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Puketi forest enviroMate100 possum control

  • All good things come to an end!

      13 June 2020
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    Eco-land Ltd had deployed around 200 enviroMate100 to create boundary ring to prevent reinvasion around two separate areas of around 350ha, the remainder of units beginning to work out the centre area on one side. Units were being placed at one unit per ha. At this density providing the total working area had been deployed it would have been expected to dramatically reduce possums possibly to 0% after 14 days. Ideally rats could also been controlled as part of the operation though no permission to use rat bait had been permitted.

    Our objective was to successful complete our work with a good monitor result enabling DOC validation. We were recently informed by DOC that completion of our self initiated working area and DOC monitor of our work would not be used internally within the Department.

    Eco-land have ceased providing further free work in Puketi Forest, as our objective has been denied by an unsupportive Department of Conservation. We have nearly removed all enviroMate 100 after each line completed its possum control cycle.

    We thank those that have supported us in this journey. We have gained valuable information derived through time in motion studies across the last 12 months. We understand that a shared approach to pest control in a forest such as Puketi is required. Possums recovered for fur cover the removal cost of equipment, installation needs funding. Rats could be controlled at the same time with this last efforts use of a thin layer of fera feed over flour and cyanide confirms this management system if using rata bait will work. Rats carefully removing the fera feed but leaving flour untouched. The fera feed protecting the flour from humidity and keeping it fresh and ready for possums.

    Thanks again to those that have been supportive!

    Kind Regards

    Shane

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  • COVID release and back to duty

      17 May 2020

    We started back in the forest on Saturday. All was waiting the reloading with lure to be delivery every second day and toxin to be delivered in 14 days time.

    We have lost most of our works gains as possums have re invaded during or absence. The first 14 to 21 days was covered by the automation, but possums move nightly and we were not permitted to defend our work by DOC until level 2.

    O.I.A shows ZIP's were permitted to DOC lands for essential services in level 3. ZIP's are a private company the same as us so naturally its disappointing its not case of "one rule for all".

    Its so nice to be back amongst those fantails and tomtits they are every where! There is so many interesting fungi of all colours out at the moment.

    enjoy and thanks!

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  • what to do in "lock down".......... catch up on those important things

      28 March 2020
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    Regardless humidity caked the top of the flour the pests still chewed it all up as they had been trained already. Low density area with 9 possums 4 rats caught previously from 34 traps on 17 trap sites at 200m centres along the line, after 7 days onsite pre feeding with enviroMate100. When poison was included next another 11 possums were dispatched at the end of a 7 day pre feed delivery. After this we changed to 21 day delivery pre feed with toxin at the end of the cycle. Now enviroMate100 are loaded with flour base cyanara in each dish with fera feed (leaf) top to preserve flour and cyanara. This will deliver a new food dish every 3rd day having 1 poison per dish. Our boundary control is now in place. Eco-land will now target the 700ha core area first for fur recovery, 7 or 14 days pre feed with cyanara on last delivery enabling the collection of fur and reloading of enviroMate100, then complete knock down to reach DoC desired conservation targets. This using fera feed and feratox with new dish delivered every 3rd day. It is a shame rat bait can not be used instead of fera feed.......due DoC declining rat bait use. But first all is on hold due "Lock Down" at least the boundary is working at present!

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  • pictures from the forest

      19 March 2020
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    Fantails, tomtits and grey warblers greet me each day!!!

    New birds every 200 m......... pigeons, tui, kingfishers

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  • Line 2 "boundary"

      19 March 2020
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    This week Line two now 49 enviroMate100 taking 7 hrs to service and reload for 21 day cycle delivering toxin and pre feed every 3 day. Possum numbers were notably lower as no new possums had been discovered freshly killed. Over the last few line visits more rats have been discovered dead from cyanide. 3/4 of the line was shifted to mid point, moved 100m, to distract rats from possum baits. We are not permitted to poison with rat bait.

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  • line 3 notes

      13 March 2020

    Line 3 opened for the second time with only 1 possum present. Fera feed was loaded with 1 single feratox and the line was extended by another 5 units. Yesterday was the new opening or third visit to service. 10 possums were found with two being predated on along the first 20 units. The additional 5 unit extension from the week before had a total of 5 additional possums, these had been loaded with flour pre feed and cyanara paste..

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  • line 4

      13 March 2020

    Hi I visited line 4 an internal line created to understand if the concept was working and possum are in fact being reduced in numbers within the internal protected area.

    15 new placements of enviroMate100 were made and a total 24 units were checked after delivering pre feed for 6 days and cyanide on the last day. Only 1 possum was found dead. The line was extended by another 8 units plus 1 feratox was installed to makes sure the cyanide paste was working.

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  • Line two service.

      25 February 2020

    Hello

    Lots has happened. Last week Line 3 opened for the first time. This being the boundary on the eastern side of the block. A further 20 enviroMate 100 at 100m down the line. These ran pre feed for the first 6 days then delivered toxin (cyanara paste) for collection of possum fur on the 7th day. A total of 27 possums skins were recovered along with 6 possums for plucking. Several units were one day out of time due operator error on install. They had not delivered the toxin so we expect higher numbers on these sites next Thursday when I visit and extend the line.

    Last Tuesday line two was revisited in part, an area that has the original traps still in place. We reloaded the enviroMate to delivery with cyanara in 7 days and also opened the leghold traps, 2 traps on each site with a total of 34 traps and 17 enviroMate 100. On checking the next day and closing the traps we had caught 3 rats, 9 possums of which were recovered for fur.

    Today we revisited the full line and reload with a cycle of 21 days pre feed with cyanara to be delivered on the last dish. I will plan to visit on day 19 or 20 to collect any further possums.

    Previously I had loaded the enviroMate100 on this entire line with toxin to be delivered each day. This has been left for some time with no visits. Today we suggest an average of 2-3 carpet possums around each site. Nearly all units were perfectly cleaned with many having mice droppings in them. This method whilst successful displaying boundary control capacity has meant 90-135 (45 units) possums were killed over time in a random sporadic fashion but were not collected for fur....!

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  • another 3 months rolls by!

      13 February 2020
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    We have just rolled the page over again. Thanks to all those that have been supportive of this project.

    We have learnt so far enviroMate100 costs $10 per visit per unit to deploy and service. That decline of pests will occur to the point fur recovery becomes un economic even as a single line. That 3 months rest is all that is required to enable reinvasion to the point further work is self sustaining for one or two visits. Working enviroMate 100 at 200m centres (4ha) would cost an average of $43 per ha per annum delivering new lure pre feed and toxin of choice continuously every third day.......! If rat bait was enabled it is our understanding DOC conservation targets would be meet continuously across the year. Stoats and Cats could be target with trap set every 21 days when visiting the enviroMate100 line for little additional cost. We continue to develop time control traps to assist enviroMate100 where poison is not enabled. I view pest control operation costs in three separate areas, these being labour, equipment and materials (toxin and pre feed).

    DoC suggest partnerships but decline to delivery their 1/3 share of which is promoted, wouldn't it be nice if they supplied toxins and lures free of charge......after all they currently receive free pest control.....

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  • cyanara paste and enviroMate 100 line 1

      25 January 2020

    I have started line 1 again over the last couple of weeks. Line 1 has a total of 26 enviroMate 100 using initially two baits of cyanide poison delivered after 6 days of pre feeding. 35 possums were recovered for fur recovery and another were dead onsite so a total of 43. Operator error and not locking the programme "on" was the reason for early possum death.

    The recent visit to line 1 on Thursday to open 2 leg hold traps per site and the Fridays return trip to collect possums trapped and poisoned. A total of 46 possum and two rats. Pigs had eaten two cyanide poisoned possums. Cats were present and predating possums left from previous visit.

    EnviroMate100 have been loaded and programed to spin every 7 days delivering toxin to any remaining or new possum visitors to site

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  • New Year first visit

      9 January 2020

    21 possums from 45 units........ most being lower down in valley near river. Attachment brackets have been place at the mid point between units, next time we will step the units to new position to temporarily mitigate rats and mice. Walk time 8 hours

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    • 09/01/2020 by Janet

      Are you still not allowed to target rats and mice in this forest?

  • Christmas done and dusted back to business

      9 January 2020

    On 24th Dec 14 possums were observed from the 45 units. Rats and mice are visiting every bait station. Reloading with cyanara paste again as feratox would be an expensive option due rodents predation of baits. There could be up to 8 rats/ mice visiting each unit at present but we have no permission to deliver rat baits. 7.5hours walk time

    We have put two new short video up on you tube!

    https://youtu.be/TVG63F6p5zc

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YErz_wbpjM

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  • 11 th Dec trip update

      23 December 2019
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    Sorry for the delay, 12 days goes really fast at this time of year. Last visit 2 feartox pellets had been delivered on the 12th night. We needed to contain the poison containing dish on service completion as rats that are already present onsite would have eaten the lure and destroyed the feratox prior its standard turning time at 9pm. If only the rats/ mice could be targeted. There were 19 possums noted dead and 17 skins made it home. 6.5 hours to complete the service of 45 enviroMate100 units and skin possums. Units are approximately 200m apart

    Puketi Forest trust traps had caught two stoats in close proximity, good on them!

    Pigs had found several possums, though I had no dogs with me on the day.

    Birds observed were tomtits approximately every site, fantails common, kingfisher amongst kauri , grey warbler common, wax eye tree tops, pigeon common, more pork, disturbed , kiwi prodding’s seen in walk track soft spots, shinning cuckoo were heard, tui were also heard roosting prior leaving the forest, bees were busy on white tree rata and kanuka. Many kauri snails crushed by pigs observed.

    We are again in the forest tomorrow. Wishing all a Happy Christmas

    Kind regards

    Shane

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  • forgotten no longer used!

      30 November 2019
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    Found this, the tree had grown and pushed the plastic over the screws....... luckily it was out of gas!

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  • line check

      30 November 2019
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    Hi

    Just to mention 45 enviroMate100 were checked yesterday. This is the third opening with toxin. There was 38 possum awaiting. It was raining heavily for the last hour of my walk. Pigs had eaten several possums.

    Rat visitation is high and nearly all units were perfectly cleaned. I await the next visit to see if the rats have declined over time after cyanara paste as rats take the baits away carefully or get small amounts between their toes.

    The trusts doc 200 traps were nearly all fill with rats. It is disappoint DOC have not come to help and gained the needed poison consent permission so I can use rat bait........

    What does happen to tax payer paid technology forgotten, frozen by rust kill trap line ? Photo....

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    • 30/11/2019 by Janet

      You must be tired Shane ... How long did you say it takes you to do this round 6.5 hrs ? What kind of trap was it that you found abandoned?

    • 30/11/2019 by eco-land Ltd

      6.5 hours walking its a warrior kill trap, they have not been service for years but were never closed

  • another trip

      17 November 2019
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    The walk took 6.5hrs, 45 enviroMate100 were serviced. 16 possums skinned and 13 were carried out whole for plucking at home. A total of 29 possums. The skinned possums had fur removed using a chemical agent, this taking additional time. Cyanara has been placed inside for delivery at the end of cycle. This will help reduce rat disturbance, normally we would include rat bait at this time but it is not currently permitted by DOC.

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  • Line two Puketi

      8 November 2019

    Just a quick update, the first opening with two poison baits per enviroMate100, they successfully dispatched 28 possums. It was notably quiet over larger distances especially along the old Onekura track. Possums were present amongst the Puketi Forest Trust trapinator line but over all numbers were low. Two sites of cat predation were observed and A2 cat traps will be positioned next visit.

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  • feratox cyanide is loaded

      24 October 2019
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    delivery of cyanide for possum control will occur in 14 days a total of 45 units on this line. A pig was caught during the loading of these enviroMate100. The picture shows part of the line only these were put in on 30th September 2019

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    • 31/10/2019 by Janet

      How long is your line . The part we are looking at on this map and in total? What is the terrain like and the forest density to walk through.?

    • 31/10/2019 by eco-land Ltd

      Hi

      It has 45 enviroMate at 200m centres on the completed loop. So around 9km on a GPS reading generally walking is further due landscape humps and hollows and twists and bends. This line follows an existing but closed walk track system. All the area within has received timely possum control by foot in previous work over the years within DOC contracts. It is in places steep and difficult but walkable given time.

  • signs are in!

      22 October 2019

    Yesterday signage was placed within the forest our work is now able to use feratox which is a capsulated form of cyanide. Next 14 day rotation and those that follow will deliver two feratox at the end targeting possums present.

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  • 20 enviroMate100 sited today

      30 September 2019

    enviroMate100 were set pre feeding for 14 days deep in the forest. A total of 63 units with a coverage of 252 ha for possums. 1 pig was caught also and 17 existing enviroMate100 serviced.

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  • Capture from 26 enviroMate 100 line 1

      13 September 2019
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    Using leg hold traps on platforms until cyanide consent is finalised and signed off. Capture today on the 140th day of this small trial line caught 13 possums and 6 rats. Whilst its the lowest yet it still reflects a 50% capture rate for possums per enviroMate100 site.

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