Forest Bridge Defenders: Young people showing us the way forward
Many of our readers will be familiar with our CatchIT Schools programme which has had a re-fresh and been given a new name- Forest Bridge Defenders. So many of the school children involved in the programme over the years have continued with their trapping at home or with local volunteer groups, but in this newsletter we would love to introduce you to some very special young people, who are really setting an example for us all in achieving a predator-free NZ.
George in 2019 in the TFBT Waioneke School programme
George Watson lives in the South Head area and has been a committed trapper on his home farm since taking part in the TFBT programme in 2019. George says, “When we first came there was heaps of wild cats around our sheds, but now we only have one cat that we can’t catch.” He was very pleased to say that through some cunning use and placement of bait he has dramatically reduced the rat population on the farm too. George’s committed trapping has really shown results in the growing birdlife population on the property. He has been especially smitten by the bittern!
“Now we have heaps of bittern on our farm and on the block that we lease across the road. They like to eat weeds, and when you see them, they are standing with their beaks pointing up so they look like a raupo bush- like a bull rush, and they blend in really well with the bushes around them.”
George with a stoat caught on his own trapline at home, 2021
George has been figuring out which bait works best for each predator. He has found that for him rabbit meat and eggs work well to catch stoats and weasels, and oranges seem to work well with possums. George has even recently caught a ferret- the worst predator of all. “It was the first ferret I’ve ever caught, and it was up on Te Rau Puriri on our trapline, and we were really excited when we caught it. They are really big and so much more ferocious than other stuff and they kill so much.”
When asked what keeps George working so hard, often before school and in bad weather, he says, “Just think about the birds that are dying because we’re not doing anything. It’s our fault the predators are here, so we’ve got to get rid of them.”
Lola and Ruby Wech have been trapping on their home property at Hoteo River Road since joining in the TFBT Schools program at Kaipara Flats in 2016. The girls have carried on trapping and have several DOC200s and rat traps on the property. Lola now also belongs to the trapping club at Mahurangi College where she has recently learnt to use a `Trapinator’; – a trap which is nailed to the tree. Lola’s feedback is that these are “really good”, and we should get some!
Teenagers Lola and Ruby Wech, checking a possum trap
Where it all started – Lola aged 10 years, with her first possum catch
Our admiration and thanks go to these amazing young people and the support they get from their families. Predator Free 2050 – we are on our way.
This year TFBT are running the classroom “Forest Bridge Defenders” programme for Tauhoa, Kaipara Flats and Ahuroa schools in August.
TFBT will also be running family trapline workshops after the school programme around mid-September, although dates have not been confirmed as yet. We’re sure we will meet more shining examples like George, Ruby and Lola along the way.
We are always on the lookout for stories about the great work happening in our area, so do get in touch – we would love to support you.