Te Arai Forest Troop

After purchasing from a dairy farmer in the 70s, my father Geoff and friends fenced off two of the bush blocks on the northern face of the hills on Cames Rd. The land had previously been used as overwintering blocks for a dairy herd normally based down in Tomarata. Since it was fenced off, there has been some trapping and shooting of Possums and baiting for Rabbits.

From early 2017, we moved into a more comprehensive and organised pest management strategy for the property at 174 Cames Rd and surrounding bush blocks. We are using a combination of auto and manual traps and bait stations in managing rats, mice, stoats, weasels, ferrets, feral cats, hedgehogs and possums.

In 2019 North Island Kaka reappeared and the diversity and prevalence of native species has been increasing year on year (5 minute bird counts tracking).

In 2020 we expanded the project to encompass 120 hectares across a large number of the neighbouring landowners properties surrounding the bush blocks.

We are catching stoats monthly now using a combination of DOC200s + fresh eggs + erayz on fence lines passing through bush blocks.

As we look to the future, we hope to one day see the reappearance of Korimako (Bellbird), Miro Miro (North Island Tomtit), Toutouwai (North Island Robin), Popokotea (Whitehead), Red Crowned Kakariki and North Island Brown Kiwi (all present in the Brynderwyns). 

The goal is to be a pest free biodiversity corridor linking to the Brynderwyns in the North and the offshore island sanctuaries to the East.

We have annual support for NRC and shorebirds trust and are in a position to offer advice and hardware as part of these grants.   

We hope to continue to build the movement and would appreciate your participation and/or support.