One Hell of a Summer.....!
On the 13th February Cyclone Gabrielle struck much of the North Island. Some of the heaviest rain landed directly over the Ruahines......on land already sodden from high spring /summer rainfall
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But along with the bad there is plenty of good. Many thanks to those who have provided updates for this newsletter.
Manaaki Ruahine News Anthony Behrens
THAT MAKES 1000 KILLS
One of the ideas we're really keen on in Manaaki Ruahine is this one: We go to a lot of effort to get into the hills, so while we're there we should be killing as many critters as we can. Maximising our productivity is a good use of our valuable time. It's cheaper because we're killing more animals with less petrol. Less petrol means we use less cyclone-causing carbon. More dead predators is better for the forest and its biodiversity. This is why we have two mechanisms in our box traps. It's why we were keen on getting GoodNature traps into the hills. It's why we've invested big in Autotrap AT220s.
And it works!
We're loading our box traps with heaps of cheap but yummy bait. We want to entice animals toward their death and are taking every opportunity to think outside the box when we're thinking about what goes inside our boxes...lol.
We haven't been too pleased with our GoodNature traps - not because they don't kill anything - but because we have too many possums attacking them and making their kill counters unreliable. We have been stoked with our ten NZ AutoTraps AT220s. They haven't been as awesome as we'd hoped - we
can't set and forget them in the Ruahine for six months. But...we're figuring out what will work with them and reckon a check once every six weeks is about right for our area.
And it works!
We're loading our box traps with heaps of cheap but yummy bait. We want to entice animals toward their death and are taking every opportunity to think outside the box when we're thinking about what goes inside our boxes...lol.
We haven't been too pleased with our GoodNature traps - not because they don't kill anything - but because we have too many possums attacking them and making their kill counters unreliable. We have been stoked with our ten NZ AutoTraps AT220s. They haven't been as awesome as we'd hoped - we
can't set and forget them in the Ruahine for six months. But...we're figuring out what will work with them and reckon a check once every six weeks is about right for our area.
Just after Cyclone Gabrielle tore through the countryside near Norsewood Karen, Penelope and Anthony took Ruby from Horizons into a little piece of relatively untouched Ruahine where we've installed four AT220s. The traps have been funded through last year's Kanarau Koiora Taketake - Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant. As we made our way up the stream that is the beginning of the Manawatū River our project's entire kill total was hovering around the 900 mark. Karen had a feeling we were about to make her spreadsheets and the Manaaki Ruahine App sing. As we left the forest about an hour later she wasn't disappointed.
Tally
43 possums
55 USA (unidentified small animals)
Manaaki Ruahine's grand total after just
over 2 years:-
1004 pedators
398 USA
267 possums
143 rats
93 mice
53 hedgehogs, 36stoats, 10 weasels, 2 cats, 1 ferret, 1 hand (not really a kill but we're
tracking animal 'hands" in the app so we'll take it).
Thanks Kaz and Eagle Technology, your work on our app has been a real bonus!
43 possums
55 USA (unidentified small animals)
Manaaki Ruahine's grand total after just
over 2 years:-
1004 pedators
398 USA
267 possums
143 rats
93 mice
53 hedgehogs, 36stoats, 10 weasels, 2 cats, 1 ferret, 1 hand (not really a kill but we're
tracking animal 'hands" in the app so we'll take it).
Thanks Kaz and Eagle Technology, your work on our app has been a real bonus!
DOC
Te Potae trap replacement, whio surveys and No Man’s road - Pete Bird.
Te Potae trap replacement
In January 64 old single set DOC 200 traps between Ruahine Corner Hut and Colenso Hut were replaced by local DOC staff with double set DOC 200’s. All old singles set traps were flown out to be refurbished and put into use in other projects. A number of whio were seen on the Mangatera River and Remutupo Stream, including juveniles from this breeding season.
From the Editor - we (trap checkers) don't always like double traps - awkward, heavy, sympathetic set off etc - but when they work as intended they are great! (photo by Janet)
No Man’s Road
While undertaking contorta control in the Ruahine Hut/no mans area the week after cyclone Gabrielle, DOC
inspected no man’s road from Lessong Monument to the Big Hill gate. The majority of the road was unscathed, but there was significant damage to some areas on the downhill section towards the big hill gate.
Annual Whio Survey
The annual whio survey on the Mangatera/Waiokotore/Remutupo which was scheduled to be undertaken in mid-February has been postponed until early May due to cyclone Gabrielle. The Apias and the Ikawetea will also be surveyed this year and will be funded by the Mauri Oho jobs for nature project. Two
DOC dog handlers and dogs will come up from the South Island to complete the surveys.
.Ed - note this is still hopefully happening sometime in the next 2 weeks......
North eastern Ruahine traplines - Lisa and Geoff Whittle
Lisa and Geoff took advantage of a weather window the weekend prior to cyclone Gabrielle. We travelled from No Mans road end into Mistake Biv via Aranga Hut and back out via the new A24 line to Otawai (the flattish high point on the Main Range about 3k South of No Mans). On the Sunday we, drove back down Nomans road in the pouring rain feeling great to have been in there to service the A24 traplines. Little did we realise that we were travelling on
a doomed road. No Mans road has been severely damaged by Gabrielle and it will likely be some time before it will be repaired.
Post Gabrielle, sadly we’ve not gotten into Nomans and the Apias. Every time we’ve tried either the weather or other commitments have made it impossible. Due to inclement weather a planned Whio surveys for 14-18 March was cancelled. The backup for 1-7 May was cancelled for the same reason. It is now scheduled for either 22 or 29 May. Let’s hope that Tāwhirimātea finally relents.
Nineteen North Island brown kiwi from Cape Sanctuary have recently been translocated into the Northern Ruahine Range at two sites, one near Blue Slip on the Ikawetea Stream and near Kokopunui (Lake Colenso). Five of the
kiwi have transmitters. The legendary Scratch (aka Paul Jansen) led Geoff and Lisa into Kokopunui from the Mangaohane farm boundary on a trip to find the locations of the kiwi with transmitters. We successfully beeped and physically located Tupei who seemed healthy and vigorous. Tupei was released near Colenso Hut by Taranaki Neke Apatu, one of Mauri Oho’s own. After this trip Tamsin from Save the Kiwi took a fixed-wing flight to seek out the other four kiwi. She managed to beep three of the five kiwi.
The Mangaterā river has a lot of new gravel and it seems that a lot of the traps on the river near Colenso Hut(is this the South Branch of the Mangaterā?) have been washed away or buried in gravel. We heard whio at Colenso Hut and found a pair in apparently good health on the Mangaterā when heading towards Pōtae.
Post Cyclone Gabrielle, Mauri Oho initially were unable to get into the hills due to saturated ground, slips, tree falls, bridges and streams compromised along the Mangleton road. It is only in the past week that the Mauri Oho team has been able to venture into streams flowing from the Ruahine Range. Gull, Mathews, Dead Dog, and Kaumatua streams have all been investigated. So far approximately 300 traps have been washed away, buried or lost!
The Lower Makaroro river is badly flood affected. Ten traps have gone from the line managed by Pete Meredith. There is a lot of new gravel. You can now drive a vehicle up to Barlows hut. Last week, Pete walked upstream to find a whio pair tucked away in the toetoe.
Geoff and Lisa are looking for that weather window to get in and do a trapline check down the A pias to Rockslide. It’s going to be an interesting trip! We are expecting a lot of new slips and who knows how much gravel. We are interested to see where the flood line is at Rockslide?
Lisa and Geoff took advantage of a weather window the weekend prior to cyclone Gabrielle. We travelled from No Mans road end into Mistake Biv via Aranga Hut and back out via the new A24 line to Otawai (the flattish high point on the Main Range about 3k South of No Mans). On the Sunday we, drove back down Nomans road in the pouring rain feeling great to have been in there to service the A24 traplines. Little did we realise that we were travelling on
a doomed road. No Mans road has been severely damaged by Gabrielle and it will likely be some time before it will be repaired.
Post Gabrielle, sadly we’ve not gotten into Nomans and the Apias. Every time we’ve tried either the weather or other commitments have made it impossible. Due to inclement weather a planned Whio surveys for 14-18 March was cancelled. The backup for 1-7 May was cancelled for the same reason. It is now scheduled for either 22 or 29 May. Let’s hope that Tāwhirimātea finally relents.
Nineteen North Island brown kiwi from Cape Sanctuary have recently been translocated into the Northern Ruahine Range at two sites, one near Blue Slip on the Ikawetea Stream and near Kokopunui (Lake Colenso). Five of the
kiwi have transmitters. The legendary Scratch (aka Paul Jansen) led Geoff and Lisa into Kokopunui from the Mangaohane farm boundary on a trip to find the locations of the kiwi with transmitters. We successfully beeped and physically located Tupei who seemed healthy and vigorous. Tupei was released near Colenso Hut by Taranaki Neke Apatu, one of Mauri Oho’s own. After this trip Tamsin from Save the Kiwi took a fixed-wing flight to seek out the other four kiwi. She managed to beep three of the five kiwi.
The Mangaterā river has a lot of new gravel and it seems that a lot of the traps on the river near Colenso Hut(is this the South Branch of the Mangaterā?) have been washed away or buried in gravel. We heard whio at Colenso Hut and found a pair in apparently good health on the Mangaterā when heading towards Pōtae.
Post Cyclone Gabrielle, Mauri Oho initially were unable to get into the hills due to saturated ground, slips, tree falls, bridges and streams compromised along the Mangleton road. It is only in the past week that the Mauri Oho team has been able to venture into streams flowing from the Ruahine Range. Gull, Mathews, Dead Dog, and Kaumatua streams have all been investigated. So far approximately 300 traps have been washed away, buried or lost!
The Lower Makaroro river is badly flood affected. Ten traps have gone from the line managed by Pete Meredith. There is a lot of new gravel. You can now drive a vehicle up to Barlows hut. Last week, Pete walked upstream to find a whio pair tucked away in the toetoe.
Geoff and Lisa are looking for that weather window to get in and do a trapline check down the A pias to Rockslide. It’s going to be an interesting trip! We are expecting a lot of new slips and who knows how much gravel. We are interested to see where the flood line is at Rockslide?
One final matter is the Ruahine Whio Protectors hui scheduled for August 2023. Mauri Oho are keen to host the hui at Mākirikiri marae, Dannevirke on 26 & 27 August 23. Options will be to stay on the marae or find accommodation nearby. Janet will convene the agenda and proceedings at the hui.
Vast gravel movement, this in the Maropea but similar to the Mangatera - traps buried or washed away (photo by Janet)
Te Potae O Awarua - Janet Wilson
After a very slow start to the season, with multiple cancellations and rescheduled trips we finally got a check done by very lovely willing volunteers between Xmas and New Year. A total of 4 checks completed - Dec, Jan, March and May. DOC also replaced some traps with double DOC 200's in late January. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped out. Sadly quite a few traps along rivers have been lost this season.........
Thanks to DOC, in particular Ruby Bennett for arranging the gear and roster for the season - it's a good cooperative arrangement between DOC, volunteers and the Ruahine Whio Protection Trust. An extended trip in January meant the
volunteer team could replace all the mechanisms in the aging line between Iron Bark and Colenso Hut. This report is mostly photos of the area. Luke Easton wrote the following report after his first trip in January -
Saturday afternoon in late January, being dotted around the ranges by helicopter, ready to spend the long weekend doing whio counts, trap maintenance, installation and general checks. On the first day, I was paired up with Chris Tuffley, a very fit fella who I nearly had to run with to keep up with him. We raced along Te Potae track and dropped down towards Ikawetea Stream. We then leap-frogged the trapline downstream, all the while boulder hopping, skirting log dams, waterfalls, and in one spot getting stung pretty good by native nettle. We managed to spot about 7 whio and arrived at Ikawetea Forks Hut at 2107, where we teamed up with Yvette Cottam. She had the catch of the day, with 3 weasel kits all caught in the same single set DOC 200 trap! By 0600 the following morning, Chris was already up and rearing to go to finish off the few traps upstream we had missed the previous night, so we did those and then after installing a SA2 Kat trap, we were off up the ridge to check the traps all the way to Ruahine Corner Hut. We arrived there at 1700. Monday was Wellington Anniversary, so what better way to spend a day off other than trapping and re-marking access routes to trap lines? So off we went by 0730, back down to Ikawetea Stream, back out, then checked traps along to the first section of the Main Range. A south-easterly hit, so we got clagged in on the ridge top, so we didn’t muck around getting back down below the tree-line. We got back to Ruahine Corner Hut at 2000 and installed another SA2 Kat trap as well. The following morning we got flown out at 0900, where we all re-grouped and had a photo taken of all of us and chewed the fat. A great trip was had, and many more to come! I’m gutted to be missing the February trip but will be participating on other trips. It is so impressive to see the sheer scale of the trapping network this amazing volunteer group maintain, and the incredible dedication, determination and countless hours spent by the Trustees, especially Janet, to seek funding for and coordinate all these trips. The Ruahine Whio Protectors do an amazing job despite the tough terrain, with a healthy whio population reflecting their outstanding efforts.
Over the summer the Ikawatea and Black Hill lines have received some maintenace from contractor Dave Eaton's team so volunteers on those lines should find them easier to follow now - thanks Dave for all the work. "The Ikawatea Ridge line is a work of art - Ed."
Some photos from Chris Tuffley
Ikawatea Ridge
Oroua/Pohangina Blue Duck Protection Project and the Pohangina River - Janet Wilson
Well -it was business as usual on the Oroua lines until the cyclone hit - we distribute 180 eggs per month on the lines as far as Iron Gate Hut. More remote traps are checked less frequently. Catch numbers had been low but
have been increasing over the last few months with quite a sharp increase in rat numbers recently. Cyclone Gabrielle has badly damaged the track to Iron Gate Hut and it is officially closed. Thanks of course to the regularvolunteers who turn out to help. The Massey Uni Bird Rescue Club are once again volunteering on a semi regular basis this year - great that so many students get exposed to real life tramping and trapping. We held and introductory trip earlier in the year - some photos from that day out -
Well -it was business as usual on the Oroua lines until the cyclone hit - we distribute 180 eggs per month on the lines as far as Iron Gate Hut. More remote traps are checked less frequently. Catch numbers had been low but
have been increasing over the last few months with quite a sharp increase in rat numbers recently. Cyclone Gabrielle has badly damaged the track to Iron Gate Hut and it is officially closed. Thanks of course to the regularvolunteers who turn out to help. The Massey Uni Bird Rescue Club are once again volunteering on a semi regular basis this year - great that so many students get exposed to real life tramping and trapping. We held and introductory trip earlier in the year - some photos from that day out -
The Oroua River bed has been altered considerably by the flooding but in the parts that have been travelled it is generally easier with a lot of gravel in the deep pools. The number of traps lost is not large - mostly older boxes. The A24 traps screwed to trees have held up remarkably well with relatively few losses - a reflection on good traps in good locations.
The Pohangina River is badly damaged below Ngamoko Hut with some truly massive slips/land movement further upstream too. On 2 recent weekend trips we serviced approx 90 traps up and downstream of Leon Kinvig, camping at the old hut site for 2 nights. Thanks to Malcolm Thomas, Chris Tuffley and Ernie Cook for their help and support in this river. We hope to get the rest of the traps checked asap. We were unable to do a early summer check on these traps due to continual high river flows - the A24 traps are holding up quite well despite having water through them and in some cases being buried in silt. Not all survived but we were surprised at how many we could find.
It is quite a tough line - we have funding for very occasional flights and took advantage of one recently to get more trapping supplies to all the huts. On the 2nd weekend in May we walked in and out via the Apiti track - a long but safe route.
Some photos from the Pohangina -
More Good News
It has been a particularly challenging season but early on there were good clutches of ducklings seen in pleasing places like the Makororo near Barlow Hut and Iron Gate Hut in the Oroua. Quite a few other random sightings early in the season too - in the Waipawa, Mangahuia Stream near the bridge on the Rangiwahia Track, smaller streams on the Sth Weste rn side of the ranges and in the North East. The Whio seem to be dispersing widely which is great to see. Thanks to everyone who reported the sightings.
The Back Country Trust, fronted in the north island by Megan Dimozantos, have been doing great works in the Ruahines. Diannes' Hut is the latest to receive a big makeover. Whio live
in the nearby Koau Stream. BCT hope to help with the relocation of Leon Kinvig Hut to a new and safer location and
are also offering help to fix/reroute part of the track to Iron Gate Hut and reroute the tack between Smith Stream Hut and the Hinerua Ridge which has been wiped out completely!
Photo right - Fiona Burleigh - part of
the Dianes Hut renovation team
Ruahine Kiwi Western Coordinator S2S update – 5 April 2023 Ian Rasmussen
Summary
The start of 2023 has been a difficult time for the project with two cyclones causing considerable damage, road closures, lost bridges, farm access issues and traps lost. The project will be making an MSD application to cover lost work time, lost traps and if allowable, extra travel costs. A close family member bereavement and staff attrition have also had an impact.
March was a much better month with the number of trap checks completed back to where they should be.
The Teams
There are two teams operating, with the eastern team coordinated by Ra niera Hauiti, assisted by Rangiwhero Smith, Anaru Hauraki, and Tau Hauiti. The western team is coordinated by Ian Rasmussen, assisted by Cat McNabb and Jackson Rice.
Trap Deployment
On the Ngamoko Range, 75 of the 120 alpine traps have been deployed. Ther e are a few more lines yet to be completed.
Trap Procurement
Ryman Healthcare and their Menzshed setup at Julia Wallace Rest Home have completed the main build of traps. Thank you!
Donated Eggs
A local company “The EGG Project” are donating eggs and are using their social media to help raise the Ruahine Kiwi project’s profile.
Trap Catches
Over 240 mustelids have been caught as at the end of March. Nearly 1200 trap checks were completed in March 2023 after a
low of only 600 back in February.
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