While the wet weather has not exactly been conducive to outdoor activities, we have not let it thwart our restoration efforts. There has been a real focus on pest animal activity and the tally since we started recording our catches more accurately in August 2022 is as follows:-

186 rats
11 possums
9 weasels
14 hedgehogs
Many mice

Along with trapping, we have been carrying out baiting and are now entering phase 4 of our pulse baiting programme.

A big thank you to Chris Wadsworth who scaled the cliff above Leigh Harbour and collected 432 moth plant pods over two visits and removed many more vines. It was amazing how many passers-by stopped to ask if they were edible. While they do look a lot like choko, efforts were made to educate them about this nasty weed which is aptly named ‘ugly vine’.

On Sunday 4 June we had the pleasure of meeting Richard Henty, a science teacher and founder of STAMP (Society Totally Against Moth Plant). Many thanks to Kate McConnell for organizing this introduction. Richard spent 3 hours collecting another 450 – 500 pods (we gave up counting) and killing many more vines. This environmental warrior established STAMP after he first encountered moth plant on Motuihe Island 16 years ago. Along with help from his supporters, 18,000 moth plant locations are monitored around Auckland.