Waipoua Forest Trust calls for online donations

Waipoua Forest Trust worker, Jordyn Paniora and four legged conservation worker, Leroy. Mr Paniora is banding a kiwi.

With spring just around the corner the Waipoua Forest Trust is tallying up what it needs for effective pest management.

As other cash-strapped environmental organisations have done, the trust is looking to crowdfunding.

General manager Courtney Davis said the trust hoped to raise $6000 through a Pledgeme campaign: "However this is only a portion of what we require to undertake effective pest and management on our lands this year."

The Waipoua Forest Trust cares for 260ha of land on the northern and southern catchments of the Waipoua Forest, bordering and bolstering the Department of Conservation estate.

"Our Millennium Kauri Forest is 155ha and we are looking to canvas this with rat bait stations. As well as this, we require money for the weed eradication work that will commence in this forest in spring," Ms Davis said.

"We currently have trap lines on our land that are serviced by Kaitiaki Kiwi. We are hoping to develop more extensive trap lines with any funding we receive as we are very serious in working towards becoming predator free.

"This is the first time we have used Pledgeme as a platform as we are trying to engage with a wider audience about the important mahi we are doing here."

The work is done by a small dedicated group of staff and volunteers, but the trust says engaging with the community is essential to its success, both through education and practical work.

That education includes schooling workers and volunteers on the trust's Health and Safety plan and efforts to stop the spread of kauri dieback disease (PTA).

"We have just been donated two GPS units, two Personal Locator Beacons and personal first aid kits from Pub Charity, which means we can ensure our volunteers are safe while entering the forest and undertaking volunteer work for us," Ms Davis said.

"We also brief all volunteers on PTA protocols and ensure that anyone entering and leaving the forest uses the wash station we have situated at Headquarters."

The main trapping season, setting bait stations and weed work starts in September.

"In October, trap lines increase from monthly to fortnightly. Everything basically ramps up from the beginning of September.

''We are trying to raise money now as this is a quieter period but the trapping doesn't stop through winter."

In May, the national-focused Native Forest Restoration Trust secured a piece of nearby natural heritage using online crowdfunding.

It raised $185,000 to buy 112ha of native forest in the Wekaweka Valley.

The more localised Waipoua Forest Trust's online Pledgeme campaign offers rewards to the donors, such as native plant seeds and art supplied by sponsors.

https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/5271-waipoua-forest-trust-spring-pest-purge