Working with continual threats

Rainbow Skink

There always seems to be some threat to our restoration programme in an urban location. There is the perennial rat and possum invasion to control. Now we have Rainbow skinks, an invasive species from Australia that is common in some areas of Hamilton and is being easily spread. One of our team members purchased to load of firewood and found one among the wood. The Rainbows are prolific breeders out breeding our native Copper Skinks.   

Giant Willow Apids

Then there is the Giant Willow aphid which arrived a couple of years ago, which in its self does not attack our native trees but in our gully produce so much honey dew that the understory of natives got covered in black mould  cutting off, or heavily restricting, the understory plants ability to photosynthesise. We are poisoning the willows but that is a big job that we cannot do all at once. 

 Myrtle Rust

Now it looks as though we will have to contend with Myrtle Rust in the near future.