Blog Summary: Politics, endangered species & a rare find
New Zealand’s native wildlife has been widely discussed over recent months and as the election looms, many people have felt the need for a change of pace.
My blog follows NZ flora and fauna as it has appeared in the news over a period of four months, as well as following the awards people have received for their hard work in the conservation of NZ wildlife.
For the purpose of my blog, the media I used to source information were news websites like nzherald.co.nz, stuff.co.nz and scoop.co.nz.
Possibly the most impactful thing on NZ wildlife that happened as I was writing my blog, was the September announcement of job cuts to the Department of Conservation (DOC).
DOC is a government department which has the responsibility of teaching New Zealander’s about how and why we need to look after our land.
They do work out in the field as well as research and science which all contribute to the preservation of New Zealand’s unique ecosystems.
In September, DOC announced 96 jobs would have to be cut in order for the government to stay within its shrinking budget for looking after our environment.
The ‘necessity’ for these cuts has been blamed on the current economic climate, but it is unclear to me, why our largest state asset is not a high priority for our government.
As conservation advocate for the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, Nicola Vallance reported for nzherald.co.nz:
“It is a feat of dedication, ingenuity and perseverance that DOC continues to be recognised as a world leader in endangered-species recovery, predator control and managing recreational opportunities for visitors, while running on the smell of an oily rag.
“But this is no longer sustainable when in real terms DOC is faced with not only a $130 million cut over the next decade but is also having to cover the costs of staff superannuation, and contributing to another government shortfall of $300 million.”
She pointed out that as a result of the budget cuts, DOC would be expected preserve our country on the same budget as the Hamilton City Council.
In the months following the announcement, an open letter, written by 107 conservation scientists and biologists was released to Minister for Conservation, MP Kate Wilkinson.
The letter voiced concerns that cuts to DOC jobs would damage efforts in conservation, as many species and ecosystems are already on the brink of extinction, and without the funds and job security, experts would not be able to recover damage to the environment.
Published at nzherald.co.nz, the letter claimed the dedication of DOC staff to the environment was not reflected by the government, and cutting jobs within the Department would be detrimental to NZ conservation and therefore New Zealanders.
It talked about how DOC experts have “snatched back” species from the edge of extinction:
“...Chatham Island black robin, kakapo, takahe and saddleback. Many more species and ecosystems teeter on the edge of oblivion.
“We have the expertise to prevent this from happening but the experts require funding, support and job security.”
The letter ended acknowledging the current economic climate, but stressed New Zealand’s “100% Pure” slogan needed to be more than marketing to attract tourists, and it required a well funded DOC.
In October more than 600 new self-resetting possum traps were launched in Northland’s Trounson Kauri Park, and in the Te Urewera National Park, as a part of a $4 million pest control initiative announced by the government last year.
The traps were the second phase of a trial for the initiative; following positive results from other parts of the country during phase one.
The first phase trailed three self-resetting trap prototypes: two from Wellington, the other from Canterbury.
The Goodnature Ltd ‘Henry’ traps from Wellington performed particularly well and were used in phase two.
DOC spends $20 million on pest control annually, ($14 million of this is possum control), and Ms Wilkinson said these new traps would be “a new cost-effective weapon in that battle and enable us to undertake more pest control work.”
“The Government shares the Green Party’s desire to explore more effective ways to control the pests that threaten our native wildlife, and, if they perform successfully, these traps will be a new cost-effective weapon in that battle and enable us to undertake more pest control work.”
This new method of pest control could be a silver lining for DOC, because by controlling pests, the government is effectively preventing further endangerment to NZ’s native species (which aside from job security, is what they want, right?).
And as Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Jan Wright said at the Otago University Symposium in November, the biggest danger to the conservation estate is pests.
However, possums are only part of the problem.
“The great majority of New Zealanders think of possums as the pests destroying our bush. But of course, it’s not.
“It’s possums and rats and stoats. And only on 1/8th of the land managed by DOC is there any control of these pests which I have come to think of as the evil triumvirate.”
Dr Wright suggested focusing on the commercial use of conservation land to create a profit that will in turn, be put back into protecting the environment by controlling pests.
Following Dr Wright’s appearance at the Symposium, the odt.co.nz reported the Commission for the Environment was exploring what form of revenue could be derived from commercial use of the conservation estate.
“This could include straight monetary payments, or "paid-in-kind" arrangements, such as pest control, track provision, track maintenance, and hut use, [Dr Wright] said.”
One little area of conservation land which is already becoming rather commercialised is Stewart Island.
This year the island was rated New Zealand’s top special place in the country according to DOC’s ‘Quintessentially Kiwi’ survey, reported tvnz.co.nz in September.
Stewart Island received 20% of votes for ‘top special place’, while the kiwi took out ‘top native bird’ with 66% of votes.
Speaking of, this Armistice Day, a 313g chick hatched from his shell at the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre, where the egg was taken as a part of BNZ’s Operation Nest Egg.
The chick was assumed the name Freedom as an ode to his fight out of his egg and also his birth date: 11.11.11
Freedom will be one of more than 200 kiwi expected to be reared under Operation Nest Egg this year, which has been in action since 1995.
The second ever recorded albino Powelliphanta (a native snail) was discovered by trampers in the Kahurangi National Park, at the tip of the South Island, this November.
The snail was an incredibly rare find and, as DOC Powelliphanta expert Kath Walker told stuff.co.nz, it was only the second albino native snail she had seen in more than 30 years of study.
Powelliphanta are carnivores, and can grow up to 8cm across the shell.
The species is endangered despite possum control in the South Island area where they are found, presumably, Dr Wright would encourage the control of stoats and rats also.
