“So we are focusing on what we can pay for.
“If trapping had to pause, pest numbers would recover and eventually this would result in decreases in native species.”
Year-round trapping has played a critical role in reversing the decline of North Island brown kiwi in Puketī since 2003. Forest bird numbers have approximately doubled and species such as the North Island robin have been reintroduced.
“It also supports plant species palatable to rats and possums, allowing them to grow, and more importantly, produce fruit and seeds for native species to eat and disperse, assisting with forest regeneration and species dispersal.”
He said the trust is run by volunteers and that every dollar raised goes directly to paying contractors to service traps and carry out pest control.
The trust is now looking to its annual Kauri Challenge to help bridge the funding gap.
The event offers walkers the opportunity to cross the forests from east to west, with 12km and 21km options. Participants begin at Puketī Forest headquarters or are transported part-way before descending the Pukatea Track to the Waipapa River and finishing at the Forest Pools.
Support is provided by Northland Land Search and Rescue and the Bay of Islands 4X4 Club.
Bramley said they are hoping to raise up to $10,000 from the challenge, set to be held on April 4.
“We’re hoping to raise $8-$10k, which is a reasonably small amount of our annual operating budget, but the challenge is a good way to connect with people, let them explore part of the forest that is normally hard to access and raise the trust profile, as well as bring in funds.
“Community support is especially important because everybody is feeling the increases in the cost of living and our other funding sources, including donations, are down, so the more people supporting the trust, the better chance we have of securing funding from elsewhere via one of our applications.”
With a largely new board of trustees and renewed enthusiasm following the completion of the Jobs for Nature contracts, Bramley said building community funds was critical.
Cherry Beaver, who has been volunteering for about 20 years, said it was rewarding work and she encourages others to help out.
“Puketī isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s rugged, it’s big, and some days you really feel it in your legs, but it’s also incredibly beautiful ... You don’t stay that long unless you really love the place.”
She said there was something special about knowing you were helping to protect the forest and walking through parts of it most people never see.
“Most of our volunteers are retired and they’re fantastic, but even they can only do half days. It shows how much dedication there is.
“It costs a lot of money to protect Puketī. It’s a huge area and the pest control has to be done properly and consistently. If trapping stops, pest numbers recover. It doesn’t take long for the gains to be undone.”
Locals can support the trust by participating in the challenge, volunteering to help service accessible traplines or donating through its Givealittle page or directly on their website, www.Puketī.org.nz.
