TVone news, tonight - www.tvone.co.nz -, presented a story that (apparently) proved the deadly pesticide 1080 causes a New Zealand native vine, Rata, to flower. This was propaganda at its best! What a load of non-sense! Firstly, the area that was shown - on the side of the road - did not require aerial 1080 poison! It could have been managed in a way that doesn't destroy the native wildlife - namely, man on the ground, trapping. Secondly, there is no evidence 1080 helps Rata, in any way. Possum control may, but that does not mean aerial 1080 is the method. Steve Graf has just filmed a great display of Rata in the Te Urewra National Park. Guess what? It's never had 1080 anywhere near the area he filmed. And, to add - there are certainly possums present. He also filmed Mistletoe, another possum favourite - and a reason for the use of aerial 1080, according to DoC - in perfect flower. Steve also has photos, from a book, that shows magnificent Rata flowering in the Otira region - in the 1960's - when there were plenty of possums!
So what's happening, why are DoC so desperate to deceive the public? It's simple really - the government owns the factory that imports 1080. It is set in stone, the 1080 policy - that any government funded study on 1080 must show benefit. Of course, not one ever has. Expect this non-sense from DoC to continue, as long as they remain a bureaucracy, and the 1080 factory remains in governemnet hands.
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ReplyDeletecan you reference the Landcare study that shows tripling of rat densities as a result of 1080 treatment?
ReplyDeleteThis blog is for fact, and comment - not advertising. All references to links, without genuine comments, will be removed. If you disagree - I suggest you form your own blog.
ReplyDeletedo you really give a rats arse for rata, or mistletoe?
ReplyDeleteFor reference to the rat study, please watch Poisoning Paradise. It can be viewed, free, at www.ziln.co.nz thanks.
ReplyDeletevery lazy Clyde!
ReplyDeletewe all know that opossums destroy forests, native bird chicks, rata, mistletoe....and your PP movie with the American guy who thinks that our native birds aren't being predated by rats is full of shit!
Predators, especially rats, alter ecosystem processes and cause population reductions or extinctions of native animals and plants.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX4aZJQjDos
ReplyDeletePossums and rats eat the eggs of native birds, attack their young and cause significant damage to native trees. In
ReplyDeletethe absence of natural predators, possums and rats (as well as stoats and ferrets) have flourished and caused a
great deal of damage to native animals and birds, and to the native forest environment.
The Department of Conservation uses a combination of ground control methods and aerial application of 1080 to
improve the health of forest ecosystems by reducing the impact of browsing, competition and predation by possums
and rats, and protect threatened species from other pests through targeted by-kill.2
The Department’s total area under sustained management is about 1 million hectares. In 2008 approximately
260,000 hectares of this area was covered by animal pest control operations. Of this area approximately 133,000
hectares (51 percent) was treated using aerial application methods.
Critique Paper of Graf DVD from
ReplyDeletematerial provided by DoC
Comprises compilation of responses from
DoC Scientists and staff
Received and reviewed by EW 16 December
2009
This DoC report will be posted on this site, on Monday. Thanks, Clyde Graf.
ReplyDeleteClyde's rave at the top of the page misses the point that within living memory the rata forest in the Upper Arahura Valley bloomed magnificently even as the place became lousy with possums during the 1950s. Nowadays that rata forest has been reduced to sad little pockets of red and the rest is dead. The adjacent Otira forest is in magnificent health and the rata continues to bloom there because the possums are suppressed every three to five years using 1080. Fuchsia trees are also a major part of the Otira Forest, but they are missing from the Upper Arahura because possums have destroyed them. Fuchsia, like rata, are a vital fuel source for birds.
ReplyDeleteClyde, the roadside along the highway is ground controled at Otira.
Ian Gill (DOC)
Great, Ian, that the roadside is ground controlled, and so should the rest! Steve has just been filming magnificent Rata in the Te Urewera National Park, including Fuscia, and Mistletoe. All in great health. Guess what? There has never been 1080 used anywhere near these areas. There are a few possums, a few deer, a few rats, a few mustalids. We are advocating ground control, and non secondary poisons, for all of New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for signing as DoC, appreciated. Clyde Graf.
Clyde, are you saying that possum control isn't actually needed in Otira because you personally don't perceive any problem in a forest hundreds of kilometres away in a different island?
ReplyDeleteIan Gill (DOC)
No, Ian. We are advocating ground control where ever DoC, AHB or whoever, deems it is needed. Clyde Graf.
ReplyDeleteThen what's with the rave at the top of the page and the comparison to DOC's trapping programme in Te Urewra National Park. Possums are controlled to acceptable levels in both areas. Rata is under protection in both places. The tool differs and the outcome is the same. At Otira the rata is protected using 1080, it blooms as a consequence of protection starting in 1960s. In Te Urewra National Park the rata blooms because DOC controls possums with a large-scale trapping programme. Reason to celebrate at both places I would have thought.
ReplyDeleteIan Gill (DOC)
Stop the press!!
ReplyDeleteRing Ian Gill for your Rata updates, one Island uses chemical free and achieves acceptable results, the other island uses chemicals to make their Rata trees flower and they have no hair and they are sterile. Ahhh which option would you choose folks!
What a load of nonsense. How about producing some evidence to show that sterility and baldness are different at both locations?
ReplyDeleteIt's not nonsense you said yourself that possums are controlled to acceptable levels in both areas using different techniques, I bet if we did a public poll on which would be the most accepted an overwhelming majority would pick trapping as opposed to 1080.
ReplyDeleteYou were the one making a silly reference to sterility and baldness as if there was a difference between the two areas. Your poll would need to explain to the public that ditching 1080 would mean a serious reduction in what could be protected.
ReplyDeleteDoC is facing $54m budget cuts, how are you going to manage this reduction which will affect pest control spend significantly. Start thinking of the alternatives now.
ReplyDelete