Ōtanewainuku Kiwi Trust are planning to undertake a pest control operation over the period of August 2023 through to April 2024, so that we can continue our important work in Ōtanewainuku Forest (Ōtanewainuku Forest Stewardship Area and part Te Matai Stewardship Area).

Ōtanewainuku Kiwi Trust has been controlling stoats, possums and rats since 2002 and we have generally kept these pests at very low levels. This year we are planning on using Pindone pellets loaded into approved bait stations to control rodents. We will continue to use our Sentinel traps to manage possum re-invasion. We will perform this using a combination of contractors and volunteers.

The plan is to undertake the operation early in August 2023 and any remaining pesticide will be removed by the end of April 2024. This pest control will be carried out in strict accordance with the Department of Conservation Best Practice Guidelines. No poison will be allowed within 20m of any public walking track or boundary or within 25m of a waterway.  Signage will be placed at all walking tracks and road entry-points to the area, just prior to the operation commencing and will remain in place until the caution period has expired which is estimated to be April 2024.

During the baiting operation, it is advised that game animals are not taken for human consumption from the control area. This advisory will be listed on the publicly available DOC Pesticide Summary website.

For your information, we enclose a fact sheet about the forthcoming operation with a map attached of the area which will be controlled using the toxins as prescribed.

If you would like to discuss the proposed operation or any other aspect of our activities in the Ōtanewainuku Forest, please contact me.

Noho ora mai

Peter Crane
peter.crane@rpc.co.nz