Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group - Local District Conservation Projects

Shared by Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

First registered as a Charity on 22 September 2023, Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group Charitable Trust were set up to perform pest control measures in the bush reserves in and around Tūātapere, including Tūātapere Domain. WARNING - this entry contains dead pest images/info. IMAGES: Photo 1 - Map of planned trapping and pest control areas in the Reserves Photo 2 - Part of one of the Reserves Walking Tracks at Tūātapere Domain Photo 3 - Kererū (native Wood Pigeon) in a tree at the Tūātapere Domain Photo 4 - Some of the now regenerating native bush and undergrowth Photo 5 - One of the tree lined avenues leading into the Tūātapere Domain Photo 6 - The new AT220 Auto Trap and others are being set to catch pests Photo 7 - Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group volunteers bait the traps Photo 8 - Tony Shore a Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group checks traps Photo 9 - The AT220 Auto Trap working as it should, with multiple "kills" Photo 10 - Signage for Tūātapere Reserve Scenic Walk, Tūātapere Domain Photo 11 - Signage warning walkers to stay away from traps and take care Above images used by permission of Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group HISTORY OF THE GROUP On 8th November 2023, Tony Shore, who is one of the committed team of volunteers running the project, shared the following news to the public, on the groups conservation mahi or work in the Tūātapere Domain, as follows: "Recently a team of concerned locals from Tuatapere Southland formed a pest control group, to begin trapping possums, rats etc. in the town''s Domain Reserve, which is currently infested with pests, yet has some outstanding native flora and fauna, eg. 1000 year old totara's more than 2.5 metres thick. Our trapping programme has commenced with traps donated by the Bluff and Omaui predator control groups and we have accounted for over 40 of each of the target species. We have a MOU from DOC (Department of Conservation) and an environmental report from ES. We hope also to generate interest and community involvement within the district." (Information aken from the groups Facebook page, with their permission) Reporting on the amount of predators taken so far, Secretary/Treasurer and volunteer line checker Glenys Harvey, gives the figures for Area 1, from within the map shown above, as at 27 March 2024: Possums 207, Rats 90, Mice 72, stoats 2 and other 15. The group have also held various community education nights to inform the public of their plans and the results so far, which are fabulous. In another public post on their trapping project, earlier in 2024, we hear: "Thanks to Clifden Rural Women & SDC we are pleased to inform our public that we have ordered four AT220, automatic traps to place in block A, of the Tūātapere Reserve, to act in vanguard to our line trapping, as we clear our block out. We can also confirm sponsorship from Tūātapere RSA, for another into the future. Our intention is to trap & maintain all of the reserve over the next five years & if you or your organisation, believe in our vision and would like to support us,with donation Sponsorship and or volunteers, we will be so appreciative." (this update shared by Secretary/Treasurer - Glenys Harvey) In September 2024, Jared Fluerty, another of the groups trap setters and line checkers, reported, "While Tony was out installing a few AT220 auto traps I received a delivery of 40 More AT220 traps. After the battery's are all charged we will be looking for local support installing and the occasional maintenance of traps. Please consider adopting a few traps to look after and be part of the reserve conservation team . There is a couple of kaka living near Erskine street and kakariki the small green parrot with either yellow or red on their face throughout. The native long tailed bat possibly short tailed roost in old Beech trees changing the roost site regularly. Keeping rat's stoats and possums out of the reserve we will continue to see alot more birdlife." Then in November 2024, Jared again reports, that he and Tony Shore had been out installing more of the AT220 Auto Traps. He explains, that all of these traps are fitted with electronic sensors that not only detect pests they also turn off during daylight hours. Each trap is fitted with an automatic lure dispenser and a battery that will reset the trap 100 times. The lure attracts mice, rat's, stoats and possums. The only issue that the group had with the new Auto Traps were that the mice were being attracted to the bait, taking it and using up batteries. Overall the traps have been a huge success and have considerably helped in predator control across all the areas of the bush they have been installed. Also in November 2024, just a year after starting, the group reported over 200 possums taken from the small block which is Tūātapere Domain, and now it's full of bird's! The group has gone from strength to strength as far as funding and traps to use for predator control go, but have had the same issues many Charitable Groups are facing in the modern world, a lack of willing volunteers to do all the work required. So, if anyone reading this is inspired to help them out to do this hugely important conservation mahi or work, please contact them (their contact details are in Place Notes field). However, despite that, the groups achievements have been outstanding. It has been published by them that over the last couple of years, there has been a great regeneration of new native bush in the reserves they have been working with their trapping, as the new growth was being targeted by possums in the past, unfortunately keeping natural regeneration in check. Locals note how the reserve has changed, looking much healthier and with more visible life of both flora and fauna. Tony Shore, the groups most dedicated member and trapper, recalled earlier in 2025 that so far over the last year, their predator control project had trapped approximately, 1000 mice, 700 possums,300 rats, 12 hedgehogs, 6 cats, and 1 stoat, with many more being removed by other predators and even people. It is making an incredible difference to the health and well-being of taiao/nature in the reserves being targeted, with such large numbers of predators removed. Further to this, Tony tells us that they, "also get to examine many different native plants and uproot introduced weeds" during their walks through the bush on the reserve. More recently, the local kura or school, WAS (Waiau Area School) has been involved in helping with one of the trap lines and checking and recording this, which is providing practical lessons to ākonga or students in helping to control pests and seeing first hand the destruction they cause and ways in which these results can be overcome with dedication and hard mahi/work. With the Domain Reserve now well on the way to having pests controlled, Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group is now moving on to start further trapping in the other Reserves around the township, which are also sady inundated with pests and the problems this causes. More information about this further mahi or work will be featured in our archives in another entry. The Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group has achieved such great results, that it is no surprise that both they and their achievements have been noticed. In a recent publicity release, the group told us the great news, that they have been nominated, made the finalists, been judged by Environment Southland, and are off to their Community Awards in October 2025, so fingers crossed! The group are in the category of 'Biodiversity & Biosecurity'. We are so very proud of the mahi or work that the Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group have been undertaking as a Charitable Trust, operating in our community. Tūātapere Reserve Pest Control Group Charitable Trust holds meetings on the Monday of each month, if anyone is interested they are welcome to attend, at the old Den by Erskine Street playground, in Tūātapere, Western Southland. If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of conservation action or other native wildlife conservation you may have observed or photographed during the years, please do share this with us in the comments section by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page, by sending us an email or text, or even calling in to see us.