Our ref: DOC 001-68

21 August, 2002


Dear All

Request for support for the removal of kiore from Hauturu (Little Barrier Island)

The Department of Conservation is seeking support for a resource consent application to remove kiore from Hauturu (Little Barrier Island). We appreciate the interest you as NZERN members are likely to have in such a proposal and we would welcome your support.

Hauturu is one of New Zealand's most prized nature reserves, home to an array of rare and threatened native species. However the presence of kiore is disrupting natural ecosystem processes such as regeneration of forest trees, and is also causing the decline of some threatened species.

Feral cats were eradicated from Hauturu in 1980, and if the island is to be a true sanctuary for remaining populations of some of our most endangered species, kiore need to be removed from the island also.

This action will not put kiore at risk of extinction. Kiore remain on Aotea and a number of other New Zealand islands. They also live in some areas on mainland New Zealand and on about 250 islands scattered throughout the Pacific.

The Department would like to proceed with an operation to eradicate kiore from Hauturu in the winter of 2003. The preferred method is to spread rat baits containing brodificaoum by helicopter. This method has been used very successfully on other islands such as Kapiti and Whenua Hou (Codfish).

The attached background information outlines in more detail why the Department believes the operation is necessary and what it would involve. If you have any questions about this proposal I would be happy to discuss these with you at any time.

We will be required to obtain resource consents for the storage and transportation of the rat bait from the Auckland City Council, and to discharge contaminants onto land and water from the Auckland Regional Council, to cover the possibility that some rat bait might fall from the cliffs into the sea. However, there is little risk to marine life if this occurs.

We would very much appreciate letters of support for the operation. Please send all correspondence to Richard Griffiths at the address below.

Yours sincerely


Rolien Elliot
Area Manager,
Warkworth Area Office
PO Box 474
Warkworth

More information available at (ed)
Elliot, Rolien, Removal of kiore from Hauturu

Keywords
Department of Conservation 

Updated 20/11/2008 4.18AM by PIPI4