ERMANZ Report: Verified Source: Pestlink Operational Report for Possum Control in the River (Maori Gully and South Branch)

18 Jan 2008 - 18 Mar 2008

22/08/2008 Department of Conservation Buller - Kawatiri Contents

1. Operation Summary...... 2 2. Introduction...... 3 2.1 TREATMENT AREA ...... 3 2.2 MANAGEMENT HISTORY...... 5 3 Outcomes and Targets ...... 5 3.1 CONSERVATION OUTCOMES...... 5 3.2 TARGETS ...... 6 3.2.1 Result Targets...... 6 3.2.2 Outcome Targets...... 6 4 Consultation, Consents & Notifications ...... 6 4.1 CONSULTATION...... 6 4.2 CONSENTS ...... 6 4.3 NOTIFICATION...... 6 5 Methods...... 7 5.1 TARGET SPECIES...... 7 5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ...... 10 5.2.1 Effects on Non-Target Species ...... 10 5.2.2 Effects on Soil and Water Quality...... 11 5.2.3 Effects on Ecosystems...... 11 5.2.4 Effects on Human Health...... 11 6 Monitoring Results and Outcomes ...... 11 6.1 RESULT MONITORING - TARGET SPECIES ...... 11 6.2 RESULT MONITORING - ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS...... 11 6.3 OUTCOME MONITORING ...... 12

Page 2 of 12

1. Operation Summary

Operation Name Possum in Mokihinui River (Maori Gully and South Branch) Operation Date 18 Jan 2008 - 18 Mar 2008 Area Office Buller - Kawatiri Conservancy: West Coast Tai Poutini Pestlink Reference 0708BUL08

Treatment Area Size (ha) Mokihinui River (Maori Gully and South 1400.00 Branch) Conservation Unit Name(s) Conservation Unit Number(s) Mokihinui Forks Ecological Area L28004 Lyell Range-Radiant Range L28006 Treatment Block Details Treatment Blocks Size (ha) Grid Ref GIS Ref Maori Gully 1100.00 South Branch 300.00

Contractor Name Chris Cowan Coast Wide Helicopters

Treatment Dates Start Completion Maori Gully 18 Jan 2008 18 Mar 2008 South Branch 18 Jan 2008 18 Mar 2008 Target Pest Details Treatment Control Target Pests Name Blocks Method Maori Gully Pesticide Aerial Pesticide - Aerial in Maori Gully-(1) South Branch Pesticide Aerial Pesticide - Aerial in South Branch-(2)

Conservation Outcome(s) The conservation objective is to protect from possum predation the locally endemic land snail, Powelliphanta lignaria ruforadiata and Powelliphanta lignaria unicolorata.

Result Target(s) Treatment Area/Block What we got • To reduce possum Maori Gully 2.3% numbers to 3%

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 3 of 12

RTC or less

Outcome Targets What we got Mountain Creek From 1995 to 2006 live snails have increased from 1/ha to 4/ha. No possum predation of snails has been recorded since 1995. In the non-treatment area at Goat • Observe an increase in adult snail numbers Creek snail numbers have decreased from 17.7/ha in 2001 to 6/ha in 2006. Maori Gully Monitoring of the Maori Gully snail plots is planned to be undertaken during the March-May months of 2009

2. Introduction

2.1 TREATMENT AREA

Non-target species Common Name Scientific Name Bellbird Anthornis melanura melanura New Zealand Pigeon, Kereru Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae Grey Warbler Gerygone igata Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa fuliginosa Petroica macrocephala Yellow-breasted Tit macrocephala South Island Robin Petroica australis australis Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Brown Creeper Mohoua novaeseelandiae South Island Rifleman Acanthisitta chloris chloris Yellow-crowned Parakeet Cyanoramphus auriceps Nestor meridionalis South Island Kaka meridionalis New Zealand Kingfisher Halcyon sancta Ninox novaeseelandiae subsp. Morepork novaeseelandiae Chrysococcyx lucidus subsp. Shining Cuckoo lucidus Long-tailed Cuckoo Eudynamys taitensis Bush falcon Falco novaeseelandiae "bush"

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 4 of 12

Great spotted kiwi Apteryx haastii Western Weka Gallirallus australis australis Hymenolaimus Blue Duck, Whio malacorhynchos Skylark Alauda arvensis Dunnock Prunella modularis Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Blackbird Turdus merula Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Redpoll Carduelis flammea House Sparrow Passer domesticus Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Target benefit species Common Name Scientific Name Powelliphanta lignaria Large land snail unicolorata Powelliphanta lignaria Large land snail ruforadiata

Threatened species Common Name Scientific Name Powelliphanta lignaria Large land snail unicolorata Powelliphanta lignaria Large land snail ruforadiata Great spotted kiwi Apteryx haastii Nestor meridionalis South Island Kaka meridionalis New Zealand Pigeon, Kereru Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae Kea Nestor notabilis Western Weka Gallirallus australis australis

Geographical location The Mokihinui River (Maori Gully and South Branch) is situated 16 km East of .

TREATMENT BLOCK DETAILS: Treatment block Maori Gully Predominantly mixed red-silver beech with other canopy and Vegetation type sub-canopy trees include kamahi, southern rata, Quintinia and hard beech. Possum palatable seral species are extensive within

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 5 of 12

landslips sites formed by earthquake activity. Bioclimatic zone lowland montane Climate characteristics: Rainfall 3000 mm Temperature: Average Summer 0 Average Winter 0 Snow level 0 m Altitude 160-900 m

There is a tramping track in the middle reaches of the Mokihinui Community and River, where there are several huts. None of these facilities are Iwi interests within this block. Historic sites No historic sites are recorded within the operational area

Treatment block South Branch Predominantly mixed red-silver beech with other canopy and sub-canopy trees include kamahi, southern rata, Quintinia and Vegetation type hard beech. Possum palatable seral species are extensive within landslips sites formed by earthquake activity. Bioclimatic zone lowland montane Climate characteristics: Rainfall 3000 mm Temperature: Average Summer 18.0 Average Winter 6.0 Snow level - m Altitude 260 - 816 m

There is a tramping track in the middle reaches of the Mokihinui Community and River, where there are several huts. None of these facilities are Iwi interests within this block. Historic sites No historic sites are known to be within the operational area.

2.2 MANAGEMENT HISTORY

Management history was not chosen to be shown in this operational report. This history is, however, available via Pestlink

3 Outcomes and Targets 3.1 CONSERVATION OUTCOMES

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 6 of 12

The conservation objective is to protect from possum predation the locally endemic land snail, Powelliphanta lignaria ruforadiata and Powelliphanta lignaria unicolorata.

3.2 TARGETS 3.2.1 Result Targets The result targets for the treatment area were: • To reduce possum numbers to 3% RTC or less

3.2.2 Outcome Targets The outcome targets for the treatment area were: • Observe an increase in adult snail numbers

4 Consultation, Consents & Notifications 4.1 CONSULTATION The department consulted and/or met with the following parties:

o Iwi o Public health service (Medical Officer of Health) o West Coast Regional Council o Council o Fish and Game West Coast

Consultation outcomes No objections to this operation Lessons learned N/A

4.2 CONSENTS Consent Consent date File/DME reference Buller District Council 19/12/2007 N/A DOC Mokihinui 1207. Medical Officer of Health 14/12/2008 2007VTA-169 Department of Conservation 07/02/2008 DOCDM-250393 Resource Consent (WCRC) 28/01/2001 RC00321V Te Runaka o Kati Waewae 07/12/2008 N/A

4.3 NOTIFICATION

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 7 of 12

The notification process commenced in November 2007 A key facts pack outlining the conservation values, operational objectives, risks to public health and dogs, and precautionary measures, were distributed.

The department notified the following people and organisations of the operation:

• Westport police • Buller District Council • Buller Hospital • Buller Vet Services • school • MOH Greymouth • West Coast Regional Council • DOC Hokitika

The aerial operations were advertised in the following papers:

• Westport News - 22nd January 2008

1080 warning signs and maps illustrating block boundaries were placed in the Forks and Goat Creek Huts in the Mokihinui Valley. Signs were also placed at the start of the Mokihinui track and at junctions of creeks that border the operational area

Maori Gully

Mountain Creek

Silver Creek

Lessons learned Plan adequate time and allow for the cost of erecting signs in advance of the operation commencing.

5 Methods 5.1 TARGET SPECIES

Treatment Block South Branch Control method Name Target pest species Pesticide - Aerial Pesticide - Aerial in Possum South Branch-(2)

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 8 of 12

Target Treatment Block Control Method Name Pest Species South Branch Pesticide - Aerial Pesticide - Aerial in Possum South Branch-(2) Trade name of pesticide 0.15% 1080 Pellets Name of pesticide Sodium fluoroacetate (1080) Type of bait Cereal pellet Toxic loading 1.5 g/kg Bait quality sampling Not Conducted

Bait Details Pre-feed Toxic Bait type Pollard/pellet Cereal pellet Lure/mask/deterrent Cinnamon Cinnamon Lure/mask/deterrent 0.02% 0.02% Dye None Green Individual Bait Weight 12.0g 12.0g

Sowing Rate Details Pre-feed Toxic Wind Wind Date Rate(kg/ha) Direction Date Rate(kg/ha) Direction Speed Speed

18/01/2008 2.00 Calm Nil 18/03/2008 3.00 Calm Nil

Time between pre-feed and 60 toxic End of Caution Period 18/07/2008 Date Aircraft type Hughes 500D or E Number of Aircraft 1 Sowing gear details Description Capacity

Sowing hopper with motor driven spinner. 350 kg Type of navigational Satloc

guidance system used Loading of sowing hopper was undertaken from deck of the transport truck. The cereal Loading Method bait was emptied from the paper bags into 13gal drums then tipped into the sowing hopper as required.

Complaints and Incidents

The operation went smoothly without any incidents.

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 9 of 12

Other Details about this method Sowing of this block was left to last to allow the fog to lift from the upper valley.

Deviations from planned operation -

Lessons Learned Cleanup of the site was easily done because very little spillage occurred due to the loading system used and the time between loads (up to 35min) which allowed the loading site to be tidied after each fill.

Treatment Block Maori Gully Control method Name Target pest species Pesticide - Aerial Pesticide - Aerial in Possum Maori Gully-(1)

Target Treatment Block Control Method Name Pest Species Maori Gully Pesticide - Aerial Pesticide - Aerial in Possum Maori Gully-(1) Trade name of pesticide 0.15% 1080 Pellets Name of pesticide Sodium fluoroacetate (1080) Type of bait Cereal pellet Toxic loading 1.5 g/kg Bait quality sampling Not Conducted

Bait Details Pre-feed Toxic Bait type Pollard/pellet Cereal pellet Lure/mask/deterrent Cinnamon Cinnamon Lure/mask/deterrent 0.02% 0.02% Dye None Green Individual Bait Weight 12.0g 12.0g

Sowing Rate Details Pre-feed Toxic Wind Wind Date Rate(kg/ha) Direction Date Rate(kg/ha) Direction Speed Speed 18/01/2008 2.00 Calm Nil 18/03/2008 3.00 Calm Nil

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 10 of 12

Time between pre-feed and 60 toxic End of Caution Period 18/06/2008 Date Aircraft type Hughes 500D or E Number of Aircraft 1 Sowing gear details Description Capacity

Sowing hopper with motor driven spinner. 350 kg Type of navigational Satloc

guidance system used Loading of sowing hopper was undertaken from deck of the transport truck. The cereal Loading Method bait was emptied from the paper bags into 13gal drums then tipped into the sowing hopper as required.

Complaints and Incidents The operation went smoothly with no incidents.

Other Details about this method -

Deviations from planned operation An early start to the toxic sowing was hampered by the amount of fog in the valley however this cleared off by mid morning

Lessons Learned Cleanup of the site was easily done because very little spillage occurred due to the loading system used and the time between loads (up to 20min) which allowed the loading site to be tidied after each fill.

5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

5.2.1 Effects on Non-Target Species See Chapter 5, section 5.5 of the AEE for potential and adverse effects on non-target species Performance standard(s) Followed ? Monitored ? See Chapter 5 of AEE Unknown No

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 11 of 12

5.2.2 Effects on Soil and Water Quality Effects are discussed in chapter 5, section 5.4 of the AEE Performance standard(s) Followed ? Monitored ? See chapter 5 of AEE Unknown No 5.2.3 Effects on Ecosystems Effects are discussed in Chapter 5, section 5.6 of the AEE. Performance standard(s) Followed ? Monitored ? see Chapter 5 of AEE Unknown No 5.2.4 Effects on Human Health Effects are discussed in chapter 5, section 5.2 of the AEE Performance standard(s) Followed ? Monitored ? See chapter 5 of AEE Unknown No

6 Monitoring Results and Outcomes 6.1 RESULT MONITORING - TARGET SPECIES

Result target(s) To reduce possum numbers to 3% RTC or less 6.1.1 Target Species Monitoring Residual trap-catch index (RTCI) Method: Species monitored Possum - Trichosurus vulpecula in Maori Gully Monitor method details 15 lines (10 traps/line, 2 nights,

Scott board raised sets).

Deviations Only the Maori Gully operational area had monitoring undertaken.

Target pest result details Pre During/Post Monitoring dates - 21-27 May 2008 Results - 2.3%

Result target met? Yes Lessons Learned Because of the small size of the operational areas and the large areas of untreated forest surrounding them reinvasion by possums will happen quicker than normally expected.

6.2 RESULT MONITORING - ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS 6.2.1 Non Target Species No monitoring of non target species was undertaken. 6.2.2 Soil and Water Quality No monitoring of soil and water quality was undertaken.

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008 Page 12 of 12

6.2.3 Ecosystems No monitoring of ecosystems was undertaken. 6.2.4 Human Health No monitoring of human health was undertaken.

6.3 OUTCOME MONITORING Outcome targets Observe an increase in adult snail numbers

6.3.1 Outcome monitoring : Large land snail - Powelliphanta lignaria ruforadiata Monitoring Method(s) Snail plots (permanent)

Monitoring information due 11/11/2009 date Monitoring contact name Rodney Phillips, West Coast Tai Poutini Method details Monitoring of snail plots Monitoring dates March-May 2009 Outcome Results Mountain Creek From 1995 to 2006 live snails have increased from 1/ha to 4/ha. No possum predation of snails has been recorded since 1995. In the non-treatment area at Goat Creek snail numbers have decreased from 17.7/ha in 2001 to 6/ha in 2006. Maori Gully Monitoring of the Maori Gully snail plots is planned to be undertaken during the March-May months of 2009 Outcome target met? Monitoring ongoing Lessons Learned No information has been entered into this field

Pestlink Ref: 0708BUL08 Date Printed: 15 Sep 2008