CONSERVATION

Island Hills Station includes a vast nature park of mountain, shrub and forest covering 3,300ha under non-grazing covenant, which includes a 600-hectare QE II Open Space Covenant, the largest of its type in the Canterbury district. This area is known as the Mandamus Reserve. To protect the trees and shrubs, introduced possums, deer and pigs must be minimised.

New Zealand’s unique native birds are vulnerable to attack from introduced predators such as wasps, stoats and rats which need regular removal. Even pest animals deserve a humane death so “instant kill” traps and fast acting bait stations are used. Invasive weeds such as gorse, broom and wilding conifers are also on the target list. The downside to pest and weed control is that it requires a lot of traps, baits, spray, monitoring and labour to make it all work.

All money raised from Solar Power NZ Skedaddle goes towards conservation efforts within the Mandamus Reserve. The goal is to improve and enhance the native biodiversity of the 3,200 ha nature park and ultimately, reintroduce Great Spotted Kiwi in collaboration with Save the Kiwi.

The success of a six year volunteer predator control programme and ever increasing sponsored trap numbers has provided anecdotal evidence of decreasing pest numbers and an increase in bird life, for example the now numerous South Island Robin.

The Mandamus Reserve Charitable Trust is now in a position where data is required to provide hard evidence of predator reduction and increasing bird numbers. To do so, the Trust needs to invest in monitoring expertise and equipment. Bird count data collection requires professional contractors and pest data needs to be collected using expensive trail cameras. Funds from this year’s event will be used to contract bird counting specialists and purchase trail cameras.

You can make a donation in addition to your race entry fee or you can make a $20 contribution at any time via the link below.

If you are feeling extra generous then you can donate a Stoat or Ferret Trap, which will include your name.