Has anyone heard about the latest plans within DOC called "species optimisation". I have heard some rumours about it. I understand that it is likely to result in major funding cuts to the successful whole ecosystem pest protection work that has been done by regular aerial 1080 treatments of many West Coast forests. Much of this work has been sustained by DOC for the last 20-30 years and has generally achieved stunning conservation results. (see www.1080facts.co.nz).
The aerial 1080 money is likely to be diverted to pet species projects (mostly birds) elsewhere in the South Island, particularly those that lend themselves to provide plenty of photo opportunities and feel good PR. Brace yourself for lots of photos of politicians cuddling birds!
Apparently the "cute bird focused brigade" are keen to get their hands on the substantial DOC funding committed over the last 20 years to maintaining regular aerial 1080 treatment on hundreds of thousands of hectares of pristine West Coast native forest, particularly in South Westland. These programmes have been extraordinarily cost effective, averaging about $5-$7 per hectare per year, to achieve ongoing integrated pest management . The precise cost depends on the frequency of the 1080 treatment. This cost is a small fraction of the cost of labour intensive ground trapping but has shown outstanding results. The consensus amongst virtually all DOC conservation scientists is that aerial 1080 operations are by far the most effective tool that we have to restore and maintain healthy natural ecosystems on mainland NZ against pest and predator attacks.
This West Coast "whole ecosystem" approach has yielded a great range of both intended and unintended conservation gains. Wineberry, cedar, fuchsia, Pseudopanax species, mistletoe, broadleaf, insects, snails and a full range of native birds have all benefitted from this ecosystem approach.
*Mohua/yellowhead, Halls totara and NZ cedar in the Landsborough Valley have shown great recovery because of the regular aerial 1080 programme here over the last 15 years, originally started primarily to save mistletoe and fuchsia forests.
*Great Spotted Kiwi,kaka, weka and NZ robin have all benefitted from the 1080 programme in the Otira Valley over the last 46 years, designed originally to save the southern rata forest in this valley.
The species optimisation brigade can be guaranteed to focus on their favoured individual bird species, avoid aerial 1080 programmes because they might upset some people and instead squander the funding on futile stoat trapping. They will also adopt very expensive, highly interventionist and very labour intensive approaches. This involves lots of handling of birds, artificial rearing of that species and ends up usually with the birds being transferred to an offshore island. They tend to forget that birds also need natural habitat to have a future and that New Zealanders want to save forests and whole ecosystems on the mainland and not just cute birds.
Rata, NZ cedar, tree fuchsia, Halls totara and wineberry may not in themselves be endangered species. They are, however, threatened by possums. These trees are vital species for bird food and they are excellent indicators of forest ecosystem health.
Is anyone else concerned about this "species optimisation approach" or can anyone who knows better perhaps within DOC explain the logic of it to readers?