Thread: Somethings to just have a look through..

We fenced and planted all our streams. Waterway has changed significantly. It has gone from low poorly formed banks with silt/mud bottom.and a lot of water cress to firm steep banks, stone bottom and faster shallow running water. Have.seen an increase in pukes but it has not resulted in ideal duck habitat. I would suspect numbers are actually now lower on the property.
Theres a lot of research required and it is not as simple as fencing and planting. It needs to be strategice development of habitat and predator control fornitnto actually have the desired effect.
The other downside is that there are now no eels in the creeks. I do however see young trout from time to time but they were also present previous to planting.

Should add i see the current research as a move in the right dorection to have informed development moving forward

Good points DS, well done on your conservation efforts, hope they pay off for you in the future, keeping it in your own hands is a great step forward.....

Originally Posted by Happy

I actually started the thread as a demonstration that our fees in Waikato were being put to some use.

It is actually our Southland licence fees that I have been paying for the last 26 years that have helped build up Southland Fish and Game reserves which are being put to some use not your Waikato fees!!!! it is only staff time which would be being used anyway that Waikato is contributing!!!

There is one person behind giving away Southlands money, the same person who is going to stop us using lead!!! his days are numbered!!!

Errr huntfishsouth, its not "your" money, the funding is centralised and contested for, so its possible that license sales from larger regions than Southland are actually 'subsidising' your region.

Originally Posted by huntfishsouth

There is one person behind giving away Southlands money, the same person who is going to stop us using lead!!! his days are numbered!!!

Naturally you are talking about a change of gaurd at the next election.

Originally Posted by Snuffit

Errr huntfishsouth, its not "your" money, the funding is centralised and contested for, so its possible that license sales from larger regions than Southland are actually 'subsidising' your region.

I was led to believe it is actually money not contributed to the central fund (that should have been), so wasn't up for contesting, which "erked" a few regions. Either way I want it used for research not to prove an ancient interaction between natural predators and prey.

Originally Posted by Tim Allen

I wasn't expecting you to feel the need to be defencive. My post casting the assertion you were speaking out of self interest was only to draw attention to your comment suggesting other councillors tried to address a very real concern purely to garner votes.You seem aware there is material supporting restrictions so likely know it was less than vote buying and not contrived from the dark ages?

Back on topic, it's great to see predator control gaining some spotlight. Have you or anyone you know had much to do with those gas cannister traps?

You must have missed the part where they admitted they had no evidence to support such a restriction. I would be very cautious about using evidence from North American mallard population with a huge migratory element to it. Once again, it's hardly informed decision making.

i think the main problem with predation now is the fact, here anyway. is that on doc and other public areas we are restricted on what we can do or use.
sure we can crank pests as we see them but in a couple of areas with every tom dick and bloody harry wandering about,trapping is a box only or head trap option.even then the chance of them bieng interfered with is a constant.