Pest project to expand

The Friends of Flora is expanding its project area in Kahurangi National Park.

The voluntary pest group has trapped pests in and around the Flora catchment for the past 15 years and managed a network of traps covering around 8000 hectares alongside the Department of Conservation.

The group has been instrumental in protecting and monitoring whio (blue duck) and reintroducing kiwi into the catchment.

Chairman Peter Adams said plans were afoot to expand its trapping programme into the neighbouring Grecian catchment, to the north of the Flora, in order to protect whio and kiwi.

The move was decided at a meeting in December where volunteers were asked what new activities, if any, they had the ability and enthusiasm to pursue.

‘‘There is a population of whio in the Grecian but there is no trapping, and no real pest control,’’ Adams said.

Kiwi released by FoF were moving in the direction of the catchment and there was a lot of kiwi activity in the area.

Extending into the Grecian catchment would add a further 1000ha to FoF’s project area, he said.

The problem was access into the catchment, which had no real tracks.

Volunteers had to drop into the valley over Lodestone peak and bush-bash their way to come out on the track to the Upper Takaka.

FoF would also support DOC in an initial alpine research survey of flora, fauna and pests along the Mt Arthur ridgeline and identify where it could help out, Adams said.

The group would work out this month what is was capable of doing, he said.

Meanwhile, FoF also needs to raise thousands of dollars to replace the older traps along its 112km of trapping lines.

Adams said it would cost around $70 per trap to purchase and fly-in new boxed double traps.

FoF currently had 22 trapping lines with 1125 trap stations placed every 100 metres.