Seven iwi who are battling to save native forests surrounding Rotorua’s lakes from the brink of environmental collapse due to wallaby damage are being given $30,000 by Bay Trust to progress their pest control efforts.

The Te Arawa Wallaby Control Kāhui is an umbrella group whose members are fed up with the lack of government funding and resources available to kill pests, especially wallabies.

A national containment strategy is in place to work on the perimeter of the wallaby infestation and stop any further spread. But an estimated one million wallabies that live in and around Rotorua’s lakes are being left relatively unchecked.

Kāhui Chair Cyrus Hingston says “ground zero” is around lakes Okareka, Okataina, Tarawera, Rotoiti, and the Whakarewarewa Forest.

Wallabies were largely controlled up until the late 1990s but when 1080 poison became too controversial to use, the population quickly took hold in the Bay of Plenty with devastating consequences.

Kahu holding Wallaby. Photo supplied.

“Deer and pigs eat all the big stuff in the forest to a certain height, and then possums, rats and stoats do what they do. Wallabies basically mow down everything that’s rejuvenating.

“So there’s no rejuvenation in the forest and in some places it is close to environmental collapse.

“We’ve lost a lot of the birdlife, and when you walk through those areas you can see through the forest because there’s little understory left.

“With the forest being eaten away, we are also seeing more slips happening with the increased rainfall. And that then affects the water quality of the lakes so there’s a huge knock on effect.”

Cyrus says the situation is particularly galling for iwi who have previously gifted land to the Crown for scenic reserves around the lakes, yet the government cannot protect that land and carry out effective pest control themselves.

“DOC don’t have the resources to address the issue. We want to be part of the solution, which is why we’ve set up our own pest control programme.

The pest control team on the Whakapoungakau Block. Photo supplied.

Our area is supposed to be this jewel of New Zealand’s tourism crown. But our forests are being eaten to death.

“We’re waging the war and trying to keep control of these pest numbers to protect our forests.

“We can’t just throw our hands in the air and say it’s all too hard. You’ve just got to get out there and do something before it’s too late.”

BayTrust has granted $30,000 towards operational costs for the Te Arawa Kahui’s pest control team this year. The money will go towards wages and to buy equipment.

“This grant is very welcome. It helps us buy more traps, bait, trail cameras, firearms, GPS locators… basically the equipment necessary to do the job effectively.

“Any funding we get, we are most grateful for. The amount of work, effort and community support we have received to get the team trained up to where they are now in such a short time has been amazing.

Wallaby pit traps designed and made by the pest control team. Photo supplied.

“We will do whatever it takes to find ways to continue this important work.”

BayTrust CEO Alastair Rhodes says kaitiakitanga of the Bay of Plenty’s natural resources is a key funding priority and the commitment from local iwi to step in and try to control the wallaby population was admirable.

“It is devasting to realise this beautiful natural habitat is being destroyed simply because there isn’t enough money and pest control resources to go around. 

“Te Arawa Wallaby Control Kāhui have trained their team from scratch and built their own capability in this space, and BayTrust is very pleased to financially support their efforts.”