Go to NRC website www.nrc.govt.nz/ltpfeedback “Have your say” LTP 2015-2025

Go to Login/Register (if not registered follow the registration process)

Click on the blue tab “Read and submit on Document”

At the bottom of the list on the left click on  “Have your say” then the blue tab at top right “Make submission”

This time a series of boxes should come up. Box 2 is Whangarei Heads Pest Management. Click on the circle “agree” is you agree with the
proposed targeted rate.

 If you wish – type in your reasons for supporting the proposal. If you would like to speak at the public feedback sessions click the circle
for this at the bottom of the document.

            

 

 

Possible points for inclusion in a submission to NRC regarding Targeted Rates for Whangarei Heads Pest Control

Most important point – be clear that you are in support of the proposal, and that you support Option 1 (set rate per of $50 rating unit).

Without the predator trapping programme carried out for the past 15 years the kiwi population at Whangarei Heads would be gone by now.

Without ongoing predator trapping the survival rate of kiwi chicks has been measured at 5%. Predator trapping has been shown to increase survival of kiwi chicks to 60%.

Without ongoing financial resourcing of this trapping programme the gains made in the past 15 years will be very quickly eroded – and our grandchildren will not be able to hear kiwi in their backyards.

We know that our predator control programme is working. The Kiwi call count for Whangarei Heads has risen from an average of 2.9 calls/hour/station in 2002 to 7.1 calls/hour/station in 2014. This increase in population from approximately 80 to over 500 adult kiwi is a result of the predator trapping and community engagement on dog control at the Heads. This is allowing the kiwi population to expand northwards and inland of the original managed area.

We are proud of the community driven kiwi recovery at the Whangarei Heads.

The Whangarei Heads community is to be congratulated on their dog control as over the past 10 years the number kiwi deaths due to uncontrolled dogs has dramatically reduced even with the big increase in the size of the kiwi population present.

Support of targeted weed control at Whangarei Heads is also acknowledged as crucial to maintain the special biodiversity values of the area.

A targeted rate means that those that benefit the most from work being funded pay for it.