Pest Animals

Pest animals plague the area: feral cats, mustelids and rats live and hunt in the area, but so far no programmes have been put in place to deal with them. 

Rabbits appeared in 2003 to eat young trees, and "harenets" have been placed to protect the seedlings until they are large enough to withstand the depradations.

The nets (plastic sleeves) placed over hooped wires, are bio-degradable over the 2-3 years for the growth-time needed, and then the wires can be removed.

Before 2001 no pest control was carried out by either the land-owner or the Regional Council, with the result that possums flourished in great numbers in the valley.  The canopy showed great deterioration, remaining berried trees were stripped bare, and in the best of the remnant bush the only visible regeneration was of katakana, which possums dislike.

The only birds that could survive were fantails and a few gray warblers with their shining cuckoo "friends".  Neither kereru (wood pigeons) nor tui were seen, as there was literally no food. 

With the successful flax-plantings in the Cannons Creek Lake Reserve, the tui returned and have slowly spread into the nearby suburbs.  A morepork owl has been heard recently also.

And with the improvement of water quality through restoration work in the little freshwater wetland in the Reserve, 2003 saw the return of pukeko after a 60 year absence.  To help protect these birds, which soon produced chicks, a rahui was placed by Ngatitoa Kaumatua in March 2003, with much interest from local children who play in the Reserve.  These bird species show that with continued restoration and protection, many native birds will be able to survive even as close to cities as this is.

However the key to the return of others, such as kereru, is the destruction of brush-tailed possums.  In 2002 the Park Ranger installed and monitored 10 bait stations in the Cannons Creek Conservation Covenant, and by 2003 another 46 were placed right across the valley.  These are monitored and re-stocked by the Friends who visit each bait station once a month.  The signs of improved regeneration and canopy have already begun.  With farm-land all around, it is expected that this work will continue indefinitely.

There is more information on our Possum Control page.

Protection Techniques