Pest Trapping at Whareponga

Kia ora! Ko Kōkai te maunga, ko Hotohoto te awa, ko Whareponga te marae, ko Te Aitanga a Mate te hapū, ko Jade tōku ingoa. This year I am on a journey of reconnection back to my whakapapa and turangawaewae - Whareponga. I am carrying out my Masters research at Whareponga working with our whānau to develop a marae-led management strategy for myrtle rust and other pest species. Our whānau have expressed a major concern for the health of their ngāhere and the manu within it, so this kaupapa is to protect and restore our ngāhere through pest trapping. I am experienced with pest trapping and pest control strategies through my day-to-day mahi, so am going to apply this to Whareponga and work alongside our whanaunga to carry out pest control. We have begun to survey the whenua to get a good idea of what it is we are seeking to protect, as a whānau we will decide where the efforts will be focussed, and then we will begin pest monitoring and trapping throughout these areas. The local rangatahi and kura are keen to get involved and use this kaupapa as a learning experience where our tamariki can learn about pest control and native biodiversity too. It is a collaborative kaupapa that hopes to bring the community together to learn and grow whilst improving the health of our ngāhere. 

We require financial support to help us purchase the traps and equipment required to carry out our pest control mahi. We require $6,000 to make a decent start on this kaupapa. The more financial support, the more traps we can buy, and the greater the positive impact on the ngāhere. Whānau members may also want to support the kaupapa by 'Funding a Trap'... so that they can give koha to the cause and play their part in protecting the ngāhere. To fund a rat trap, it is $30, to fund a possum trap, it is $60, to fund a DOC200 which kills rats, stoats, mice etc, it is $80. We will write your whānau name on the base of the trap you have sponsored to acknowledge your contribution to the kaupapa.