HAMILTON HALO PROJECT POST OPERATION REPORT Five years of Hamilton Halo

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1 HAMLON HALO POJEC POS OPEAON EPO 12 Five years of Hamilton Halo

2 ntroduction ntroduction 1 Background 1 Setting the scene for marks 5 years! 2 One Halo site moves to private management 2 And a new site is added 2 Connecting with our people 2 he Halo recipe 3 When Halo sites have been or will be treated 3 12 pest control operations 4 Bridal Veil Falls (Wairēinga) 4 e apui eserve 5 Old Mountain oad (Hope) 5 Old Mountain oad (Johnstone) 5 Pukemokemoke Bush eserve 6 Maungakawa 7 e Miro 7 irohanga oad 7 he Halo effect 8 Map: Halo treatment sites 8 Landowner delighted by native bird resurgence 9 Bird counts summary 1 Bird counts at Halo sites 1 Looking forward 1 Welcome to the 12 Hamilton Halo Project Post Operation eport. his report also marks Hamilton Halo celebrating five years of successful operations. Biodiversity decline is a major issue worldwide and the Waikato is no exception. Fragmentation of our natural forest and wetland areas and the presence of mammalian pests are major contributors to the increasing decline of our natural heritage. here is also an increasing disconnect between people in urban environments and the natural landscape. Hamilton Halo sought to address these issues by bringing an iconic New Zealand native bird, the tūī, back into urban Hamilton. he first round of Halo pest control was completed in 7 and now eight sites in rural areas around Hamilton city receive intensive rat control. Having proven that the Halo methodology is hugely successful, it is now considered a model approach nationally and other agencies and community groups are showing increasing interest in replicating it in their parts of the country. Background he Hamilton Halo project was initiated by the Biosecurity-Heritage Group at Waikato egional Council, in conjunction with Landcare esearch, to help bring native birds back into urban areas. Hamilton city has in the past had very few iconic native species like tūī, bellbird and kererū. hese species are both important pollinators and dispersers of native plants, and are also highly valued by residents of the city. he Hamilton Halo project was designed to assist habitat restoration and biodiversity, with a focus on tūī as a key iconic species for the Waikato. he tūī was chosen as a project focus because viable breeding populations exist within the kilometre winter feeding range of the bird. esearch from Landcare showed that, unlike other wildlife, tūī do not need corridors and are known to commute into the city to feed on the abundant exotic plants. Small numbers of tūī were tracked returning from the city to rural summer nesting forest areas outside the city. Studies showed that tūī visited Hamilton every year between May and August, with more seen in the western suburbs. However, no tūī were recorded in Hamilton during the breeding season, except in aitua Arboretum where tūī fledged in 7. o increase the number of tūī visiting the city, an assumption was made that summer breeding success must be enhanced within the kilometre feeding range around Hamilton city. he Halo is a ring drawn around Hamilton, taking in key sites approximately within kilometres of Hamilton where tūī breed. Studies have shown that without adequate pest control tūī nest success is only 27 per cent, mostly due to high populations of ship rats in the Waikato. o improve nesting success, annual rat control was undertaken by Waikato egional Council at selected Halo sites. Cover: ūī, native bird. Photo: Lloyd Curl Back cover: Kererū (New Zealand wood pigeon). Photo: oss Weinberg 1

3 Setting the scene for marks 5 years! Hamilton Halo marked five highly successful years of operation in 12. Just five years ago, seeing a tūī in Hamilton was extremely rare. A few would visit briefly for additional food sources in the winter, but then quickly disappear in spring/summer. hese days the sights and sounds of native birds, including tūī, kererū and even kaka, are a frequent pleasure for people living in and around Hamilton. Urban and rural areas in other directions from the Halo treatment blocks are also experiencing an increase in bird presence, as tūī don t only fly towards Hamilton! Waikato egional Council believes the success of Hamilton Halo crucially rests on the specialised methodology, or Halo recipe, that we have adopted. his recipe consists of intensive rat control on a three years on, two years off basis, and requires achieving a rat tracking index () of less than five per cent prior to the breeding season. at tracking tunnels are a permanent fixture at each Halo site. racking cards are placed in these tunnels for one night in the months of January, June and October, and monitored. he resulting is the proportion of tunnels tracked in one night, and the results continue to show that it is entirely possible to drastically knock back rat numbers prior to the critical spring breeding. his in turn leads to a dramatic increase in fledged birds. One Halo site moves to private management During 12 we also saw the management of the Pukemokemoke reserve Halo treatment site move to Perry esources, which will continue to undertake pest control annually using the proven Halo recipe. t s great that private enterprise can see the value and success of the Hamilton Halo project and pick up the ongoing management of one of our sites. his ticks off another major goal of the project to educate and engage the wider community about the benefits of biosecurity for biodiversity. And a new site is added Additionally, in 12 we started treatment in conjunction with the Department of Conservation (DOC) at a new Halo site, Bridal Veil Falls (Wairēinga). his not only adds to the halo effect around Hamilton city, but will also help restore the flora and fauna at one of DOC s most visited Waikato tourist attractions. t also provides us with another great public education opportunity. Connecting with our people Social media has played an important part in Hamilton Halo and is a great example of how like-minded people from all over the Waikato and New Zealand, and even across the world, can come together as a community online and enjoy a shared interest. Over five years Hamilton Halo has attracted nearly 9 Facebook followers, providing us with educational and information-sharing opportunities. t also allows followers to regularly share a wide array of information including: tūī sightings photos upcoming events fellow fans may be interested in requests for advice special moments that tūī have created in their lives. Photo: Sally Phillips 2

4 mmer he Halo recipe he control typically takes place between the months of June and September, which is just prior to breeding season. his means pest populations are very low while birds are nesting and would therefore be highly vulnerable to rat and possum predation. he pest control methodology or recipe is a crucial component of the Hamilton Halo project. Halo sites receive pest control on a three years on, two years off basis, and the focus is on intensive control of rats. Both ground and aerial techniques can be used, as long as they are able to achieve a of less than five per cent prior to October. Low pest numbers means that more birds are able to fledge, thereby building the population of birds in each forest block. his will see birds eventually disperse from their home areas to new areas. t is this mechanism that enables tūī and other native birds to move into Hamilton. While rats are the main target species, a co-benefit of the work is that possum numbers are also dramatically reduced, which both assists bird breeding success as well as improves the forest health through reduced foliar browsing. Halo treatment methodology Pest control - 3 years on No pest control - 2 years off ūī breeding season Spring Summer at numbers Seasonal rat numbers ui breeding season Spring Summer Spring Summer Spring Summer Spring Summer Spring When Halo sites have been or will be treated en year project planning for Halo 7 Old Mountain oad (Hope) Old Mountain oad ( Johnstone) e Miro Pest control has been undertaken Pest control is scheduled to take place irohanga oad 135 Pukemokemoke e apui 997 Bridal Veil Falls Area Maungakawa otal (ha)

5 12 pest control operations Bridal Veil Falls (Wairēinga) Site report We are proud to announce that Bridal Veil Falls (Wairēinga) is now a Halo site. he reserve and surrounding forest area is 254ha and received Halo pest control for the first time in 12. Bridal Veil Falls is 32km from Hamilton and provides an excellent linking point between central Hamilton Halo sites and large forested areas such as Pirongia and Karioi. his reserve is one of the Waikato s most visited, with DOC reporting annual visitor numbers of 55, people. hese high visitor numbers allow Halo to be showcased to the public and in the years to come they will be able to enjoy increased birdlife during their walk to the falls. Bridal Veil Falls (Wairēinga) was first treated in 12, with the work being undertaken by Waikato egional Council in partnership with DOC. As this is a new site, the data is currently being collected and will be reported in the 13 Annual eport Area (ha) 254 Community group n/a No. landowners 2 No. bait stations 359 tunnels 7 Photo: Catherine Beard 4

6 e apui eserve Area (ha) 997 Community group n/a No. landowners 1 No. bait stations 1496 tunnels Jul-1 Sep-1 Nov-1 Jan-11 Mar-11 May-11 Jul-11 Sep-11 Nov-11 Jan-12 Mar-12 May-12 Jul-12 Sep-12 Nov-12 Jan-13 Old Mountain oad (Hope) Area (ha) 175 % Oct-7 Feb-8 Jun-8 Oct-8 Feb-9 Jun-9 Oct-9 Feb-1 Jun-1 Oct-1 Feb-11 Jun-11 Oct-11 Feb-12 Jun-12 Oct-12 Feb-13 Community group n/a No. landowners 1 No. bait stations 167 tunnels 66 Old Mountain oad (Johnstone) Area (ha) 195 % Community group n/a No. landowners 3 Dec-7 Apr-8 Aug-8 Dec-8 Apr-9 Aug-9 Dec-9 Apr-1 Aug-1 Dec-1 Apr-11 Aug-11 Dec-11 Apr-12 Aug-12 Dec-12 Apr-13 No. bait stations 451 tunnels 66 5

7 Pukemokemoke Bush eserve A success story Pukemokemoke is a native forest remnant approximately 18km north of Hamilton and donated by David Johnstone for use as a private reserve. t is a stronghold for native long-tailed bats (pekapeka) and the most northern Halo site. t is administered by the David Johnstone Pukemokemoke Bush eserve rust and is managed by a local committee. he management committee takes a strong personal pride in the maintenance and development of the reserve and works closely with local iwi who relate strongly to the maunga (mountain) and to Mangatea Stream, which runs along its flank. he group has successfully controlled much of the weeds in this block and continues to promote the special vegetation and wildlife at Pukemokemoke. he David Johnstone Pukemokemoke Bush eserve rust became a Halo site in 7 and Waikato egional Council has since undertaken rat and possum control. he reserve is adjacent to the Perry esources quarry operation. As part of their consent conditions to operate this quarry, Perry esources proposed undertaking rat and possum control over the whole reserve. From 13, the quarry will be responsible for pest control to keep rat and possum populations down to the five per cent threshold. his is an excellent outcome for Hamilton Halo and for biodiversity in the Waikato. t s partnerships such as this with community groups, industry and the Waikato egional Council that will help to ensure a strong future for biodiversity outcomes in our region. Area (ha) 39 % Community group Friends of Pukemokemoke Bush No. landowners 1 Jul-9 Oct-9 Jan-1 Apr-1 Jul-1 Oct-1 Jan-11 Apr-11 Jul-11 Oct-11 Jan-12 Apr-12 Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 No. bait stations 1 tunnels 6

8 Maungakawa % Area (ha) 78 Community group Friends of Sanatorium Hill No. landowners 2 No. bait stations 121 tunnels 3 e Miro % Area (ha) 2 Community group e Miro Steering Group No. landowners 1 No. bait stations 684 tunnels Oct-8 Jan-9 Apr-9 Jul-9 Oct-9 Jan-1 Apr-1 Jul-1 Oct-1 Jan-11 Apr-11 Jul-11 Oct-11 Jan-12 Apr-12 Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 Apr-13 irohanga oad % Area (ha) 135 Community group irohanga oad Pest Control Scheme No. landowners 8 No. bait stations 536 tunnels Aug-8 Nov-8 Feb-9 May-9 Aug-9 Nov-9 Feb-1 May-1 Aug-1 Nov-1 Feb-11 May-11 Aug-11 Nov-11 Feb-12 May-12 Aug-12 Nov-12 Oct-8 Jan-9 Apr-9 Jul-9 Oct-9 Jan-1 Apr-1 Jul-1 Oct-1 Jan-11 Apr-11 Jul-11 Oct-11 Jan-12 Apr-12 Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 Apr-13 7

9 he Halo effect Distribution of Halo treatment sites 8

10 Landowner delighted by native bird resurgence Since 9, rat control has been undertaken by Waikato egional Council in a large forest remnant near Maungatautari. Fiona Jujnovich has been the primary contact for the irohanga oad pest control scheme since it joined the project. She first heard of Hamilton Halo after reading a newspaper story publicising its launch and Waikato egional Council s search for suitable pest control sites. t has been very easy working with the council team. hey have always been very approachable and helpful with advice and answering queries. Since targeted pest control work has been undertaken in the area, Fiona has observed significant biodiversity improvements. t s great to see tangible evidence of the effects of pest control on bird species and apparently on their breeding success too. t was very exciting seeing the tomtits here and to realise they must be breeding quite well. We understand that tomtits will thrive where there is rat control. We did not see any here until three years ago with the sighting of a male. Since then, they have been seen in several different locations on numerous occasions. have seen flights of eight or more tūī migrating to or from somewhere over the last two years. do not recall seeing more than two on high altitude flights before that. ve even seen fledgling bellbird with a parent, and there appear to be many more fantails, she said. t makes it all worthwhile when you see the results. Our boys report what they see too and take delight in being surrounded by fantails as they make tracks through the bush. Fiona said they hoped the project would continue so that rat numbers are kept at low levels for eternity. Photo: Philip Mackrell 9

11 Bird counts summary Bird counts in Hamilton city Landcare esearch has conducted biennial five-minute bird counts in Hamilton city since 4. he most recent set of counts was undertaken at 7 sites between August and November 12. hese showed that tūī distribution and abundance increased significantly in Hamilton city, both in the breeding and non-breeding seasons. his also indicates that more tūī are now staying on and breeding in Hamilton city (rather than just visiting), which is a key success indicator for Hamilton Halo. Also in 12, kākā and pied stilt were recorded for the first time. Bird counts at Halo sites n November 12, Waikato egional Council contracted Landcare esearch to undertake bird counts in Halo forest sites where rat and possum control is undertaken. n total, 5-minute bird counts were undertaken across 6 current Halo project sites: Maungakawa Scenic eserve, Old Mountain oad ( Johnstone) block, Pukemokemoke Bush eserve, e Miro Scenic eserve, e apui Scenic eserve and irohanga oad block. Using earlier data collected at some of the sites as a comparison, these counts showed that 8 out of 11 native bird species had increased between 2 and 12. More specifically, counts of tūī had increased by 77 per cent. Bellbirds were also found to be present at 4 out of the 6 Halo sites in 12, where there had been none detected 1 years earlier. By repeating the bird counts every three to five years we will be able to record changes in bird species numbers, as well as the abundance of each of those species at each Halo site. Looking forward he next step in Hamilton Halo is to encourage tūī to make Hamilton their home that is, to live and breed in the city, rather than only coming in to feed each day before returning to their rural home at night. here have already been some reports of tūī nesting in the city, but our aim is to make this the norm, rather than the exception. Achieving this ideal has already kicked off with Hamilton City Council beginning to undertake coordinated pest control across of Hamilton s parks and gullies. Waikato egional Council is also looking at how we can establish Halo partnerships with private landowners in Hamilton city to encourage and help them to undertake beneficial work in their own backyards. We are also looking at how the Halo model can be used to enhance significant natural areas (SNAs), which can be on public or private land. he Halo concept of outcome-based intensive rat and possum control could have a tremendous positive impact on biodiversity in some SNAs, providing additional habitat or stepping stones for native birds to spread across the landscape. Meanwhile, the council is considering how the Halo concept and methodology could be replicated in other parts of the region. For example, possum control results in north-west Waikato could be enhanced if Halo-like control was undertaken in targeted SNAs. However, undertaking any of these projects on a large scale would first require community consultation and funding approval from the council. 1

12 Private Bag 338 Waikato Mail Centre Hamilton 32 New Zealand Freephone 1 info@waikatoregion.govt.nz Printed November 13 11