Project Janszoon Annual Report 2020—Secure Contents
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ANNUAL REPORT 2020 Mihi Takahia mai ra Te tupuna whenua o Aorere Ka rere taku reo tongi Mai i Mārahau ki Wainui Whakatau mai Whakatau mai Traversing the ancestral lands My voice soars and declares From Mārahau to Wainui Welcome, welcome. Pāteke/brown teal. Ruth Bollongino, www.fernphotos.com Cover: Released kākā at Wairima/Bark Bay. Ruth Bollongino, www.fernphotos.com Project Janszoon Annual Report 2020—Secure Contents Milestones 2 Director and Chair Message 5 Secure 7 40 thousand trapping milestone reached 9 Beech mast challenging 9 Northern A24 network to be intensified 11 Stoat trapping network extended 11 New finds in mistletoe survey 13 Rare banded rail benefiting from predator control 13 Winning against wilding pines 15 Weed control focusing on known locations 15 Invasive pampas grass concerning 17 Protecting the halo 17 Protecting the south 17 Goat control on target 19 Golden Bay painter helping protect spotted shags 19 Tata islands have a rich history 21 Restore 23 Largest ever kākā release 25 Pāteke hit by a “perfect storm” 27 More whio likely to be released 27 Acoustic monitoring showing promising results 29 One more year for gannet trial 31 Weka impacting native snails 31 Hadfield Clearing restoration faces challenges 35 Volunteer mahi sees Firesmart programme expand 35 Black beech survival rates pleasing 37 Northern rātā doing well 37 Southern planting project underway 37 Nursery helping planting projects around the region 39 Helen Lindsay receives prestigious award 39 Peppercress defying the odds 39 Persistence pays off for Roger 41 Future proof 43 Waharoa tells the story of the tūpuna 45 Education programme thriving 45 A keen eye produces stunning images 49 Conservation takes to the skies 49 2020 scholarship recipient studies environmental management 51 Fungi Friday popular on social media 51 Project Janszoon board 53 Project Janszoon team 54 Department of Conservation team 55 Financials 57 Project Janszoon Annual Report 2020—Secure 1 Milestones JUL-2011 NOV-2013 MAY-2014 Proposal presented to Wi-Fi trial commenced and Beech trial started on Hutton Wilson Nominees Ltd Abel Tasman app launched Motuareronui/Adele Island SEP-2014 OCT-2011 DEC-2013 Tīeke/saddleback released Project approved 1080 consent by ATBT on Motuareronui/ in principle granted by TDC Adele Island DEC-2011 FEB-2014 OCT-2014 Project Janszoon First wasp Initial strike of pine Trust formed control trial control completed JUN-2012 FEB-2014 DEC-2014 Heads of Agreement Awaroa to Anchorage Wi-Fi network and signed with DOC stoat network activated Abel Tasman app extended across park AUG-2012 MAR-2014 FEB-2015 Weed survey Tomorrow Accord signed Abel Tasman Youth Ambassador commenced with Conservation Minister programme launched SEP-2012 APR-2014 JUN-2015 First bird survey Education programme Won Supreme and Philanthropy completed launched and Partnership awards at Green Ribbon Awards JAN-2013 APR-2014 SEP-2015 Canaan/Wainui stoat First planting at Rātā planting network activated Hadfield Clearing programme begins JUL-2013 MAY-2014 OCT-2015 Firesmart dune First kākāriki released Wins Green World programme started at Wainui Hut international conservation award Whariwharangi. Ruth Bollongino, www.fernphotos.com 2 Project Janszoon Annual Report 2020—Secure NOV-2015 FEB-2018 AUG-2019 First kākā Education scholarship Pāteke released release announced at Tōtaranui MAR-2016 APR-2018 SEP-2019 Internet access available in Heads of Agreement for First kākā released Awaroa and Torrent Bay Tomorrow Accord signed at Wairima/Bark Bay APR-2016 JUN-2018 SEP-2019 Toutouwai/robin Beech trial extended First ecoblitz held at translocated to Pitt Head by to Anchorage Hadfield Clearing Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust SEP-2018 MAR-2020 NOV-2016 New website Covid-19 lockdown halts Native snails monitored launched conservation work in park with transmitters SEP-2018 MAY-2020 JAN-2017 First whio Project Janszoon and DOC 1,000th stoat release team resume work in park trapped MAY-2017 DEC-2018 JUN-2020 th First pāteke/brown teal Down the Bay 40,000 release at Hadfield Clearing book launched predator trapped SEP-2017 JAN-2019 Last stand of mature wilding First kākā chicks pines controlled at Bark Bay fledge in park DEC-2017 MAR-2019 First pāteke/brown Two new schools join teal chicks born education programme Project Janszoon Annual Report 2020—Secure 3 Tomorrow Accord explained Throughout this annual report you In 2018 a Heads of Agreement was signed will see a symbol referring to the by Project Janszoon chair Gillian Wratt and Tomorrow Accord target indicator. Department of Conservation Director-General Lou Sanson, which outlines the transforma- The Tomorrow Accord is a for- tional outcomes that will trigger the Accord mal agreement between NEXT in the Abel Tasman. These triggers are out- Foundation and the Government that was lined throughout this annual report with the signed in 2014. This agreement ensures first target, regarding wilding pine control, that once agreed restoration outcomes are expected to be handed to DOC in late 2020. achieved, Project Janszoon hands responsibil- ity for maintaining those gains to the Crown. Miromiro/tomtit 4 Project Janszoon Annual Report 2020 Director and Chair Message Tēnā koutou katoa, We also released more pāteke/brown teal than By all measures, 2020 has been an extraordinary year ever before with 138 birds released. This brings the with unexpected challenges but also continued suc- total released birds to 288, approaching our goal cess. We are pleased to report that Project Janszoon, of 300. We unfortunately lost several birds during working with our Department of Conservation, Abel the lockdown period due to stoat predation while Tasman Birdsong Trust, and Iwi partners has contin- trapping was on hold. Despite this, the pāteke pop- ued our positive progress towards restoring the ecol- ulation is doing well and we are seeing strong signs ogy of the Abel Tasman National Park. of breeding and finding that pāteke have spread to We recognise the impacts the pandemic has had on most wetland areas in the park. We are grateful to those we work with and who support us, and are the Pāteke Recovery Group and the private breeders grateful for their continued support through these who make these birds available to us. unusual times. As we connected with our partners The enthusiasm from communities and landowners during lockdown, it was heartening to hear their surrounding the park to contribute to the restora- continued passion and energy for the park, and to tion work is great to see. Groups like the Takaka see so many keen to return to re-set traps, maintain Hill Biodiversity Group Trust, Mārahau Halo, Project plantings, feed kākā, and undertake many other activities as soon as it was safe to do so. Rāmeka, Otūwhero Trust, and others, have taken ini- tiatives to control pests adjacent to the Abel Tasman, The changing visitor outlook for the park has put providing additional safety to our native biodiversity particular pressure on the concession operators, and helping to sustain the gains we’ve made inside and we’d like to thank them for continuing to stand behind our vision for what the park can be through the national park. this challenging period. Our education partners from Lower Moutere, Work to control the plant and animal pests that Ngātīmoti, Motupipi, Golden Bay High, and threaten the Abel Tasman continues, with positive Motueka High schools continue to actively use the progress being made on most fronts. It is pleasing park for learning through the Youth Ambassador to see the signs of the wildling conifer infestations and Adopt-a-Section programmes, as well as con- that once threatened the park ridges gradually dis- tributing to conservation activities. Student leaders appearing from view as we prepare to hand over this are taking on bigger projects such as monitoring the programme to DOC under the Tomorrow Accord. hydrology of the wetland at Anchorage and lead- We continue to see the impacts of the mega-beech ing an ecoblitz to better understand the biodiversity mast from 2019, with increasing rat numbers, but at Hadfield Clearing. We are grateful to the boards are confident our aerial control operations will give and principals from these schools for supporting the our native birds the opportunity to breed safely teachers and these students to share in and con- through spring. tribute to the transformation of the Abel Tasman. One of the highlights of the year was the release These programmes are key to future-proofing our of 24 kākā at Wairima/Bark Bay in September and work restoring the biodiversity of the park. October. This was the culmination of years of effort In addition to those already mentioned, we are by DOC rangers and volunteers from the Birdsong pleased to thank the Project Janszoon staff, the DOC Trust to control stoats and make it safe for the young team, and volunteers from the Birdsong Trust for the birds. Since then, the kākā have been very visible amazing scale and quality of work they undertake. along the coast and their playful antics enjoyed by We also thank local Iwi Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama, locals and visitors alike. and Te Ātiawa for their support in re-establishing One of our best memories was seeing a large group taonga species in the park; we are pleased to see of visitors gathered on the beach at Wairima/Bark these endeavours succeeding. And finally, thank you Bay watching a dozen kākā vigorously feeding on to Neal and Annette Plowman for their generous pōhutukawa flowers over the summer holidays. We look forward to the next few years when these support that makes this work possible. young birds breed and their young establish them- Gillian Wratt, Chair selves as a common presence in the park. Bruce Vander Lee, Project Director Project Janszoon Annual Report 2020 5 8,502 rats trapped 389 stoats and weasels trapped 40,000th predator trapped 2 new pest free halo groups launched 448 new A24 traps in north of park 50 new stoat traps 33 new mistletoe plants found (2019/20 financial year) Golden Bay DOC ranger Rhan Hurst—Air New Zealand funded A24 network near Tōtaranui.