Welcome to the Friends of Flora (FoF) newsletter for Feb/March 2007. As well as the usual news of our efforts to restore the birdsong to the Flora we have attached a survey form and ask readers to take the time to complete it. Dr Robert Ewers explains....

Dear Volunteer, The Friends of Flora committee has agreed to participate in a study by Cambridge University and Waikato Institute of Technology. We are surveying New Zealanders to better understand how they value and use New Zealand's natural environments. Please take the time to print the attached pdf, read the two-sentence statement, and fill in the one-page survey and send it back to the FoF Secretary either by post or in person. The survey is anonymous, short and the whole process should only take 15 minutes. Unfortunately it was not possible to devise a survey form that could be operated electronically, given the considerable variation in the software available to home computer users. Consequently, we are asking you to print and post a hard copy. I appreciate the extra effort this will take, but hope that you are able to take the time to help us better understand the connection between people and nature. Many thanks for your help in this project. Dr. Robert Ewers, Conservation Science Group, University of Cambridge, UK.

More on this survey in a coming newsletter.

To open the survey in a new window click here.
When completed, please post to Maryann Ewers, 35 School Rd, RD 3 Motueka, 7198

Keeping track. FoF treasurer Bill Rooke reports on our new tracking tunnel project: Some FoF-ers are currently in the process setting out tracking tunnel lines. These tunnels are used to monitor small mammal abundance in a given area. The run through tunnels are baited with fresh meat and left for three nights. Two pieces of paper are placed either side of a sponge soaked with food colouring. As an animal passes through the tunnel it picks up the colouring and departs, leaving a set of prints. The information gained will be useful in assessing our trapping progress and could lead to a good case for the reintroduction of kiwi and other species back into the Flora. Five lines are being placed by FoF and five by DoC. The lines cover a good variety of habitat and are placed close to our current trapping lines. They should all be in place as you read this.

Stay safe The bush can be a dangerous place, and bush at altitude, as we have in the Flora, can be doubly dangerous. So don't take risks. Always take warm waterproof and windproof clothing, no matter what time of year, or how brilliant the morning is. Follow your team leader's instructions and make sure someone at home knows where you are and when you intend to be back. Now we have an intentions book back in the carpark kiosk, each party should fill that in. DoC kindly lend us handheld radios for each monitoring, so use them to keep in touch if your team splits up and to contact other FoF teams in the vicinity. Dead pests can carry disease, so wash up well or use hand sanitiser before tucking into smoko. That's the end of the lecture! Have fun!

Flora stoat free (nearly). The pest kills for January/February 2007 were:
Stoats - 20 Jan/11 Feb (total 381 since February 2002)
Rats - 30/31 (total 1220)
Mice - 17/13 (total 775)
Possums - 17/14 (total 266 since June 2004).

...and no addition to the score for miscellaneous pests such as weasels, ferrets or cats. The good news is that only one stoat has been trapped between the carpark and Gridiron shelter over the past three months. While stoats are being caught along the Graham Valley Rd and on the fringes of the monitoring area, the middle section (approx 7km) along the Flora Stream is tantalisingly close to being clear of these dangerous pests. Can we keep it that way?

More good news is that, while there has been an explosion of rat and stoat numbers elsewhere in the country after this beech masting year, the Flora escaped the expected influx of pests.

And as a parting note, here's one of the Flora weka, apparently confused about his whereabouts.

That's all our news till next month. Remember, monitoring weekends are the last two weekends each month

Ivan Rogers FoF Committee