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Green Blog To Fence or not to Fence? An opinion on the proposed Coromandel predator
fence. The For many
years the Moehau Environment Group (MEG) has done a great deal of work towards
this goal. Countless hours of hard volunteer work have gone into their labour
of love for the enhancement and protection of our peninsula, for the benefit of
us all. And good on them I say! One of the
main goals of MEG has been the control of introduced pests such as possums,
feral cats, rats, ferrets, stoats, and weasels, which make the ongoing
conservation of the bush costly and especially the preservation of New
Zealand’s endangered species such as the Kiwi an arduous task. MEG’s work has
paid off in the form of a reduction of predators and a wider recognition of the
Coromandel and our ‘home grown’ initiative within New Zealand as one of the
countries foremost conservation efforts. MEG’s profile has enhanced the appeal
of the Coromandel as a special destination in In order to
enhance the value of this conservation effort further, MEG had proposed to
erect a predator proof fence from Colville across the narrowest part of the upper
peninsula to Sadly
though, a small but vocal group of people have chosen to deride MEG’s effort
with a smear campaign, attacking MEG and its staff personally and even resorting
to vandalism in tearing down a sample section of the proposed fence. Most
people will likely have been shocked by the attitude of these critics and the
vigour and language of their attacks. Most of their arguments – like the
assumed need to use the highly controversial 1080 poison have long been
addressed by MEG, and the group has posted a host of useful information on
their website about the project, answering the innuendo and accusations of its
critics point by point: www.meg.org.nz There may well
be reasoned arguments against the effectiveness of this fence as a pest control
measure for the Coromandel, given the need to control beaches and road
crossings and the need to bring predator numbers inside the fence down
dramatically. The fence will only be an effective measure if the rate of
reproduction of pests inside the sanctuary is pushed well below the rate of
migration into the area, which the fence would prevent. I would assume that it
will be next to impossible to achieve a 100% eradication of existing pests
inside the proposed enclosure given the size of the area, the ability of some
predators to swim around the fence on the beaches or breach gates at roads etc.
or hitch rides on people’s boats or vehicles. However I
do think that it is very plausible that predator numbers could be reduced
markedly inside such an enclosure by continuation and expansion of the
successful trapping and selective baiting work undertaken by MEG and its
volunteers. Especially Possum numbers could likely be brought close to zero, as
these do not swim around the fence’s beach heads, resulting in an important recovery
of the bush over time. So what is
the hoopla then all about? Even if the fence would not be 100% effective, would
it not greatly enhance the conservation effort and the unique value of the Moehau
range? Is not plausible that it would also enhance the land value for land
owners inside this enclosure? When has proximity to, or association with a
nature reserve or a sanctuary ever been bad for land owners? And then there is
the symbolic and educational significance of a project of this nature. Once in
place, the Moehau sanctuary would attract research, tourism and conservation
enthusiasts alike and I think that the positive spin off effects of this
project would well outweigh any negatives. Hence: good
on you MEG, and thank you for all the hard work you and your volunteers have
done and I hope that the rather unfortunate attacks by the small group of
critics is not putting you off for good! It takes vision to achieve great
things of lasting impact and MEG surely has a vision to offer that is far
greater than the regrettable redneck attitudes of its critics. Another man
who has a great vision for conservation is Barry Brickel of Driving Creek
Railway fame. Barry has gifted an area of 1.6 Hectares to the “DCR Wildlife
Sanctuary Trust”, adjacent to the railway terminal. This area
has been over the past years transformed under Barry’s and the trustees stewardship
and vision into an amazing bush area complete with wetlands and a pond on which
Brown Teal ducks raise their young. Now the trust has embarked on a project to
erect a predator proof fence around the sanctuary which will exclude all
mammalian predators. Once this fence is erected – the trust has already raised a
portion of the required funds – all remaining pest species will be eradicated
inside the enclosure using a mix of traps and Brodifacoum bait. After the
initial eradication is complete, Barry explains, no further poison baits will
be required, reducing the overall burden of pest control and poison bait use in
the area completely. Barry hopes that afterwards the sanctuary’s wildlife will
return to a natural state where endangered amphibians, insects and birds will find
healthy native bush and safe breeding grounds. Barry says that this project is
unique in the area. Barry’s
long-term stewardship for the amazing property on which the railway operates
will be secured in perpetuity he explained, through a set of covenants and
trusts which will ensure that the land can never be sold to developers. Barry is
not afraid to move in small steps to achieve a great goal in the end. With
patience and commitment Barry has turned what once was a neglected pine forest
into a great success in conservation efforts and he is living proof that human
land use and conservation can go hand in hand – in fact enhance each other.
Thousands of tourists can enjoy a journey through Barry’s magic bush on his
home build railway, the proceeds of which support the expansion of his
conservation efforts. Perhaps,
Barry says, MEG can build their fence slowly, bit by bit, on the lands where
they have the consent for doing so, thus getting people used to the idea and
the concept slowly. In the end, it is the long term vision that counts, not how
fast it was achieved. Thomas
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