3,220

This month, we’re getting to know Dev and Kirstine in our Volunteer Spotlight. Dev and Kirstine have been trapping the St Kilda Expressway with the team for around seven years now. Kirstine shares what keeps them coming back. “We started trapping about seven years ago, before Covid. Dev and I wanted to do some community work, and trapping fitted the bill perfectly. The flexibility worked well around our work and parenting commitments, and our mini schnauzer could come along to ‘help’. She has been our constant companion ever since. Over time, we’ve noticed the ebb and flow of predator catches, but the biggest change has been the amount of birdsong and the number of birds along our trapline, particularly fantails. When we started, we didn’t hear any birdsong, so this has been a wonderful change. One of our most memorable moments was finding our first mustelid in a trap. It was very exciting, and only took six and a half years. We love being able to walk to our trapline, be part of something bigger than ourselves and support our native wildlife. We hope our efforts also help support a corridor for birds from Maungatautari. Along the way, we’ve met, and continue to meet, awesome people who want to be part of this project and help nurture our native species.” Thank you, Dev and Kirstine, for the time and care you put into your trapline, along with the team who manage 18 DOC200’s on the line.

Don’t let Sunday sneak past without popping into our Open Shed Morning. We’re opening the doors at the Aroha Cambridge Base this Sunday, and we’d love to see you. Whether you’re one of our regular volunteers, curious about backyard trapping or simply keen to find out what we do, come down for a chat. Our team will be on hand to share trapping tips, answer questions and talk about our local restoration projects. You can also pick up a T-Rex trap and tunnel to purchase for your own backyard, catch up with fellow volunteers and enjoy a sausage sizzle on us. Where and When - Aroha Cambridge Base, 51 Thornton Road, Cambridge Sunday 18 October -9:30am–12 noon Fancy getting your hands dirty too? Our Weed & Release Party is running at Te Puna Marama Moonspring from 9:00am–10:30am. Join the crew there, then head back to the base for a well-earned sausage and a catch-up. Bring a friend, bring your questions and come meet the people helping care for Cambridge’s local te taiao. We always welcome new faces. RSVP via our website

Our co-chair Peter headed down to Te Puna Marama Moonspring on Friday to test things out ahead of our Weed & Release Party this weekend. With weeds cleared and fresh mulch around the plants, a few more of our seedlings now have some breathing room. His verdict? A bit of hard work, but rewarding to do something practical and positive. We’d love a few more helping hands to join us on Sunday 18 October. Whether you helped with the planting or are coming along for the first time, this is a lovely way to get involved and help our young plants along. Where and When - Te Puna Marama / Moonspring Sunday 18 October - 9:00am–10:30am Bring your gloves, closed shoes, a water bottle and any small gardening hand tools you have. Round up a friend and come along for a morning of weeding, chatting and getting involved with the team. Afterwards, we’ll head to the Aroha Cambridge Base for a sausage sizzle at our open shed morning. A well-earned bite and a chance to catch up after getting our hands dirty. RSVP via our Website, link in our bio arohacambridge events

We like to keep busy and we love bringing our community along with us. So do we have a jam packed morning for you on Sunday 18th October. Join us at our open shed morning and let us answer your burning questions about predator control, volunteering with us, our restoration projects and more. Or head on down to our Te Puna Marama Moonspring as we look to weed and release our plants we planted over winter. Come to one or better yet join us for both. Our Weed and Release team will head down to our Aroha Cambridge Base open morning and share a sausausage sizzle . Whatever your involvement or interest we would love to see you on the day. RSVP via our website so we can plan our morning www.arohacambridge.nz/events Te hono tangata, te whakaora taiao, mō tō tātou anamata

Our September trapping results are in! With another 233 catches this month, we are steadily chugging along, bringing our total for the year to 3,453. Still on track to absolutely smash out our 2025 results. Thank you to all of our supporters and regular volunteers who check our traps and maintain our lines in and around Cambridge, which we all benefit from. Te hono tangata, te whakaora taiao, mō tō tātou anamata

The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum have a jam packed weekend with a series of seminars happening onsite, with speakers covering pest control, bird bahaviour, design processes, soil patterns, and connecting with nature. Make seed bombs in the barn, and clay creations, learn about seed sowing and seedling care. Its a whirl wind of exciting options, over the last weekend of the school holidays, take the kids and enjoy this beautiful sculpture park clsoe to home. Happening Saturday 10th October and Sunday 11th October BOOK IN via their website - https://thesculptureparkatwaitakaruruarboretumartinnaturearboretumtrust.as.me/schedule/b742142c/?categories[]=Seeds%20of%20Renewal%20Event

Workshop full - what a response, Cambridge! We opened up extra spaces for our free kids’ tunnel box workshop, and you snapped those up too! A big thank you to everyone who registered - we’re thrilled to see so many keen kids ready to get hands-on. We can’t wait to have an exciting day. If you’ve RSVP’d, keep an eye on your inbox, closer to the date, we’ll be in touch with all the final details.

Vounteer Spotlight - We're recognising the contribution of long-time volunteer trapper Barry Christiansen. Originally from Taranaki, Barry developed a love of the bush exploring Taranaki Maunga. His conservation journey began in 2006 when he started controlling pests around the Wrights Bush QEII reserve near his Matangi property. Hundreds of possums and thousands of bait blocks later, the five-hectare bush remnant was thriving. Barry also spent eight years monitoring tracking tunnels on Maungatautari and, for the past four years, has helped maintain the trapping line along Soldiers' Track with fellow volunteer and trustee Berty Salmi. The 17-trap line regularly catches three to four rats per check, while possum numbers are now thankfully much lower. One of the highlights for Barry has been seeing native birds such as tūī and riroriro returning to the area. A Forest & Bird member for more than 45 years, his passion for protecting native flora and fauna remains as strong as ever. Barry was heavily involved in guiding us and demonstrating planting during our inaugural planting day at Te Puna Marama back in June this year. Thank you, Barry, for your dedication and the difference you continue to make in our community.