The Forest Bridge Trust

Thanks to everyone who made it to the Tomarata Northern Trappers BBQ What an incredible turnout from the northeast Rodney community! This event was all about connecting locals with the amazing conservation projects in the area and helping them upskill their trapping practices and to use theTrap.NZ App to record catches. A massive thank you to all the speakers who’ve poured years of passion—both paid and volunteer—into protecting their communities. These everyday heroes are the backbone of conservation efforts across NZ. Speakers included: Alex Flavell-Johnson – Conservation Coast NZ / Tara Iti / Shorebirds Trust Fliss Taylor – Logues Bush Roger Farr – Flexman Reserve Max Kidd – Te Arai Reserve Frankie Hofland – Pakiri Landcare Pat McDonald – NaturesVision Katie Forno – Kaipara Moana Remediation Field Advisor (Fencing & Planting) If you’d like to get involved in any of these projects—or if you’re a landowner living between them and interested in creating trapping halos to restore native habitats for our birds—please reach out to karen@theforestbridgetrust.org.nz. Together, let’s build a better environment and make a lasting impact! Kaipara Moana Remediation #auckland #rurallife #predatorfree2050 #pestfreenz #communityconservation #newzealandlife #newzealandwildlife

Book your dog in for a Kiwi Avoidance Training Session - Help Protect Our Growing Kiwi Population in Rodney / Kaipara. With the local kiwi population growing now’s the time to help keep vulnerable chicks safe! If you live near a known kiwi area, you can make a real difference as a dog owner by attending one of our Kiwi Avoidance Training (KAT) sessions. Our KAT trainer will guide you and your dog through a 15-minute session. Using an e-collar, your dog will learn to associate the strong scent of kiwi with avoidance. While this training is a valuable tool, it’s not a silver bullet—we still recommend keeping dogs on leads in areas where kiwi are known to live. Upcoming KAT Sessions: Saturday 2nd November – Streamlands, 903 West Coast Road Sunday 3rd November – Matakana Country Park Saturday 7th December – Morris & James Pottery, Tongue Farm Road Sunday 8th December – Matakana Country Park Book your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gnFBkJNi Or email us at KAT@theforestbridgetrust.org.nz Let’s work together to protect our precious kiwi and give the next generation the best chance to thrive! . . #Kiwibirds #kiwi #nzdogs #protectingwildlife #newzealand #Auckland #nzbirds #doglovers

Northland Kiwi Hui: Resilience through Connection Michelle, Charlie, and Virginia from The Forest Bridge Trust recently attended the Northland Kiwi Hui in Kaikohe, which focused on the theme Resilience through Connection. The hui offered valuable insights into how working together and sharing knowledge can strengthen Kiwi conservation efforts in the face of ongoing challenges. One key discussion was around the potential impact of H5N1 (Bird Flu) on Kiwi populations. Fortunately, it seems that the virus mainly affects birds living in large colonies, so Kiwi, which tend to live in more isolated habitats, may be less vulnerable. Climate change and severe droughts were also explored, with notable differences in how Kiwi in Northland and on a Hauraki Gulf Island were affected. These differences likely stem from variations in both habitat and Kiwi genetics. The forestry sector's role in protecting Kiwi during harvesting was another important topic. Efforts to educate harvesting teams on how to identify signs of Kiwi in the area are helping to reduce risks. Kauri Dieback, a pressing issue in the region, was also discussed, with presenters outlining key principles of containment and sharing the fascinating connection between the Phytophthora family (responsible for Kauri Dieback) and the Irish Potato Famine of the 1800s. Additionally, Dean Baigent-Mercer from Forest & Bird emphasized the importance of combining pest trapping with toxin control to target elusive, trap-shy animals. Lesley Baigent also demonstrated how trained Kiwi dogs are proving to be an invaluable asset in surveying and protecting Kiwi. The Northland Kiwi Hui was a fantastic opportunity for the team to learn from others across the region and return inspired to apply these lessons to our local work. #kiwi #conservation #birds #ConservationEfforts

A phenomenal number of pests were caught during our second quarter. Well done to all those involved in this great mahi! The number of rats and mice caught has jumped significantly as is to be expected during autumn and early winter as these rodents seek new food sources, making them more likely to interact with traps. Weasels too have been caught in much larger numbers than previously, this could in part be due to their dispersal season, which is typically later than that of stoats. Mice form a large part of a weasels diet so where there are large populations of mice, there are likely to be more weasels. Please remember to record your catches and rebaits on the Trap NZ App. If you need assistance setting up the Trap NZ App on your phone please reach out to Charlie via email or catch up with him at one of our community events. trapdata@theforestbridgetrust.org.nz

RSVP TODAY and join us for a free wetlands workshop to discover the vital role wetlands play in our environment and how you can contribute to their preservation and restoration.

Kaitiakitanga in action 😁 160 students from three rural schools recently joined the Forest Bridge Defenders programme. These tamariki explored the native birds in their neighbourhood and expressed a desire to see more of them, while also learning about the introduced species that threaten our native taonga and delicate ecosystem. Through engaging group discussions and games, the students stepped into the world of native birds, discovering ways to protect them and the positive impact these actions can have on future generations in New Zealand. Inspired by their experiences, the children now have the opportunity to participate in a family trapline within their community, actively contributing to the protection of our native species.! Thanks to all the schools involved for giving us such a warm welcome. Ahuroa School Tomarata School Kaukapakapa School . #conservationeducation #conservationmatters #predatorfreenz @savethekiwi

We’re proud to be the campaign manager for the Australasian Bittern in the 2024 NZ Bird of the Year competition! 🌿🐦 This iconic, yet elusive bird is critically endangered, and your vote can help raise awareness of the conservation efforts needed to protect its fragile habitat. There’s still time to cast your vote – you have until this Sunday at 5pm! ⏳ Vote here 👉 www.birdoftheyear.org.nz A big thanks to Forest & Bird for another fantastic competition and for shining a spotlight on our native species in need. #BirdoftheYear #ConservationMatters #VoteForBittern #NZBirds #AustralasianBittern

If you weren’t able to join Helen and Alex for our online Q&A all about the elusive Australasian bittern (matuku hūrepo), you can still enjoy the recording of the evening! see link below. Just a quick reminder—if you haven’t already, please head over to the Forest & Bird website and cast your vote for matuku hūrepo in the NZ Bird of the Year competition! Let’s rally for this amazing wetland bird. https://lnkd.in/g5YyK5Jg https://lnkd.in/gcwMKDg Photo Credit - Imogen Warren #NZBirds #birdlover #birdwatcher #conservation #ecology #endangeredspecies

We’re thrilled to share this fantastic interview that Conservation Amplified recently recorded with our Operations Manager, Matu Booth. This interview is a wonderful chance to revisit the origin story of The Forest Bridge Trust and reflect on the incredible progress that’s been accomplished over the years. A huge thank you to everyone who’s been part of this amazing conservation initiative from key funders and partners to community groups, landowners and volunteers. Once you’ve had a listen or watch, we’re sure you’ll agree with Matu that it’s been a “Super Epic” journey! Here are the links to the episode: Website: https://lnkd.in/gADSP_rs YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g3fM27EK Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gmuH4Phd If you would like to get involved head over to our website https://lnkd.in/gMTq7kRN . #Conservation #ecology #makeadifference #auckland #Newzealand #conservationefforts #endangeredwildlife #nature #naturelover #community #citizenscience

Leveraging eDNA for River Biodiversity Insights Michelle from our Community Liaison team, also a dedicated volunteer with Friends of Awa Matakanakana, recently contributed to a new video for the Genomics in Aotearoa series on RNZ. The video highlights how eDNA continues to be a vital tool in our efforts to monitor and preserve river biodiversity. https://lnkd.in/eNpxcC4Z . . #eDNA #Healthyrivers #newzealandlife #ecology