Tu Taiao Tairāwhiti is hosting a free workshop about how you can contribute to the country’s biodiversity crisis – starting in your own backyard.

The Urban Pest Control Workshop is on between 10 and 12noon this Sunday, 9 July at the Kaiti Yacht Club.

This project helps towards the bigger picture of making Aotearoa predator-free by 2050 to protect our native species from extinction. That initiative is led by the Department of Conservation because NZ is in a biodiversity crisis with the highest rate of threatened indigenous species in the world.

Tu Taiao Tairāwhiti idea was created by the joined forces of two iwi-led kaitiaki groups Whaia Tītīrangi and Mahaki Mahinga Kai.

The focus of this project is on the area located around maunga Tītīrangi/Kaiti hill.

If you live in the area, come along this Sunday, bring the family, and learn how to become predator-free and get a free rat trap to take away – these traps are rated as very humane.

Everyone at the workshop will be shown how to safely use the trap, with the understanding that when a rat is caught - it’s recorded. That information becomes part of a national database called Trap NZ.

“This data links us with the rest of predator free NZ,” says EIT tutor Ron Taiapa, who’s helping get the project off the ground in Tairāwhiti.

Getting around Tītīrangi predator free is an “easy win”, he says.

The Tu Taiao Tairāwhiti Tītīrangi maunga predator-free project is highly dependent on volunteers.

Ron and his students hope to motivate volunteers and schools in the area to jump on board.

“We’re going to create a ring of steel around the bottom of the maunga.

“What you’ll see is a decrease in rat numbers and an increase in birdsong.”

This project supports the efforts of Gisborne District Council.

“By taking care of some of the urban area, it frees up Council for the other work they need to do.

“They’ve supported this project by providing maps for us to work from so we can track project buy-in.”

Council Liveable Communities Director Michele Frey says she’s stoked Ron and his team has picked up this project and run with it.

“It’s going to take all of us to reach this national goal of being predator free by 2050.

“Our biodiversity team at Council are hard-working and have a huge area to cover. Local initiatives like this one complement our own programmes.

“We are always happy to support and provide information where we can.”

Mr Taiapa thanked Council for their support and acknowledged the help of Dan Henry.

“Dan Henry is the champion for the pest-free Miramar (Wellington) project, who sent us his template for the project, which we modified for Tairāwhiti.”

Seed funding for the project came via the Tairāwhiti Environment Centre after manager Rena Kohere and Sam the Trap Man applied to predator-free NZ for it.

• Tu Taiao Tairāwhiti will be the regional contact point for volunteers on urban pest control projects.
• Check out their Facebook.
• Or email predatorfreetairawhiti@gmail.com

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