Keep Tracking on with DOC

Issue Nineteen - November 2009 - area

Tracks and huts Flora and fauna

A quick update on some of the work that has been • Round one of the 2009 Koitiata Pyp Grass done on tracks and huts about the place: Control Programme was completed in October, with only seven clumps found on the edges of • A new fire has been installed at Iron Gates hut. previously sprayed zones. No re-growth or live plants were found in zones sprayed last year. This is a great start. • The Ruahine kiwi are breeding! A wee chick and an egg were lifted from Rua’s nest in September. They are both at Kiwi Encounter. • The ever-expanding Te Potae O Awarua stoat line continues to catch these pesky predators of kiwi and whio in the north-west Ruahines. This unusual white stoat was removed in a trap on the Te Potae O Awarua stoat line at the top of Ohutu Ridge in September.

Ranger JJ Rasmussen tries out the new fire at Iron Gates.

• Plans to upgrade the Rangiwahia Hut track are in the pipeline, hinging on a written report from Geotech regarding the slip. • The gas and long-drop facilities at Rangiwahia hut were serviced. The team reported that there was a record amount of poo, making removal of the full tank quite tricky. Spare a thought for the guys who take on this messy task – we appreciate it! • The new bridge has been flown in and installed on the Manawatu Gorge Track, but is awaiting The Ohutu Ridge Snow Stoat. final approval from the district council before it can be opened to the public. • A community working Ashhurst residents become bee was held at Bruce Manawatu Gorge stoaties Park Scenic Reserve in September, with a small Volunteers from the Ashhurst community are helping hard-working team of to reduce predator numbers in the Manawatu Gorge volunteers helping to clean Scenic Reserve in the hope it will encourage native the monuments, cut the bird species to re-populate the area as part of the track and install some Manawatu Gorge Biodiversity Restoration Project. vegetation labels. We’re The traps are checked and re-set once a fortnight hoping to make this a by a roster of Ashhurst residents, coordinated by regular event; next year the Ashhurst Action Group member Michael Shepherd. monuments will need to be 66 rats and six stoats have been removed from the The Bruce Park Community Day Crew. water-blasted and painted. traps since monitoring began in August.

Published by Department of Conservation Palmerston North Area Te Tai Hauauru - Conservancy www.doc.govt.nz ISSN 1172-1197 (Print) ISSN 1172-1227 (Online) Stoat tail flies Bittersweet battle

One of the staff from DOC Turangi, known as Solanum dulcamara is more commonly known as Didymo Dave, has been running a project in his bittersweet. It is a scrambling weed that grows own time to raise awareness of predator control and quickly in all directions, smothering small shrubs create income for native bird protection projects. around it and changing light levels to prevent regeneration of native seedlings. Bittersweet is invading Paengaroa Scenic Reserve, a remarkable patch of forest in Mataroa (near Taihape) that is one of only 6 reserves managed as a “mainland island” by the Department. Paengaroa is a haven for a diverse range of rare and unusual plant species, such as Olearia gardneri – third rarest tree. If bittersweet takes hold here, it could have devastating effects for these threatened treasures.

Dave creates trout flies from stoat tails and sells them in local fishing shops for $5 per fly, which he invests back into traps and projects for the benefit of native birds. It has been quite successful, with 25 traps purchased from the proceeds so far. But the big challenge is a lack of the raw material. Dave has orders for 20 flies and no tails to make them with. If you can help, please email: [email protected]. We are inviting people from the community to help with the bittersweet battle. A volunteer day will be Weed eradication programmes held at Paengaroa Scenic Reserve on Saturday 13th February 2010. Transport can be provided. If you The 2009 white bryony season is underway, with are interested in getting involved, please contact temporary summer staff joining the Mangaweka Kelly on +64 6 350 9708 or email: kstratford@doc. Field Centre team to locate and destroy white bryony govt.nz. along the Rangitikei River. White bryony is one of i-SITE open day: An invitation to eleven National Interest explore the great outdoors Pest Responses being led by MAF Biosecurity On Saturday 28th November, we’re holding an open New Zealand, in day at the Palmerston North i-SITE in The Square to partnership with DOC let people know about opportunities to explore our and Regional Councils. local landscapes. The goal is to eradicate white bryony completely Come along between 10 am and 1 pm to see from New Zealand tramping gear demonstrations, take in a DOC which means destroying presentation about local huts and overnight tramps, every individual plant find out about local tramping clubs and even sign up and limiting the risk of to join one of several easy day or overnight club-led re-invasion. Of course, trips, get fitness advice and support and information this can be difficult to about outdoor safety. There will be games for the achieve but white bryony kids, a sausage sizzle, and spot-prizes and give- is currently limited to aways. Summer staff Derek, sites in the Rangitikei and King Country, so there is Thanks to the i-SITE in The Square, Destination Jo & Connor show the a good chance it can be eradicated before it spreads Manawatu, Sport Manawatu, Palmerston North fruits of their labour. further. Tramping and Mountaineering Club, Manawatu Any sightings can be reported to the Mangaweka Tramping and Skiing Club, Manawatu Branch of NZ Field Centre +64 6 388 2031. Deerstalkers Association and the Mountain Safety Council, who are supporting the event. Future teachers get a taste of So when the opportunity arose to put forward conservation nominations for the TVNZ show ‘Mucking In’, we jumped at the chance to say a proper thank For the second year you. Sue’s nomination was well supported by the running, the DOC community, as she also helps with animal refuge, Palmerston North volunteers on the local fire brigade and St Johns office participated in a Ambulance Service and is part of all sorts of community placement community committees. programme with In February, DOC staff, members of the fire brigade first year teaching and St Johns crew and loads of Sue’s friends and students from Massey people in the community mucked in through wind, University’s College rain, and scorching sun to build a new garden for of Education. Ten Sue and her animals. There was a bit of nervous students spent four tension towards the end as we all wondered how days in the field with Sue would react - she is renowned for her colourful DOC staff and faced the vocabulary - but she gave it her seal of approval with physically demanding great sighs of relief all around. The show went to tasks put in front of air on Sunday 1st November. If you missed it, you them with enthusiasm, might be able to catch it on the TVNZ website, see determination and good http://tvnz.co.nz/mucking-in/s10-e4-video-3103170. humour. The students spent two days on the Manawatu Gorge track, carting and spreading gravel and meeting some of the locals. Teaching student They released trees and cleared invertebrate traps at Janine Stephens says Paengaroa Scenic Reserve, and helped manage 40 hello to a resident school children at a coastal conservation day as part gecko in the Manawatu of local Conservation Week activities. Gorge

DOC ranger Lyall Goggin spent many hours hand-carving two wooden signs to adorn the entrances.

Like most volunteers, Sue works behind the scenes doing whatever she can to help, never asking for anything in return. The Mucking In was a fantastic opportunity to show DOC’s appreciation to Sue (and the rest of the community) for what they do for us.

The students take a break from gravelling the gorge track Mucking In for Sue Smith

Himatangi resident Sue Smith has been involved in sea bird rescue for years. She helps DOC Palmerston North out with all sorts of coastal issues, and is our ‘first response’ for most of the sick or injured wildlife reported Sue was surprised on the Manawatu coast. with a staged whale She does it voluntarily Everybody waited with anticipation to find out what Sue stranding featuring an and pays for it out of her would think of her new garden. inflatable orca. own pocket. Lorraine is leaving! She shows just as much stamina and determination outside of work; there is seldom a weekend when Biodiversity ranger Lorraine Cook came to the DOC Lorraine isn’t enjoying the outdoors. She joined a team as a temp to cover maternity leave late in 2007, contingent of DOC staff in the 2008 Taupo Cycle and has been here ever since. Challenge, completing two legs (80kms) in lightening time.

Lorraine getting acquainted with a lizard at As biodiversity assets ranger, it is Lorraine’s job to coordinate our work with native species, whether it be digging around in the dirt for dactylanthus plants Marine TSO Helen Kettles congratulates Lorraine on her or wading through mud to build a safe passage for ride before starting the next leg for their team at the 2008 native fish. Taupo Cycle Challenge If you have been involved in the Te Potae O Awarua project, the katipo monitoring project, bat surveys, Lorraine has been our media darling, featuring in snail surveys or any species monitoring in the last many newspaper stories, doing several interviews two years, chances are you have worked with on national radio and making a valuable contribution Lorraine. to our former show on Access Radio - her David Attenborough impersonation led to the ‘Meet the ranger’ segment of the show. One of her last acts with the Palmerston North Area Office will be giving an interview as an expert on weta for an international television show. Fortunately, Lorraine isn’t leaving DOC altogether. From December, Lorraine will be working for the biodiversity team in Geraldine. All the best Lorraine.

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Lorraine enjoys the Never one to shy from a challenge, Lorraine learnt view from the top of Ohutu Ridge on a to dive and went on a Project Jonah training course Te Potae stoat trap after being involved in an attempted whale rescue checking trip. in 2008. She dealt with a recent flurry of media and public attention over a juvenile falcon that had taken up residence in for the winter with aplomb. At our recent fire training pack test, Lorraine donned a vest containing 20kg of weights (5kg more than she needed to) and walked 4.8kms in less than 45 Next issue: if you have anything to bring to our minutes, despite the fact that the vest was too long attention for this newsletter please contact: and the weights cut into her legs! What’s more, she Kelly Stratford, phone: +64 6 350 9708 or did it last year so wasn’t required to do it again this email: [email protected] year.