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ROTOKARE Bush Telegraph

2017 Spring 06 764 8500 [email protected] Welcome WISH LIST DONATION To the Spring edition of the Rotokare Being a charitable organisation we regularly add a wish list Bush Telegraph. to our quarterly newsletters . We were very fortunate to As always we have lots of generous have OMV New Zealand purchase all of the items listed in people to thank: the last newsletter.  Uhlenberg Haulage Ltd for the We are incredibly donation of 20m³ of metal, including grateful as the items delivery, for track maintenance. we request are things

 Tony Green digital callipers, banding we do not have equipment, markers and education funding to purchase, equipment. and either borrow from our local community or  The Wheelhouse - Facebook tuition go without. Having these will make the lives of our staff and volunteers so much Your help is hugely valuable— easier. Having the Rotokare works extremely hard right tools and to raise enough funds to meet equipment ensures Some of the team with the purchased gear including a set of operational costs and to continue better efficiency when to deliver significant conservation winter quad bike tyres, spades, clipboards, petrol water blaster, completing core tasks. binoculars, compasses and more. and community outcomes The Trust is focused on reducing EDUCATION PROGRAMME operational costs and increasing operational funding. GIVEN BOOST You can help! We are truly thankful for a new sponsorship from the Lysaght-Watt Trust who, along with LEOTC and TET, support our Education programme, including our We are calling for support— Rotokare Youth Ambassadors, the Discover Your Schoolyard Programme. become a ‘Friends of the lake” - your $30-$50 annual donation is With support like this it means that everyone has the opportunity to see what a significant way to help support we are doing here, to see something they might not ever get the chance to the ongoing sanctuary success. see, and to be a part of our story in different ways. Please join the family and The Rotokare Environmental Education programme strives to empower our support Taranaki’s Sanctuary. future generations to take ownership of their environment. Please call or email 06 764 8500 [email protected] 2017 SPECIAL RESERVE HONEY www.facebook.com/rotokare Available NOW, $20.00 per jar, See pg 6 for more info

Wetland boardwalk completed in time for summer! made possible by some very special members of our community. Firstly to the army of volunteers that volunteers of army the to Firstly community. the constructed boardwalk, Billand Hodgesto and Sandra who’s donationmade thispossible. project our of members special very some All by construction. possible and planning made of years two after September in opened officially was boardwalk new The relaxing andseat perfect for watching. bird large a with fitted lake, intothe jutting out platform floatinga to leads Theboardwalk crake. pūweto/spotless and mātātā/fernbird the as such fauna cryptic often and rare with encounters personal visitors lucky giving wetlands,inaccessible usually Rotokare’s of some throughmeanders boardwalk new Ato summer. this enjoy everyone for time in just Rotokare, at completed been now has infrastructure of piece new exciting An before. The addedbefore. bonus is boardwalk this that and platform andwheelchair . ispram friendly the boardwalk come enjoy out and new So says. to and thehave pleasure true.This dreamof come toit isa isSandra's theyounggift and the old". he programme" thecommunity, to something back give To myexpectations. exceeded project has boardwalk Bill."The says education the in their Rotokare visited still "Sandra lovedhow much bee. just working effort love and thevolunteers would give,inspirational".“they are supporting team wife and meet importantly to husband visits their timing often this Plymouth, New in home but their from weekends and unwell, became Sandra by goals, went time As their achieve Trust inour part helping play the involved. to wanted just we and place special a got such is Rotokare we why that's and community, people and for an passion and equal conservation for passion the see could "We Bill. says project" this and Trust this in believed " really ways in different many supporting with Rotokare, associated closely been had and Hodges Bill Sandra years many For We

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you will get unique views of the reserve ofseen willviews may the getunique you not have you - up with the volunteers after a after volunteers the with up

Kiwi Toutouwai / Robin Hihi / Stitchbird cnc eev Tut W crety ae 3 have currently males incubating eggs. We Rotokare Trust. and Reserve Trust Scenic Kiwi Taranaki between partnership joint a Project, Kiwi Kohanga the for two phase of start the mark will milestone This sites. other to Rotokare from out translocated birds monitored the of first newly the among be likely these will males from chicks the that think to exciting is It rates stage. juvenile survival to through about more learn to us enable will born hatch, first they when from birds, these chicks from the Monitoring Rotokare. at here order tobetter understand the reproductive rates in fitted, transmitters had have males more Six can we so touch in get organise atraining session before you get started. hihi, of feeding the with involved get to like would you If Rotokare. at here population the of success overall and breeding the assess to monitoring ongoing for essential is banded birds Having replaced. bands leg missing their have to caught successfully been have males Two upcoming the for breeding season. hopeful is which eggs, with nests 6 least at and nest buildingof signs have boxes 38 the of 17 and cleaned been have season. boxes Nest breeding the into leading expected as increasing, is andconsumption stations, feeding nectar 5 servicing regularly are We year. this April in translocation the following population, the of survey reserve full wea completed September In behaviours. interesting and calls unique and their with volunteers public staff, the charming been have These birds Sanctuary. eating Rotokare nectar to friendly, recruits newest the with love in all are We Biodiversity Update

ard p ih oe f the of some resident birds. with up paired seen been also have these bird new being of number A resighted. May in translocated birds now the of 60% with are complete surveys Toutouwai informationfor more website their Checkout survey. toutouwai with their Project Mounga Taranaki the support to excited volunteers also were and staff Rotokare appearing around Rotokare. fledglings toutouwai years this see to excited been we’ve weeks few last the In period. incubation 18 a have and onwards September/October breeding from begin usually Robin

http://taranakimounga.nz/

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A male hihi drinks from the nectar feeder nectar the from hihi drinks A male

top tobottom Read from toright,left E.g.: yellow, yellow / please uslet please know. read the the read bands on If you manage to manage If you one ofbirds our one   

Blue, Red in the in visitors book Call us Callus 06 764 8500 on Facebook Via email or message us

HALO update Dactylanthus great time saving option, especially in remote areas. thehave capacity to killup to 12 possums before servicing. A A12 are traps self possums dead along a line of 4 ofthese A12possum traps. cinnamonlure is todie for! On a recent trapcheck, there were 14 Check out anA12 possum trap action, in the possums think the rose” which were popular with collectors.plant “wood the structure, like rose the is picture bottom The ground. above way their make eventually do they when plants specials these for look to where successfully. We have marked theplots weso know grown before have seeds these if know years to difficult is it so 8 to ground the above pollination up for flower a producing take can Dactylanthus year this for planned is sow second a 2014, in retrieve Rotokare at to sown were attaching plant special this from Seeds plant nutrients. dactylanthus the of result a as roots trees host the on formed structure like rose the to due rose, wood and underworld’ the of ‘flower meaning reinga, te o pua as also Known Zealand. New to endemic plant, flowering parasitic ( Dactylanthus Forest & Bird, and Taranaki Kiwi Trust (~1,000 ha) ha) (~1,000 ha). (~1,000 2017 of byend goal expansion project Trust Kiwi Taranaki and Bird, & Forest Blue:

Rotokare Halo Project (2,904 ha) ha) (2,904 Project Halo Rotokare — s og s h se i available. is seed the as long as atlnhs taylorii Dactylanthus - resetting powered carbon by dioxide gas. They i a rare a is ) Purple: Purple: moko (tattooing).moko Traditionally Maori also burnt themand used the charcoal produced for Vegetable caterpillars are edible upsend along (fruiting) stalk theabove ground. becoming mummified. Once the foodsource exhausted is the fungus will The fungus then absorbs nutrients from it’s host’s tissue, the caterpillar dwelling caterpillars Zealand’s fauna. This actuallyis afungus that invades native underground caterpillar (genus thoughtOnce tobe an insect that turns into a plant the vegetable

South Taranaki Taranaki South Orange: Orange:

Halo Halo

Cordyceps — the spores arethought to be ingested with it’s food. 10,000 acres! or ha 4,050 hit Trusthas Kiwi Taranaki and Bird & Forest Taranaki South Council, Regional Taranaki In with effort covered. collaboration total ha our this 1,000 to addition extra an and traps 325 another is That ha. 2,904 of area an covers This Mid at As funding major last the round from the Ministry for the Environment. and three year of end the nearing are We gains.significantsome made hasproject theHalo ranger update, last the Since ) is oneof the bizarremost oddities in New 3 years on...... - -

uy e ae ,0 tas n h field. the in traps 1,000 have we July having a nutty flavour once cooked.

Ambassadors. Rotokare swap knowledge, and hopefully will regulara this the become trip for thank youthem to and the team. wasIt greatto see the groups two interact Zealandia Youth AmbassadorsZealandia’s guided these both toursandcredit are a to arrival. time our thefirstguides it was seen had ofboth them since together their wherewe the tour, happened tonew takahe see two their area, in wetland tuatara. including morningcreatures, next we The were to a treated dawn spot warm stillwas and angenerous hosts provided informative Night hugely Tour. The evening fortunateenough were to be Zealandia, able to stay onsite at and our it was From into the big reaching here city, Zealandia dinner,we in for time had goa atidentifying what we found, well as the wetland plants. varietytranslocated from Rotokare.a ofsaw life bird We hereand whilst we if any couldspotsee of thematata fern that/ birds been had sunny a beautiful On day ourthe was at firststop Pauatahanui Wetlands to Jamieson, an overnightfor Alan stay. Jen, educator with along education volunteerLarcom, Julie and bus driver in school theZealandia October holidays.11 Ambassadors bus, travelled by excitement With much our Ambassador’sYouth on embarked a field We finished theday offwithtoWe finished walk the seefeeding hihi stations a at the and brand wetland new boardwalk. — we manage kiwi,did to3 many nocturnal spot wellother as as

Ambassadors visit Zealandia — their knowledge isimpressive, professionalism so big and a some “birdseed cupcakes”some to take home to encourage intobirds ourmore gardens. made also we art, stencil bird and mosaics bird paper created Children hands. great in were Bird the attended who children 23 the Ambassadors our of some of help the With success. huge a and out booked completely was programme art holiday school Our — perfect conditions toseeing be outperfect conditions could we what KIDS GETTTING CREATIVE GETTTING KIDS

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focused programme focused

ac hny s rm es oaig n oa mnk, aai rwrw, n rt aog te beautiful other among rata and rewarewa, kamahi, manuka, local throughout natives the lowland forests ofRotokare. on foraging bees from 2017 is edition limited honey This jar. gram batch 380 per $20 at buy bargain a is this 200+ of value methylglyoxal a With some 900jars! gold liquid more some with Sanctuary Rotokare the of supporters the provide to again Trees & Bees with up teamed has Rotokare

— right in time for Christmas. The bees and our volunteers have been busy labelling busy been have volunteers our and bees The Christmas. for time in right www.nmit.ac.nz. information onavailable more coursesNMIT website For visittheir at with youth. and in people, thefutureand work wouldlove local a to as iwi, liaison between DOC local, Taranaki isa Jaden He Okato, hailing from enjoys working outside with being Rotokare. at internship technology with of institute (NMIT), partnership DOC, summer in ison his and Ranger’ enrolledincurrently through Nelson the‘Trainee Marlborough programme delighted toWe welcome are Jaden toLewis theteam theJaden summer. is over WELCOME TO THE TEAM THE TO WELCOME 2017

Only SPECIAL RESERVESPECIAL HONEY

All profitsAll from the sale of this gohoney to continuing the vision ofthe Rotokare Scenic ReserveTrust, supporting Taranaki’s community $ 20.00 per jar per 20.00 - led wildlife sanctuary.

Volunteer Profile with us. with touch in get please then bees) working a our for donating meal cooked even and or cleaning, education relations, public planting, with etc.), helping surveys bird hihi, (feeding monitoring biodiversity or etc.), work trap tunnels, (tracking monitoring biosecurity maintenance, track and construction in interested are you If everyone. for something definitely is There our offer. on about tasks of to part variety the is year best programme volunteer The a daily. times even of and couple weekly a monthly, here are who Rotokare. people at here From volunteers of crew fantastic a have We and kiwi work. Someof her favourite jobs are line clearing (or“bush whacking”!) She thoroughly enjoys the team and community ofRotokare. outdoor first aid course Andreaas a ‘patient’ during the Andrea Shepherd

or phone phone or Simon on 06 764 8500 [email protected] details, more at; contact some then us sort isyour or of wouldlikething, this you maintenance around the Reserve odd number of someoneseeking towithWe are a help you a Are handywoman?handyman or

have madehave such great friends. though was injust 12 months to and birds. What she didn’t expect lovesshe out.help Weoffered everything the‘Arts in Park’she was keen to ourseen display atthe Hawera good tramping options. Having outdoorit’s activities Taranakilifestyle appealed with all move south a year ago.The north, Andrea made thedecision to Originally from Wellsford thein - jobs building and — especially the forest

— including

— so if so

involved. on. Volunteersare here 6 days aweek getso There arealways arange oftasks and lots going   Other  Biodiversity  beenhave replaced. recalibrated and the DOC 200’s inside and outside signs ofmice since May. Traps have been Biosecurity

Volunteer for working bees. Callfor volunteers to donate cooked lunches constructed theby end of the year. moreOne planned piece ofboardwalk to be November. Mātātā/fernbird & pūweto/crake survey

Tracking tunnel run

Focus Get Get Involved......

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there have been nocatches or

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December/January.

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Late

 Quad bike helmet for Halo Project Clean hihi boxes  Fine tweezers and sharp fine pointed deployed ready for scissors for Education Programme (X 6 sets) the breeding season  White candles or wax (for Education Programme)

 Day Backpack for hihi feeding

 Bamboo stakes for flagging grassland traps

 Wide electric fence tape and reel Mr Bill Hodge with  Sponsors/cooks for working bee lunches his lifetime membership  Chest freezer certificate WISH LIST WISH  Garden hose reel

 Petrol generator Taranaki  Donation towards updating our computer Regional Council software & Rotokare staff & volunteers  Interactive Smartboard for education and brush up on first

presentations aid

Proud to recognise major sponsors & supporters:

Koala Trust

Rotokare Bush Telegraph , Spring 2017 www.rotokare.org.nz 06 764 8500