ERMANZ Report: Verified Source: Pestlink Operational Report for Possum Control in the Mokihinui 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 South Island 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 Seddonville. 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 Buller District 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