tribune - beech mast article

1
stuff.co.nz + EilVTROilMENT APRIL 6, 2016, THE TRTBUI{E 7 Stoats, by Iar our worst predator,ldll an average oI 4O IYortfi Isla$dbrown Idrf,t dric*s a day. predators will turn their attention to bird eggs, nesUings, native bats and snails. Among the species put at risk arekiwi, t6kahe, kdkd, kea, whio @lue duck), mOhua (yellowhead), k6klriki (native parakeet) and pekapeka (native bats). Stoats, by far our worst predator, kill an average of40 North Islandbrown kiwi chicks a day, equivalent to 60 per cent of the annual brood. Making the situation still more critical, 2015 will be the second beechmastyear inarow. In response to the 2014 mast yeartheDeparhnent of Conservation @OC) launched its "Battle for the Birds", which saw and lntroduced birds. rat numbers crashing at most sites and averted a plague of stoats. However, Forest & Bird is concerned that funding for a second "battle" will not be available this year. Kevin Hackwell, Forest & Bird group manager for campaigns and advocacy, wiJl be talking about the tlreat posed to our native species by these two PHOTO: NGA IVANU NATURE RESERVE/SUPPl IED successive beech mast years at the monthly Forest & Bird meeting on Tiresday, April 12. All are welcome tohear Kevin's talk in City Library at 7.30pm. Rats feedlng on eggs in the nest of a song thrush. Rats are skllled tree cllmbers and do not discrlmlnate between natlve Plenty poses forest pest plague Masting in our beech forests, which produces a bounty that once sustained our native species, now threatens their existence. Conservationists are bracing themselves for exploding populations ofrats and stoats this year. Responsible for this menace is an exceptionally plentifi.rl supply of seeds in New Zealand's beech forests during the autumn. In a process known as "masting", some 50 million beech seeds will fall per hectare. For each hectare that's about 250 kilograms of seeds. At one time, the super- abundant seed would have nourished kakapo and other native species, encouraging them to breed. But with those species on the brink of extinction, it's rats and mice that feast on the bounty instead, leading to dramatic population rises. . Afemale rat reaches sexual maturity atfive weeks of age and can produce ten offspring every eight weeks-that's a lot of rats! AII these rats andmice mean a feast for stoats. Their numbers explode as well. Next spring the beech seed will rot or germinate, making it useless as a food source. Ttreatened with famine, q $l **,' I ry; CONSERVATION

Upload: fb-manawatu

Post on 01-Aug-2016

222 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

 

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Tribune - Beech Mast article

stuff.co.nz

+

EilVTROilMENT APRIL 6, 2016, THE TRTBUI{E 7

Stoats, by Iar ourworst predator,ldllan average oI 4OIYortfi Isla$dbrownIdrf,t dric*s a day.

predators will turn their attentionto bird eggs, nesUings, native batsand snails.

Among the species put at riskarekiwi, t6kahe, kdkd, kea, whio@lue duck), mOhua (yellowhead),k6klriki (native parakeet) andpekapeka (native bats).

Stoats, by far our worstpredator, kill an average of40North Islandbrown kiwi chicks aday, equivalent to 60 per cent ofthe annual brood.

Making the situation still morecritical, 2015 will be the secondbeechmastyear inarow.

In response to the 2014 mastyeartheDeparhnent ofConservation @OC) launched its"Battle for the Birds", which saw

and lntroduced birds.

rat numbers crashing at mostsites and averted a plague ofstoats.

However, Forest & Bird isconcerned that funding for asecond "battle" will not be

available this year.Kevin Hackwell, Forest & Bird

group manager for campaignsand advocacy, wiJl be talkingabout the tlreat posed to ournative species by these two

PHOTO: NGA IVANU NATURE RESERVE/SUPPl IED

successive beech mast years atthe monthly Forest & Birdmeeting on Tiresday, April 12.

All are welcome tohearKevin's talk in City Library at7.30pm.

Rats feedlng on eggs in the nest of a song thrush. Rats are skllled tree cllmbers and do not discrlmlnate between natlve

Plenty poses forest pest plagueMasting in our beech forests, which producesa bounty that once sustained our nativespecies, now threatens their existence.

Conservationists are bracingthemselves for explodingpopulations ofrats and stoats thisyear.

Responsible for this menace isan exceptionally plentifi.rl supplyof seeds in New Zealand's beechforests during the autumn.

In a process known as"masting", some 50 million beechseeds will fall per hectare. Foreach hectare that's about 250kilograms of seeds.

At one time, the super-abundant seed would havenourished kakapo and othernative species, encouraging themto breed.

But with those species on thebrink of extinction, it's rats andmice that feast on the bountyinstead, leading to dramaticpopulation rises. .

Afemale rat reaches sexualmaturity atfive weeks of age andcan produce ten offspring everyeight weeks-that's a lot of rats!

AII these rats andmice mean afeast for stoats. Their numbersexplode as well.

Next spring the beech seedwill rot or germinate, making ituseless as a food source.Ttreatened with famine,

q $l **,'I ry;

CONSERVATION