Meeting Paper For West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board

TITLE OF PAPER STATUS REPORT

AUTHOR: Mark Davies

SUBJECT: Status Report for the Board for period ending 03 February 2017

DATE: 16 February 2017

SUMMARY:

This report provides information on activities throughout the West Coast since the November meeting of the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board.

MARINE PLACE – South Westland: Hautai Marine Reserve

A baseline inter-tidal survey is being planned for late March 2017, when a team of six people will travel to Hautai Marine Reserve – between Longridge Point and Awarua Point (south of Haast), and survey marine ecosystem and life in the intertidal range at several varying coastal habitat types. This will provide a baseline of data points for monitoring over the future years.

MONITORING

The local West Coast monitoring team completed five-minute bird counts in Lake Daniels (treated as part of BFOB) and Rapphannock (non-treatment). Initial, preliminary results show higher numbers of greywarbler, kakariki, riflemen, robin and tomtit in Lake Daniels compared with Rapphannock. Bellbird numbers are higher in Rapphannock. A declining trend in bellbird and greywarbler has been noted at both sites. A post treatment measurement will be completed in 2017.

The team have also completed BFOB snail monitoring in the Mokihinui and kiwi call counts in the Heaphy Valley. When the weather clears, the team will start measuring mistletoe recruitment and FBI plots in the Stafford valley.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 1 KARAMEA PLACE

Planning Resource Consents received, Concessions/Permissions, Management Plans

A ‘one-off’ photography concession was processed for the Heaphy/Oparara area. District comments were made on two concessions; plant samples and guided walking. One grazing monitoring visit was undertaken.

Visitor Management

The Heaphy Great Walk has received solid use over the summer season. The wet days between December and January has resulted in some minor slumping and track damage along the Heaphy coastline, which our ranger team have fixed.

The Regional Growth Strategy project for Oparara is progressing well with Dr Mick Abbott and the Lincoln University Living Lab team. Concept works and a narrative around Moa has been presented to the community and well received. We are now in a project phase of costing the investments needed and creating business cases.

Further flood protection works are being engineer designed for the Gunner Suspension Bridge true right tower foundation to pro-actively protect the remaining river bank from further change and erosion.

Community Involvement/Initiatives – Suvi van Smit

An initiative involving the Karamea School is well underway which will see the school in partnership with the Department undertake riparian planting and predator trapping along a large section of the Oparara River.

Species Management A repeat of 5 yearly Kiwi call counts was completed in the Lower Heaphy in December following the last survey in 2012. Good numbers of calls were recorded and a comparison of call rates with earlier surveys will be reported later this year. Two attempts were made to catch, band and attach transmitters to long tailed bats in the Heaphy with the aim of locating roost site locations and estimating numbers of bats at roosts. Both were unsuccessful but further attempts will be made in February.

Animal Pest Control – Goat Control - No inspections undertaken this period due to the presence of pesticides (Oparara) and the risk to hunting dogs during the caution period.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 2 KAWATIRI PLACE

Planning

RMA, Concessions/Permissions, Management Plans

Six grazing concessions were monitored as well as a coal mine and a limestone mine.

Two resource consents were completed: clearing of private land and the extension of the Motor Caravan Association compound at Kawatiri Beach Reserve.

District comments were completed for three concessions; guided tramping; taking peat core samples; and a Westland petrel survey.

Visitor Management

The Summer holiday season has seen strong use at locations such as Cape Foulwind Walkway and the Tauranga Bay Seal Colony viewing area. Other areas such as Charming Creek have also been popular. The DOC Ranger crew have undertaken scheduled seasonal maintenance and have also been supporting some of the work tasks required around hut site clearance and difficult track windthrown timber removal on the Paparoa Great Walk project.

We’ve had a strong presence this summer at key tourism sites, such as Cape Foulwind and Denniston Heritage Area, to check concession and commercial operators that come to walk DOC tracks for compliance. This project has focussed on checking bus and coach association and guided track walking compliance and raise awareness for DOC processes amongst the industry.

Community Involvement/Initiatives

The Buller Conservation Volunteers spent a day with rangers releasing the Charleston gentians as part of the ongoing recovery project for this nationally critical endemic plant.

They spent another day in Charleston planting 200 lupidium, the seed of which was collected from Ladies Bay at Charleston, grown in the nursery in Christchurch and returned to Ladies Bay.

The volunteers also spent a day planting rata at Cape Foulwind which is an ongoing project with over 20 new trees being planted and a further existing 25 specimens being located, logged and released from weeds.

The volunteers had a day repotting plants at their nursery behind the DOC building in Westport and another day conducting a winter wader bird survey for the Ornithological Society of NZ.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 3 Two volunteer projects are currently in the planning stages; one is for planting a riparian section along the public conservation land at the Orowaiti Lagoon and the is a restoration planting project on the headland at Tauranga Bay.

Additional volunteers have continued to support the Buller Weedbuster programme.

The DOC/Corrections initiative is well underway with three full days being completed at Charleston. These have involved the removal of gorse, weeds and a general tidy up of the water front. It is planned that the group will focus on the area and establish a sense of ‘ownership’ to extend beyond basic weed clearing and involve planting and track maintenance to enhance the visitor experience/conservation values of the area.

The Kawatiri Beach Reserve Community Group are continuing to increase the recreational values at North Beach by creating the addition of formal carparking and beach access area. The management agreement for the Motor Caravan Association was varied to extend their existing motor-home area at North Beach.

Historic

Scheduled maintenance activities undertaken as part of the heritage maintenance plans.

Animal Pest Control –

Goat Control - No inspections undertaken this period due to the presence of pesticides and the risk to hunting dogs during the caution period. Aerial inspections to commence next fine weather periods.

Pending Goat Control – reports / information from the Old Ghost Road Trust efforts in the South Branch Mokihinui, available next report.

Monitoring Control of gorse and broom on the Denniston Plateau has been completed. Results from rodent tracking tunnels run in November at Denniston indicate low levels of rat tracking (7% over 21 nights) on plateau pavement areas and moderate to high levels of rat tracking in surrounding forest (48% over 1 night). Seedfall traps in hard beech, silver beech , mountain beech and rimu have also been set for the season through to June.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 4 PAPAROA PLACE

Planning Resource Consents received, Concessions/Permissions, Management Plans

Two one-off concessions were processed for paddle boarding and yoga classes. Two district comments were made on the removal of plant samples and the removal of a samples of shale and coal. The renewal of a research concession has been granted to continue the survey work of the Westland Petrels by the Museum of Te Papa Tongarewa.

Visitor Management

The Summer holiday season has seen strong use at locations such as Punakaiki, Dolomite Point Walkway, Pororari and the Truman Track. Other areas such as the Inland Pack Track and the Nile River ‘festival site’ have also been popular. The DOC Ranger crew have undertaken scheduled seasonal maintenance and have also been supporting some of the work tasks required around hut site clearance and difficult track windthrown timber removal on the Paparoa Great Walk project.

We’ve had a strong presence this summer at key tourism sites, such as Punakaiki and the Dolomite Point Walkway, to check concession and commercial operators that come to walk DOC tracks for compliance. This project has focussed on checking bus and coach association and guided track walking compliance and raise awareness for DOC processes amongst the industry.

Community Involvement/Initiatives Rangers and a community group have resurrected an old trap line to improve the pest protection around the blue penguin colony at Te Miko. The community group will now be taking over the trap line and have found funding for the bait.

Planning is underway with Barrytown School for a trapping programme at the Te Ara Tāiko Nature Reserve which forms part of the Punakaiki Coastal Restoration Project.

Animal Pest Control –

Goat Control – Ground Inspections undertaken this period through the / Four Mile to Punakaiki / Pororari River areas, total goats removed;

 Fox River / Four Mile areas; 60 goats - 78 hours hunted

 Punakaiki / Pororari River areas; 49 goats - 72 hours hunted

This concludes the ground control efforts at these sites for th2016 - 2017 season with a total of 285 goats killed from 532 hours of effort (0.5 goats per hour).

Aerial inspections to commence next fine weather periods

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 5 INANGAHUA PLACE

Planning Resource Consents received, Concessions/Permissions, Management Plans

- 1 limited notified resource consent received for land subdivision, still being processed - 6 request for comments received and processed or in processing. 2 for research/collection, 1 for guiding, 1 for lease of PCL, 1 for a sporting event and 1 for an easement for public toilet upgrade at Springs Junction - 2 mining operations monitored and AA variations processed

Visitor Management Staff have had a very busy start to the summer with high numbers of visitors to the Marble Hill and Slab Hut Creek campgrounds. Due to this we have increased our service schedule to keep up with the extra rubbish and service requirements. Front country maintenance work is ongoing and backcountry hut and track work will be starting in mid-February, hopefully once the weather patterns improves.

Community Involvement/Initiatives No initiatives conducted. Plan is in place for Maruia School to participate in bat monitoring with biodiversity and community team in February. Lead education Community Ranger is developing a partnership plan with Maruia School

Historic The contaminated site work was completed at the Prohibition site at Waiuta with the site being officially opened to the public on December 15. Planning work for the Alexander mine contaminated work is ongoing with work due to start very soon.

Species Management Bat Monitoring has started at Springs junction with 70 bats being caught so far. This work will continue through until the end of February and aims to identifying recruitment, survivorship, and population size of bats in the Springs Junction Area.

Animal Pest Control –

Goat Control - No DOC inspections undertaken this period due to the presence of pesticides and the risk to hunting dogs during the caution period. Aerial inspections to commence next fine weather periods.

Te Maruia – Battle for our Birds pest control operation completed in November. Post operational monitoring of rats showed levels significantly reduced in the control block compared to those outside (1.6% vs 39%).

Weed Pest Control Weed Control has been undertaken in the Upper Grey, Robinson and Upper Maruia River beds targeting mostly broom and lupins. This work will continue until March both through ground control and aerial control.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 6 Fire No fires attended.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 7 MAWHERA PLACE

Planning

- 5 resource consent applications received. 3 for mining effects, 1 for bridge replacement and 1 update to an RMA submission made by DOC to the Grey District Council regarding the Runanga Effluent Treatment centre - 5 request for comments received and processed or in processing. 1 for research/collection, 2 for guiding and 2 for easement concessions - 2 one off processed. 1 for guiding and 1 for a sport biking event around Moana - 2 mining access arrangements commented on. 7 mining operations monitored and 4 access arrangement or annual work programme variations commented on. - 1 sustainable forest permit commented on

Visitor Management Front country maintenance work is ongoing with a lot of visitors around this year. Backcountry hut and track work will be starting in mid-February, hopefully once the weather patterns improve. A slip by Woods Creek swing bridge just prior to Xmas caused a temporary closure while geotechnical advice was received and acted on. Storm damage around facilities has only caused minor damage so far, mainly in the form of windfalls which staff have promptly removed. Staff have also been involved in the planning phases of the Paparoa Great Walk.

Community Involvement/Initiatives Strategic engagement planning underway regarding marketing, business opportunities and communication for the Paparoa and Pike 29 Memorial Great Walks. A team of people from key organisations has been gathered to ensure engagement is well planned and delivered. (This work is not related to the current track exit options being discussed at this meeting) Deb Hogan lead ranger for the DOC Community fund has been contacting applicant groups and providing leadership to key contacts with each community group Joint initiative with Enviroschools held in November assisting Kaniere school kids install blue fish over storm water drains. Continuation of freshwater education programme with the school Awahono School trip was guided through Waiuta township and the surrounding tracks to learn about the history and ecology of area

Historic General historic maintenance work completed this period. Brunner Mine Site coke oven roof is due to be painted as soon as the weather allows.

Animal Pest Control –

Goat Control - No inspections undertaken this period.

Tahr Control – Ground inspections undertaken this period;

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 8  Waikiti Downs 4 tahr (males) – Additional Escapes noted, plans to redeploy ground hunters April 2017 (Trail Cameras are providing valuable information on presence / population census).

 Gloriavale removed 4 tahr (1 male & 3 females), 5 Arapara Sheep, 21 goats – Additional Escapes noted, plans to redeploy ground hunters April 2017 (tahr confined to small area of note).

Stoat Control – the Paparoa Wildlife Trust have continued to expand their trap network in the Southern Paparoas and now have in excess of 800 traps set in the Croesus, Roaring Meg and Moonlight Creek catchments.

Weed Pest Control Trent/Waiheke/Tutaekuri River – ground inspection for gorse undertaken in this period. Occasional gorse plants were found in Upper Waiheke/Trent Rivers and controlled. Upper Tutaekuri was clear of gorse although a lot of regenerating gorse was found in the Tutaekuri below the Trent Confluence and the Lower Waiheke. Another visit will be made in late February/March to continue with treatment. Coast Road - roadsides from Rapahoe to Barrytown sprayed and work started on gunnera, ginger and pampas infestations. Greymouth Area – work completed on yellow flag iris, gunnera, ginger, old mans beard and pampas.

Habitat Protection Cobden Island – Cobden Aromahana Sanctuary and Recreation Areas Inc. group have continued their work restoration work through the support of Conservation Volunteers NZ. An upcoming event searching for whitebait spawning at the site is planned for April.

Fire No fires attended

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 9 HOKITIKA PLACE

Planning Resource Consents received, Concessions/Permissions, Management Plans No report is available at this time.

Community Involvement/Initiatives The Hokitika team welcomed a new Community Ranger with Michelle Lambert starting on October 31 in the place of Kailash Willis. Also, a temporary half time Community Ranger position was filled by Rachel Neiman which runs through till June 2017. Three community fund applications were approved for the District being Kaniere Weedbusters, Westland Region Environment network (Weedbusting Ross) and Westland Industrial Heritage Park (forest and mudfish habitat restoration). The nest steps in this process is for deeds of agreements to be established then funding becomes available. The Department supported Enviroschools working with Kaniere School attaching fish symbols to storm water drains to remind people about responsible disposal of waste water. Some time was spent planning for seaweek.

Our whio volunteers are still doing a fantastic job trapping stoats in the Kawhaka and lower Styx and we are very grateful for their continued contribution to whio protection.

Species Management

Whio/Blue Duck Trap replacement in the Styx is progressing well although frequent high river flows have made access difficult this season. Stoat numbers have increased significantly over the last couple of months and we did an earlier trap check in the Kawhaka to clear traps. Five whio that were reared at Peacock Springs (The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust) during the 2015-16 season, but did not form pairs in captivity, are to be released in the upper Styx valley at the first fine weather opportunity. This season’s 15 ducklings will be flock mated in the coming winter months and fingers crossed that we will have a few more captive pairs by the end of it.

Chesterfield skink Monitoring at Chesterfield has been carried out by DOC’s Science & Policy team since 2015, and has revealed that Chesterfield skinks are restricted to a narrow strip of rank grassland (~1km x 5m) sandwiched between farmland and the sea. Just over 100 skinks have been identified thus far. To ensure the species future survival, creating and securing habitat at Chesterfield is our only current option and the team has made the following recommendations:  Create a 0.5ha experimental area adjacent to the highest skink density. This would be fenced to exclude most predators, and remaining predators would be controlled to very low densities by traps and bait stations inside the fence.  Experimental coastal native plantings and areas of rank pasture grass would be maintained within the fence to determine skink preferences and the response of the skink population would be monitored.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 10 The experimental area is to take the shape of a ~ 200 x 25m strip parallel to existing skink habitat into which skinks will hopefully expand. This area is public land, however is currently under pasture by Wiffen Dairying. They are supportive of the project and the next step is to finalise a predator fence design for the area as well as to grow species of skink friendly coastal natives to plant within the fenced area.

Powelliphanta augusta

The Hokitika P. augusta captive population currently comprises of 1,100 snails and 1,200 eggs.

Preparations are being made for a release of approximately 100 snails and 350 eggs this month into Mount Augustus VDT and adjacent remnant habitat. More releases are planned for the autumn.

Animal Pest Control Goat Control - No operations undertaken within this area.

Tahr Control – No inspections undertaken this period. Aerial inspections NEZ1 to commence next fine weather periods.

Weed Pest Control – Ongoing weed work, inspections include the local Hokitika based Weed buster - Ranger visiting landowners and following up on weed issues between Greymouth and Hokitika districts.

Otira / Taramakau and Taipo sites are about to receive a mix of aerial and ground control, completion is expected by next report.

Fire – No fires reported this period

Windblown Timber Helicopter extractions of rimu were undertaken in the period from two sites near Harihari, one site in the Upper Arahura Valley, one site near Dorothy Falls at and one extraction of red beech was completed at Marble Hill in Maruia. This brings the total timber harvested to date to just over 8000m3 with 6000 of this being rimu, 1900 being beech and the balance being matai and kaihikatea. As requested by The Regional Growth Study a brief plan was provided outlining some steps to capture the lessons learnt from the implementation of the Windblown Timber Act to understand how future windblown timber opportunities might be managed.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 11 TE WAHI POUNAMU PLACE

Planning – Resource Consents received, Regional and District Plans, Management Planning

 15 requests for comments received and processed or processing. 8 for research/collection, 2 for filming, 1 for an assignment of concession, 1 for a variation and 3 for guiding.  1 grazing inspection completed.  2 one off permits processed. 1 for individual drone use and 1 for a commercial film maker.  3 resource consent applications received. 1 for beach nourishment, 1 for mining effects and 1 for log extraction. Ongoing consultations with regards to the Okuru Enterprise Ltd submission.

Visitor Management

At our key tourism sites, , , and Shipcreek, we have had an increased monitoring presence over the peak summer period. Focus has been on checking bus and coach association and guided track walking compliance and raising awareness for DOC processes within the tourism industry.

Community Involvement/Initiatives

Dennis Road Track, Haast: A meeting was held with Westland Mayor Bruce Smith and members of the Haast Community in Haast on the 30th January 2017. This covered the potential funding avenues available to complete the track from the Haast Township to Haast Beach. The mayor was invited to walk both ends of the track and feedback from the mayor was positive regarding the community initiative. The mayor leant support to exploring funding avenues which would get the track completed.

Franz: Four community fund applications were approved for the District, Weedbusters, South Westland Area School La Fontaine Stream Restoration, Okarito Lagoon Predator Control and Mo Ake Tonu - Forever Kiwi (teaching the next generation of conservation leaders). Deeds of agreements are being arranged as the next part of the funding process. The Department continues to plan for another successful Seaweek.

Species Management –

Rowi kiwi

Rowi management for the 2016/17 breeding season has focused on in-situ monitoring of chick survival post 1080 treatment in Okarito Sanctuary. Monitoring has been a hands-off approach using cameras placed on nests in South Okarito forest. Fifteen wild hatches have been confirmed. One additional chick was found dead outside a burrow but it is unclear whether this died during or prior to hatch or post hatch. Six further active nests are currently being monitored for hatch outcomes.

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 12 20 eggs have been ONE’d this season. This is a combination of eggs due to hatch prior to the September 1080 operation and eggs detected from monitored pairs in North Okarito forest (outside the 1080 operational area). Ten chicks have hatched and one egg is currently being incubated. One chick died during yolk sac removal surgery.

Last season’s chick survival of ONE birds on Motuara Island was lower than the previous two seasons as a result of falcon predation however eleven chicks from this site were transferred back to North Okarito forest in December. Three unproductive adult birds were transferred from Blumine Island to North Okarito forest in 2016 to make space for the remaining young birds coming off the Motuara Island crèche site. Seventeen young 2015/16 chicks were transferred to Blumine Island in December and will be held there until further sites become available. Blumine Island was surveyed using a dog and night calling in January and a previously unproductive adult pair was found to be breeding.

Kaipupu Point was brought on as a new crèche site in 2016. Ten birds have since been transferred into North Okarito forest in January. Two 2016/17 chicks remain at this site.

Allports Island was surveyed with a dog and night work in January and no additional hybrid (Little Spotted/Rowi kiwi) were found.

Haast tokoeka

Monitoring of tokoeka continues in the Haast Sactuary as part of post-1080 monitoring. So far this season there has been 53 recorded incubations, with 34 failed, and 15 confirmed hatches. There have been four confirmed chick deaths, one unknown missing chick (transmitter lost) and one chick found sick and was removed from the sanctuary into the ONE programme. The team is currently monitoring 9 chicks in the sanctuary.

Four chicks were translocated from Orokonui Ecosanctuary where they have been weaned and grown to a good transfer weight to Rona Island crèche site.

Weed Pest Control - Ongoing weed work, inspections include the local Fox based Weed buster - Ranger visiting landowners and following up on weed issues between Waitaha valley in the north-south to Jackson Bay. Control work has been completed at Docherty’s creek in Franz Josef focusing on Poplar, Buddleia and Willow, also control work has started at the Waitangitaona/Lake Wahapo on controlling willow. Annual gorse control has been completed in the Stafford Bay area, good dieback was observed from the previous control on gorse.

Animal Pest Control –

Goat Control – Ground operations undertaken within the Te Taho area between November 2016 and January 2017 removed; 49 goats, 19 tahr, 5 pigs and 1 deer for 334.5 hours hunted (0.2 kills per hour). Note; Pigs located around Lake Ianthe area.

Pig Control – Ground hunters were deployed to follow-up fresh reports of pigs; these likely releases were at specific sites along State Highway 6; (Paringa and Burkes Flat) these

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 13 inspections removed; 7 pigs and 4 deer for approximately 140 hours of searching also includes key sites around the lower Arawhata and Waiatoto areas (no sign of pigs was noted).

Tahr Control – Delays through weather, aerial AATH and DOC culls to commence next fine weather periods after 14th January 2017 through to 31 March 2017.

Haast Tokoeka Sanctuary A trapping regime is now being implemented, with DOC200 traps having been set to combat an influx (re-invasion) of stoats post-aerial 1080 treatment in August 2016. Planning is well advanced for the incorporation of and installation of 1200 good Nature A24 traps to complement the DOC200s, and in some places, replace the DOC200s across the entire sanctuary.

Okarito Sanctuary - Small mammal indexing in November showed zero tracking rates for both rodents and stoats within the Okarito 1080 treatment area, compared to 90%+ in the non-treatment sites at Gillespies and Mt Hercules.

Monitoring – Jo Macpherson

Fire - No fires reported this period

Visitor Centre Statistics Haast: For the 3-month period from November 2016 to January 2017 = 37355 visitors. This is a 4% increase for the same period last year. Franz: Early calculations suggest that from November 2016 to January 2017 visitor numbers totalled close to 37,118. *Still calibrating the foot traffic counters. The percentage increase from last year is uncertain due to having shifted to new location midway through last summer.

RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Board notes the information in this report.

Mark Davies Director, Operations Western

DOCDM-2948952 - Status Report February 2017 14