Around the traps
Predator Free Paraparaumu
Exciting news! We've met with people keen to start up a Predator Free group in Paraparaumu. As our largest population, business and industrial centre it is crucial to see predator control begin here. It's a big challenge, from Raumati to the Waikanae River, and up against the eastern hills. We suspect dividing it up into 3 or 4 more manageable areas might be the best way forward.
If you would like to be a part of building this team up, or interested in trapping in your business or backyard please email us.
Predator Free Raumati
The hard-working Raumati team have a couple of dates for you to put in your calendar! They will be running a trap making workshop soon. Please email them for more details. This is a great opportunity to meet the experts, get tips on where to put your trap … once you’ve built it! PFR are looking for volunteers and always have a friendly presence at the Raumati South Repair Café: next up on Sunday 21st June, when they will have traps for sale and heaps of advice to help you catch those wily predators.
Friends of the Wharemauku
Judy Williams took an interested group for a guided walk along the course of the awa across the land between Rimu St (Coastlands) and into Ihakara St. A lot of issues for both trapping and planting work, including pollution, stopbank maintenance and pending development. There is little doubt that at a minimum there are a good number of rats in some areas! PFKC is providing some tracking tunnels and chew cards that may confirm this view.
Predator Free Waikanae
Congratulations to PF Waikanae for hosting an Open Day at Parkwood Retirement Village in Waikanae and distributing over 40 traps. There was an enthusiastic turn-out from the residents and other locals, with GWRC, Forest and Bird and PF Kāpiti Coast also represented. A great morning tea and sausage sizzle too! In other great news from Kevin Sheppard and the Waikanae team; they have started to work with El Rancho, a 24ha conference and camp centre on the banks of the Waikanae River.
Whareroa Farm
A shout out to the trapping team at Whareroa Farm who have completed an audit of their traps in use over the 447ha site. This involved bringing in a number of traps for cleaning and servicing before revising the trapping plan and getting the traps back out. The AT220s were in particular need of a deep clean and some needed to be sent back to the manufacturer for additional reconditioning: many thanks, in particular, to Baz Foster for all his work on these, especially the water blasting and steam cleaning of some very dirty traps!
