Course sparks important kōrero

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Last week, 14 senior secondary students (13 from Collingwood Area School and one from Motueka High School) participated in a Papa Taiao Earthcare’s Predator Control course.

At Farewell Spit’s Te Whare Whakatā, students spent the morning learning about different traps used in predator control. In the afternoon, they removed hedgehogs, rats, and stoats from DOC200 traplines around Triangle Flat. One of the lines is managed by Collingwood Area School, who regularly check and re-bait the traps.

A highlight was testing the pig trap, put out by Pest Free Onetahua that day. The tests involved running full force into the sides to see how strong it was. The trap can hold up to 13 pigs, so it can take a pretty decent beating! No teenagers or nets were harmed.

The group was up at sunrise to find one possum in the legholds trap they set the night before. Legholds made for a good discussion on the ethics of trapping (they catch possums live, still the most effective trap for possums). This kōrero is vital for ensuring everyone understands that trapping is not about taking pleasure in the killing or catching of animals.

On the Victor trapline, they caught three mice. The trap boxes were hauled up the hill to replace old broken traps around the predator-free fence at Cape Farewell. Up on the cliffs, everyone learned about the fluttering shearwaters that have been translocated from the Marlborough Sounds, many of whom have fledged. The kōrero highlighted the importance of pest control as a valuable means to protect Aotearoa’s precious biodiversity.

Papa Taiao Earthcare is a regenerative enterprise training organisation, whose general manager Miriam Sherratt grew up in the Bay and has recently moved home. She is keen to get more courses up and running in the area, especially in freshwater, regenerative agriculture and moana restoration. A beekeeping course is planned for 5-6 April with Collingwood Area School. To find out more check out the website www. papataiaoearthcare.nz .