Helping Hands Protect Haakarimata’s Forest

Two new traplines now stand guard in the Haakarimatas, shielding an extra 20 hectares of native forest from introduced pests. Funding for these traps came generously from Transpower, with the Haakarimata Restoration Group leading their setup.

a male Miromiro (Tomtit) on Haakarimata (image credit: Kylie, Nature & Nosh Tours

The importance of predator control was driven home by an exciting find. On the same sunny March weekend, members of the group conducting bird surveys detected a pair of miromiro (tomtit) in the reserve. Miromiro are occasionally heard in the area, but almost all are male and this is the first recorded pair in a number of years. Female miromiro, while incubating eggs, are particularly vulnerable to rat predation.

The newly deployed traps have proven extremely effective against both rats and possums, but they’re not exactly light when it comes to lugging them up steep hills. To accomplish the task, members of the Restoration Group were joined by volunteers from the LDS service group, plus two unexpected (but much appreciated) helpers: adventurers walking Te Araroa, the 3,000-kilometre trail stretching the length of Aotearoa.

Catherine and Lauren, visiting from Norfolk Island, had just completed their trek along the Haakarimata Walkway ridge and were staying in Ngaaruawaahia. On hearing about the planned workday, they quickly offered to help—after 36 days of walking with a heavy pack, why not take a ‘morning off’ to carry more gear uphill! Their strength and smiles set the tone for the day, and group members loved hearing their perspective on this special place. As they moved through, the walkers left their own mark on Haakarimata, helping to protect it for future generations—of travellers, locals, and tomtits alike.

Many hands make light work, even if some of the 'hands' need to be carried.