Another year has gone by with the volunteers of the trust advocating for the environmental well-being of Aotea:
1. Predator Free NZ (PFNZ 2050) Expression of Interest October 2017: GBIET Chair co-lead the development of this EOI working with a collaborative group of mana whenua, local board, Auckland Council, local sanctuaries and landowners, DOC and specialist advisors. The proposal laid out a 10-year roadmap to a pest free island. The bid was not successful due to the size of the project given the funding available, but PFNZ 2050 congratulated the group on the quality of the submission, coordinated by GBIET Chair Kate Waterhouse.
2. Rakitu eradication: Ongoing advocacy for the planning of this late-running project, which is a milestone in the Conservation Management Strategy for Aotea Great Barrier. June Brookes requested and reviewed OIA documents relating to the Rakitu Rat Eradication/weka issue and obtained draft DOC Rakitu Inspection Report – DOC/Gaskin/Taylor.
3. Pāteke protection: Advocated for increased cat trapping. Pukeko culls and investigation of other causes of long term decline in pāteke numbers on Aotea Great Barrier.
4. Rainbow (Plague) Skinks: Obtained expert advice on plague skinks, shared with the local board.
5. Okiwi Kākāriki Research: Established nest sites and potential nest sites for Okiwi’s remnant kākāriki population and worked with the local school and community pest management project to protect these sites.
6. Hirakimata and black petrel pest management: Increase in DOC investment of cat traps and cat trap monitoring on Hirakimata around the black petrel colony; second phase of trial of A24 traps for control of rats on Hirakimata.
7. Rangitawhiri reserve: Science advisor Dr. John Ogden submitted a proposal for an expanded pest management area in the south of the island around Tryphena. This proposal was subsequently included in the PFNZ 2050 bid as the Rangitawhiri project a key project step to increase the participation of the community in pest management.
8. Awana weir removal and improved fish passage in Awana stream with revegetation of affected stream banks.
9. Inspection of Glenfern water supply dam, Okiwi culverts and Port FitzRoy ford with Council staff and Taryn Wilks re fish barriers.
10. Mulberry Grove community pest management project: Trustee Matt Way successfully obtained a local board grant and set this project up to be run by the Mulberry Grove school and community volunteers using Econodes (monitored traps which report catches to a cell phone).
11. Community trap library: Using a PFNZ grant successfully applied for in October 2017, the trust ordered rat traps and boxes and provided these to community members and landowners on request from the end of 2017.
12. Database of Aotea landholdings in map form: Created this database for purposes of tracking the percentage of land under pest management – this includes 70 properties to date and is ongoing (aims to provide government and funders with confidence that landowners on Aotea are supportive of pest management and a pest-free island).
13. Increased awareness, understanding and knowledge of the unique biodiversity and ecosystems of Aotea among both central government decision makers and locals (school children, the community, non-residents, visitors and stakeholders). There is no other organisation consistently providing this type of information.
14. Increased understanding of the importance of managing pests and supporting conservation efforts in the community (whether they are the Local Board's, DOC's or residents' activities) and how to go about it, amongst landowners and the community.
15. Increased understanding of what opportunities a pest-free Aotea might bring and why it is important (what our island would be like to live on and the likely path to extinction of many of our birds and reptiles if rat numbers are not reduced).
16. Provided a vehicle for advocacy for conservation of Aotea Great Barrier's places and taonga with funders, Auckland Council regionally, DOC and other central government agencies).
