Takatu LandCare

25/09/2026

Peter's Work Goes Beyond Predator Control

Like other trappers and Takatu LandCare volunteers, Peter’s commitment goes beyond predator control and when he spends a couple of days a week at Waikauri Bay, he also keeps on top of invasive weeds and nurtures native seedlings for future planting. In the past, he hand-cut tracks, removed bits and pieces of old farm fences and water pipelines and installed signs to help visitors understand what they are looking at.

His original plan was to cut the tracks through the bush to make accessing the trapline easier and enjoyable, but he quickly realised that making the bush more open to the neighbours would get more people on board.

“Most people couldn’t get in there before and most of our residents are gobsmacked at how good it is. The tracks have been pretty special. Showing the residents camera footage of kiwi in our bush, that’s really won them over.”

Peter and his neighbours think the top-ranked PR bird of Aotearoa, kiwi, have been in the bush for about four years.

The first kiwi caught on camera were a pair, digging around for insects. When bach owners saw it they said, ‘WOW’. Kiwi really ignite people.

Peter installed signs along the tracks to identify trees and plants, mainly because it was a bit of fun, but it helps share knowledge with wanderers.

19/09/2026

AT220s: A Game Changer At Waikauri Bay

In 2024, the first automatic traps, AT220s, were installed by volunteers at Waikauri Bay, and there are now 15 installed around the boundaries of the bay to create a buffer zone.

Takatu LandCare volunteer, Peter, says they are fantastic. The manual traps average about three kills per year, whereas the AT220s average about 30 kills per year.

There are cameras on about half to the AT220 traps which helps trapping volunteers learn what is working and what they can change to improve the catch rate. Although the AT220s require minimal maintenance, they are checked every two to four weeks at Waikauri Bay.

Every now and then a rat will get caught in the trap and needs to be pulled out. Plus, volunteers like to check the cameras.

15/09/2026

Meet One of Takatu LandCare's Heroes 🌿

For nearly quarter of a century Peter, Takatu LandCare volunteer, and his neighbours have looked after the regenerating native bush at Waikauri Bay on Tāwharanui Peninsula.

There are three core people and several volunteers and some people work in the bush every day. There’s one person who is constantly removing weeds such as arum lilies.
Initially, the project was driven by another resident, Rosie, but when Peter retired his volunteer contribution really ramped up and trapping mammalian pests has almost become an obsession for him.

Peter is one of Takatu LandCare’s heroes – maintaining traplines, recording catches through CatchIT and thinking strategically.

He loves being in the bush, partly for the exercise, partly wanting to make the bush better and leave a legacy for those who come. It’s already a special bay and that’s why Peter wants to make it even more special.

10/09/2026

Protecting Wilson Scenic Reserve

Recently, Department of Conservation staff visited Wilson Scenic Reserve with Ngaire (Takatu LandCare volunteer), John McIntyre (Takatu LandCare chairperson) and Karen Ward (Takatu LandCare community coordinator) to see how the project is progressing.

The team removed bat-wing passionflower, which is spread by birds and animals that could be carrying it from a patch in Jones Road.

They discussed where to next – what Ngaire would like to see to protect Wilson Scenic Reserve. Giving her a sense of ownership of the project keeps her engaged and she says this is important for volunteers.

Pest control is a priority. The birds have got plenty of bush on Tāwharanui Peninsula, but they need to be safe in that bush. 🐦🌿

04/09/2026

Wilson Scenic Reservce: Ngaire's Happy Place 🌿🌿🌿

Takatu LandCare volunteer, Ngaire, likes the autonomy of trapping at Wilson Scenic Reserve, making decisions about what to use as bait, where to set up traps and when to check the trapline. And, catching plenty of predators keeps her motivated.

To-date she has caught about 750 rats, 60 possums and only a few mustelids.
Wilson Scenic Reserve is Ngaire’s happy place and when she gets to the reserve she says it’s so lovely to walk around and have some trapping wins.

When Ngaire started the predator control contract with Takatu LandCare she started doing bird monitoring at the reserve.

She thought it would prove how marvellous the trapping was, but the numbers haven’t really proved anything, but it’s fun sitting in the bush for 30 minutes counting the birds.

Quantifying results in a short period of time is a challenge faced by all conservation projects. There can be an expectation that birdlife will boom within a few years but it can take decades, sometimes centuries, to quantify significant environmental changes. 🐦 🐦 🐦

02/09/2026

A hidden reserve with an important job.

Along Takatu Road, on the road to Tāwharanui Regional Park, there’s a mystery block of bush – Wilson Scenic Reserve.

From the road one parcel of Wilson Scenic Reserve is obvious, although it's one of those, blink and you miss it, moments; a second and larger block is downhill to the south-east and is less well-known. A sign captures the attention of some motorists and cyclists travelling along the Tāwharanui Peninsula.

The seven-hectare reserve is officially managed by the Department of Conservation (DoC), but a memorandum of understanding between DoC and Takatu LandCare has empowered Ngaire Wallen to look after the remnant bush since 2020.

There are no tracks through the bush and there is no public access. When Takatu LandCare volunteer, Ngaire, started the trap line, she thought the peninsula needed a pest barrier across the peninsula at this point, where it is so narrow.

Takatu LandCare has adopted this idea and is creating a virtual predator fence in the area with intensive trapping in the narrow zone, within which Wilson Scenic Reserve is located.

17/08/2026

Another wetland restoration looking for many community hands coming up this Saturday August 22nd - just outside of Matakana on Leigh rd.

Come and join us if you can - the weathers looking good ☀

Join us to plant 5,500 natives, restoring stream & wetland habitat for fish & other wildlife, including the critically endangered matuku-hūrepo / bittern.

09/08/2026

Kiwi Call count 2026 shows Omaha South have some fabulous new neighbours, 2 kiwi breeding pairs!! No surprise to those residents who have reported hearing them lately, but confirmation of what you are hearing is on this latest report from Dr Virginia Moreno, Ecologist at The Forest Bridge Trust.

Years of consistent trapping throughout the Takatu peninsula and at Omaha have paved the way for this result.

Please pass this information on to all locals and most importantly, to all dog owners, who can help protect the kiwi by taking their dogs to Kiwi Aversion Training. It's free, takes 10 minutes and the next local session is open for bookings now. Sunday August 23rd at 303 Omaha Flats Road.
https://app.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/booking

21/07/2026

More Volunteers needed for FOAM's planting day in Matakana this Sunday.

Nothing better than putting plants in the ground with your community, that benefit all of us and our native species aswell as reducing sediment in the waterways all the way to the Sandspit Harbour. 🌱🌱🌱🪏🪏🪏🌭🌭🌭

Be part of the movement - planting native trees to protect the banks of Matakana River, reducing erosion and sediment to improve water health and biodiversity.

02/06/2026

Forest & Bird Warkworth Talks for Winter 2026.

First one is tomorrow evening, with Anthea Johnson, PhD in Environmental Engineering and great-outdoors enthusiast, who will talk on methods and techniques for bird surveying and identification, such as 5 minute bird counts. Our brief Warkworth Area Branch AGM will precede the talk.

Anthea is chair of the Forest and Bird Taupō branch and will be travelling here especially to present.

All talks will again be at the Oaks Southgate Room, upstairs at the Warkworth Hotel. All are Thursday evenings at 7pm.