It's winter and there's war in the Hollyford. The enemy, predator pests, are up against a carefully planned systematic attack, and it's knocking them big time.
This winter onslaught is critical, says Hollyford Conservation Trust manager Lindsay Wilson. “Rats and stoats will be breeding, and the birds start breeding in spring. We want to knock the predators before they multiply and attack the nests and chicks.”
Seven days in, seven days out through the coldest months, Wilson has brought teams of volunteers and contractors to Martins Bay in the lower Hollyford. Between them they have cleared and re-baited up to 900 traps, filled and refilled 2000 bait stations and monitored 150 tracking tunnels located across 2600ha of forest, dunes and wetlands.
This is one massive mainland island restoration project, funded by donations, grants and the benevolence of the trustees themselves. Trust chair Ron Anderson wants the model to inspire other private conservation organisations.
So, how does it all work? I donned my boots to find out.
“You go first, that will help get you used to finding the markers,” says Terry Webb. He's an experienced volunteer and is showing me the ropes of placing inked cards into tracking tunnels hidden in swampy undergrowth on the edge of Lake McKerrow, near Martins Bay.
