Government commitment first step in saving Northland native forests from collapse

2 February 2017

Forest & Bird is welcoming today’s announcement from Minister Maggie Barry to increase predator control in Northland, and believe it is a good start towards saving the region’s forests from collapse.

Minister of Conservation Maggie Barry announced today that the Department of Conservation is committing to work with local hapū to design a multi-species pest control programme for Russell State Forest to be carried out over 20 years, with an extra $380,000 spent on predator control in Northland this financial year.

Forest & Bird’s Northland Conservation Advocate Dean Baigent-Mercer is hopeful that increased and ongoing pest control will allow birds that have recently became extinct in the area, like kākā and kākāriki, to return from nearby offshore islands where they survive in the absence of introduced predators.

“At the moment, many of Northland’s forests are silent. Native birds have been under relentless attack from introduced pests for decades, and the tops of many ancient forest trees are dead or dying because of possum browsing.”

“Controlling introduced predators means the forest can rebound naturally and native birds like tūī, kūkupa (kererū) and kīwī will be able to nest in peace and build in numbers. This is a small but significant start towards reversing forest collapse” says Baigent-Mercer.

“It also offers the possibility of bringing back birds that became extinct in Russell State Forest some time ago like kārearea, kōkako and tītipounamu (rifleman)”.

Northland’s forests can be returned to a healthy state within our lifetimes, but only if people work together to build on this small but significant start.

“We know it takes native forests 20 years alone to recover from collapse, but also how successful native birds are able to breed with ongoing quality pest control operations. I hope one day we can again have kākā, kakariki and bellbirds in people’s backyards right across the north”, says Baigent-Mercer.

Forest & Bird released drone footage in late 2015 to highlight the issue of Northland’s collapsing forests. The effects of possum browsing are evident in the footage - it shows dying ancient rata, pohutukawa, totara, and puriri, plus thinning canopies of taraire, kohekohe and rewarewa.

Currently over 46,000 hectares of native forest under DOC’s care in Northland are collapsing. Even the native forests which have the highest priority ranking under the Department’s new Natural Heritage Management System, have not been given sufficient resourcing for multi-species pest control.

“The constant restructuring and underfunding of DOC has been to the detriment of these forests. In the most tribally complex area of the country and home to the last great forests of the north, we need continual commitment to bring back other forests from collapse and funding increases for DOC to do it,” says Baigent-Mercer.

“The introduced animals do not care who is responsible for the land or people’s politics. “Every night and day they eat the forests and wildlife to death. That is why working together and a properly funded Department of Conservation is essential.”

Editor's notes:
• Not all pest control is equal. Keeping numbers of “the big four” introduced predators (stoats, rats, possums and feral cats) to low levels is the most effective way to bring back native forests from collapse. As soon as pest control stops, a forest slips back into collapse. For success, the commitment from DOC needs to be enduring and aimed as far into the future as we can see.

• Collapsing forests currently in DOC's care:

Northland native forests managed by the Department of Conservation between Kaitaia and Kaiwaka that are currently collapsing and have no or nearly no pest control for at least 20 years conservatively total 45,876 hectares:

Herekino Forest (4406 ha)

Houto Forest (938 ha)

Kaihu Forest and Scenic Reserve (2548 ha)

Mangakahia Forest/Nga Kiekie Whawhanui a Uenuku Scenic Reserve (1976 ha)

Mareretu Forest (1352 ha)

Marlborough Forest (4796 ha)

Mimiwhangata/Kaiikanui (2015 ha)
Some mustelid control to protect pateke but overall collapse occurring

Opua State Forest (3844 ha)
Bay Bush Action does multi-species trapping here in an additional 450 ha

Puketi/Omahuta Forests at least 10,000 ha in various states of collapse
Puketi Forest Trust have 650 ha in year round multi-species pest control, 4850 with less comprehensive pest control targeting, DOC has 10,615 ha under varying collapse.

Raetea/Maungataniwha/Mangamuka Gorge (11722 ha)

Russell State Forest (7131 ha)

Tangihua Forest (3241 ha)

Te Karoa/Otangaroa (928 ha)

Waikino Forest (979 ha)

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