Getting into the swing of predator control
A few of our Environment Services team swapped the farm for the fairway recently to talk to Taranaki golf course superintendents about predator trapping and pest plants.
Also at the meeting was Golf NZ workplace development manager Stephen Gee. Golf NZ partners with the Department of Conservation to support the Predator Free 2050 goal so Gee was keen to see firsthand all the good stuff happening in Taranaki.
The presentation sparked a great discussion about the Towards PredatorFree Taranaki project, the results it is achieving and how the council can support golf clubs and other community groups to start or expand their trapping efforts.
Westown Golf Club course superintendent Steve Hodson talked about his club’s ‘‘immensely satisfying’’ trapping experience.
Hodson and a team of volunteer club members have been trapping for three years, removing 305 rats and 14 stoats at last count. They started with 10 traps and now have about 22 around the fringes of the picturesque course just outside New Plymouth city.
He encouraged other clubs to get involved, saying if they all did their little bit they could collectively make Taranaki ‘‘a hell of a lot better’’ for future generations. So if you are a golf club member, why not offer to help check traps around the course after your weekly round? Finally, the team talked pest plants, with attendees taking away copies of the Weedbusters Taranaki guide and Regional Pest Management Plan summary.
The team also discussed practical measures that could be taken, such as ensuring any machinery coming onto their course had been cleaned to prevent the transfer of seeds or plant fragments.
Our team enjoys working alongside all sectors of the community to educate and build awareness around biosecurity. Thanks for having us Taranaki superintendents and keep up the good work.
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