Predator control expert pays it forward by gifting his time

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“The bush has been good to me and my family. This is about giving back, supporting good people who are doing good work, and having a bit of an adventure at the same time.”

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Volunteer Ian ‘Robbo’ Roberts and his mate Lance Johansen play a hugely important role in our ongoing efforts to keep predator numbers down within our Te Hoe inner sanctuary, a 600-hectare swathe of bushland on our property in the Maungataniwha Native Forest.

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This is one of two protected areas at Maungataniwha, the second being centred on our base at Waiau Camp. In both these areas the aim is to keep predator populations as low as possible so we can provide a safe place for indigenous bird species to breed. And so native vegetation can regenerate free of possum damage.

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Robbo and Lance travel into the area for a week every month. They stay in a hut used frequently by a group of palaeontologists; Maungataniwha is where renowned expert Joan Wiffen first discovered evidence of land-dinosaur fossils in New Zealand and remains one of the richest sources of new fossil finds in the country. From here they forge deep into the block by foot or, where possible, on their trusty John Deere side-by-side known fondly as Tumeke.

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They’ve done this with determination and persistence for the past six years – every single month come rain, shine, hail, snow or flood. While here they maintain, replace, clear and re-set an impressive network of 600 traps, a defensive barrier they have expanded to three times the scale it was when they first started their work.

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Target predators for the trapping operation are primarily stoats and rats. Weasel numbers, Robbo explains, are typically kept in check by the stoats but typically rise as stoat numbers decline. The birds we’re aiming to protect include, of course, kiwi but other threatened species too such as kaka and the reclusive Blue Duck, or whio.

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It’s important that Robbo and Lance are out checking the trap lines each and every month. During summer the traps are typically catching juvenile stoats but it’s during winter that they do the most important damage. Because this is when they tend to catch the older, cannier stoats who are, of course, also the breeders.

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Winters at Maungataniwha are typically harsh and unforgiving but the pair suck it up to get the job done.

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"It’s important that the work is done properly, no matter what the conditions are like," Robbo says.

Pigs are a real nuisance when it comes to trapping .

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“We’re forever fixing traps that pigs have munted,” Robbo said. “They seek out the baits, or the dead stoats and rats, and damage or destroy the traps while trying to grab an easy feed.”

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The guys carry rifles while they’re out and need no second invitation to drop pigs whenever they see them.

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Pig damage isn’t the only reason that traps need repair. Some of the older-style wooden traps are placed deep in ravines, gulleys and other parts of the forest that rarely, if ever, see direct sunlight. They rot away over the years and need regular maintenance to remain effective. For this reason Robbo is a fan of newer traps made from metal and composite materials. 

 

Robbo and Lance have hunted together for more than four decades. Both men share a passion for being in the bush. Together they have built an efficient routine, navigating the challenges of the outdoors and enjoying each other's company in the process. Robbo says their shared sense of humour helps keep things light in the often taxing conditions.

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I ask him what motivates him to keep volunteering his time, month after month, to help us keep predator numbers down in our sanctuary areas. He’s silent for a moment as he contemplates his answer. As if he’s never really thought it through rationally.

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“That’s a really simple question but it’s quite a complicated answer,” he says. “It’s a mix of stuff really but I think it boils down to the sense of freedom, adventure and a very clear sense that we’re paying it forward somehow. The bush has been good to us over the years and we feel good about doing something we enjoy doing, which also happens to benefit this beautiful, wild place.”

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I ask about significant moments out there in the bush. He’s quick to mention Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023 and the immense damage this caused in the bush as well in the more built-up parts of Hawke’s Bay.

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“This was a major eye-opener for us. We thought Cyclone Bola was bad but what Gabrielle did to our wild places was truly harrowing. We left Maungataniwha just two days before it hit, and it was eight weeks before we could even think about getting back into the area. The damage it did to the roads, culverts, bridges and our trap-lines was enormous and even now, nearly two years later, we’re struggling to recover.”

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But recover we will. Because the work that Robbo, Lance and others are doing at Maungataniwha is making a difference. Robbo reckons he can see it every time he’s up here. The range and volume of bird-song has increased, the bush is looking healthier, and the place generally has a different, healthier feel to it. It’s a change that he draws great satisfaction from.

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In their quiet, unassuming way, Robbo and Lance are making a significant difference in the conservation of native wildlife, using their lifetime of experience in the bush to ensure that the next generation can enjoy the wonders of the forest.

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Just as they have.