A major possum control operation is getting underway this month in the eastern bays area of Banks Peninsula.
This is the third year of the Banks Peninsula community-initiated possum control programme. It is targeting possum habitat from Diamond Harbour around to Little Akaloa, totalling 24,000 ha.
“No control work is carried out in residential areas,” said Environment Canterbury’s pest portfolio chair Cr Eugenie Sage. “To date, 9000 possums have been destroyed in the first two stages in the southern bays area. That represents a lot more potential for bush regeneration and with it, more native wildlife.
"As well as helping keep Banks Peninsula free of Bovine TB, the programme can help ensure there is suitable habitat for tui to re-establish successfully. Fewer possums means healthier forest areas and less possum predation on birds' eggs and nestlings," she said. (The Department of Conservation and the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust released 30 tui in Hinewai Reserve in Otanerito Bay at Easter to try and re-establish tui on the Peninsula.)
The developed farmland will be controlled with ground control methods using traps and toxins (feratox cyanide,cyanide paste and feracol paste), laid in bait stations during late April to June. This is followed up by monitoring to determine the operation’s success rate.
All control work is under strict Health Department, Department of Conservation and Environment Canterbury regulations.
The control work is being carried out to enhance biodiversity gains to native flora and fauna,and reduce Bovine Tb vectors (possums) on Banks Peninsula.
The control work has been contracted to Excell Biosecurity and North Canterbury Pest Control.
Further information: Chair ECan Pest Portfolio Committee, Cr Eugenie Sage, 021 155 3937 or Phil Spencer, Tb Contracts Manager, Environment Canterbury, 03 3147034, or 0274 374745
NB: TV3 had a good item on about the Banks Peninsula tui release, let me know if you'd like more details via email:
www.3news.co.nz/Home/News/Display/tabid/209/articleID/99406/Default.aspx?src=email