Call for full-time staff at Bushy Park

MAYBE: Bushy Park volunteer co-ordinator Mandy Brooke (left) and chairwoman Liz Tennet hear the councillors' answer.PHOTO/ STUART MUNRO 161214WCSM-HORIZONS3

Wanganui's Bushy Park Sanctuary needs paid full-time staff, its trust chairwoman Liz Tennet says.

In November, rats were found inside the predator fence erected to protect endangered birds in the 100ha forest sanctuary. The trust mobilised volunteers to help get rid of them.

Ms Tennet went to Horizons Regional Council for funding last Tuesday. She wanted a total of $81,800 to employ a full-time staff member or contractors.

A similar conservation trust in Taranaki had three full-time staff. "Rotokare is funded through district and regional councils, and it also got oil money.

"We are actually further advanced. We've had the fence for eight years and we've got no paid staff. We think we're the only sanctuary in New Zealand with no paid staff, and it just can't continue."

The councillors suggested the trust make its request a submission to their long-term plan. They are to visit the sanctuary in February.

Ms Tennet said the sanctuary also needed an electric wire above its predator fence, because that would let staff know immediately if a tree or branch fell on it, letting rodents climb in. And the trust is also discussing whether having the Bushy Park Homestead inside the fence increases the likelihood of rodents getting into the forest.

"We could move the predator fence to exclude the homestead. That's being discussed."

Wanganui bird specialist Dr Mike Dickison helped out at the sanctuary last weekend. He said there were a lot of rats in two areas, and mice throughout.

The rats were being successfully poisoned by volunteers, and it was still unclear how they got in. Ms Tennet said mice were harder to remove, not a big problem and the poisoning was killing some of them as well.

Without mice, the reserve could host endangered reptiles and insects, and Dr Dickison said the insects eaten by mice were also important as food for birds.

But Ms Tennet said the birds introduced to the sanctuary had thrived despite the mice. It also had rare gold striped geckos and snails, both species mice would prey on.

She was thrilled with the way volunteers had responded to the rat crisis, and said more would be needed after Christmas - ring Mrs Brooke on 347 7398.