Track clearing

Our bush contains a dense network of traps and bait stations. In some areas these tracks get overgrown with blackberry. Students will be given a pair of secateurs and help cut away some of these blackberries. This is a nice way to experience the bush (it is not all blackberries).

Time of year: all year round, but more needed in spring and summer

Pest monitor using inkcards

50 ink cards need to be placed on day one and collected the next day. Foot prints on these cards indicate the presence of predators.

Time of year: twice a year in autumn and spring. Additional monitors with high predator numbers. 

Tree planting

The Manawahe ecological corridor will be extended to the West towards Lake Rotoehu. To create this corridor trees will be planted on private land.

Time of year: June.

Trap line maintenance

There are around 150 rat/stoat traps that need to be rebaited regularly. This activity is more suited to small groups of older students.

                    Time of year: all year

Removal of weeds at Eco Centre

There are many invading and damaging introduced plant species at the Eco Centre. These need to be removed to prevent them from invading our native forest. This activity is suitable for younger children and smaller time slots as it can be done at the Eco Centre.

                    Time of year: all year.

In addition to these existing opportunities there are some programmes that are waiting to be started. If a group is interested in one in particular, this can be fast tracked. Examples of these are:

• Placement of 50 weta houses in the bush to monitor weta activity.

• Placement of life non-destructive insect traps to study the range and number of insect that live in the forest.