controlling pests at Rangikapiti. Photo / Supplied
The results of all the effort that has gone into trapping pests at Rangikapiti are plain to see according to Friends of Rangikapiti chairman John Haines.
"Last winter, we planted koru, or native hydrangea, in a couple of parts of the reserve," he said.
"This attractive plant is ordinarily found only on pest-free islands, as it is very tasty to possums.
"Early settlers used to boil it up like cabbage. Our plants are thriving, many have bloomed and are setting seed, and there's hardly a bite out of any of them. Likewise kohokohe is an indicator plant for possums.
"The trees in Rangikapiti are healthy and seedlings are popping up by the hundreds."
Meanwhile, the Doubtless Bay reserve was in good heart in other ways too. The summer drought had broken a little earlier this year, and last winter's planting had been successful.
This season's first plantings are scheduled for successive Saturdays, May 22 and 29, Haines saying it was likely that this winter would be the last for significant planting.
He and Ian Swindells had visited Bunnings in Kerikeri last week, and were looking forward to receiving further support from the company in the way of products and work by a team from the store next spring, which would be most appreciated.
Mangonui School children with the pest monitoring tunnels they made for Rangikapiti last year.
Meanwhile, Swindells continued to meet with Mangonui School's Kaitiaki Kids at least weekly.
"They've done some great mahi, inclusive of nursery work, a native plant diversity survey, and perhaps most pleasing of all, a pest monitoring survey," Haines said.
"This involves checking tunnels with ink pads. In just over a year we've gone from finding pests in 50 per cent of the tunnels to 30 per cent. This is a tribute to our intensive trapping efforts."
The children helped with trapping as well, while Aaron Broadbent, from Coopers Beach Square, had donated peanut butter as bait.
Next on the agenda was a working bee on Wednesday, May 12, to install more steps and spread gravel on the Mill Bay track.
Haines suggested parking at the pā end of the track, meeting at 9am, with wheelbarrows and/or buckets, shovels and spades.
Melva Saxton will host the AGM at her home in Coopers Beach on May 22, starting at 4pm.
