Friends of the Blade
Friends of the Blade
Part of the local resident’s group Whakamarama Community Inc, Friends of the Blade/Pa Kereru is a community conservation group tasked with running a pest control program covering close to 300 hectares of Kaimai Forest Park. The work is carried out by a growing group of dedicated volunteers who give their time to check and re-bait rat, possum, and stoat traps. Since receiving funding in 2017 to expand from their original area of around 90 hectares, there is plenty of work to do!
Animal pest control is the main focus of the group, with the aim of creating a pest-free environment in which the native wildlife can flourish. This work is endorsed by BOPRC, DOC, WBOPDC, and local iwi. Trapping started in May 2016 and after 5 years of intensive work 5,587 rats have been eliminated, 2,361 possums, 104 stoats, 6 weasels, 11 ferrets, and 1,150 mice. Also, 6 feral cats, which can devastate native birdlife.
Friends of the Blade now have 23 lines of traps, and the original toxin bait stations were replaced in November 2017 by traps using non-toxic lures. After 5 years spent removing these pests, the bush around The Blade is now alive with the birdsong of many of our wonderful native species. The job now is to keep it that way!
