work is ongoing. Aerial 1080 application is the least expensive control option and kills rats, stoats, cats and possums, including those that don’t come to the ground. The application rate and sowing methods have been refined over many years and the non-target kill of native species is normally very low and recovered within one breeding season. Aerial baiting can also be used to treat areas of very rugged terrain. Episodic aerial 1080 has proven effective at maintaining already established kiwi and kōkako populations elsewhere in New Zealand. 1080 is particularly toxic to dogs and aerial application means that the exact location of baits (within the project boundaries) is unknown. Ground-based control is often required in addition to aerial operations to treat sensitive locations such as water sources and near boundaries. The normal frequency of aerial toxin application is every 3-5 years with reinvasion of possums occurring gradually over the intervening time period. Reinvasion by rats however is normally rapid (within a few months), and aerial 1080 alone would probably be insufficient to allow full recovery of some forest birds and insufficient to allow translocations of sensitive species such as kōkako. 3.2 PROPOSED APPROACH Restoration of biodiversity is a long-term task. In reality it is likely that various combinations of all the available methods will be required over time. The initial approach selected is trapping. This method has been applied successfully at Te Urewera (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Puketi (Northland). Different pest species require different levels of trapping effort to reduce their populations to low numbers. For example, rats require dense settings of traps to reduce their numbers to low levels because they have small home ranges. The proposed approach OGNZL has suggested is to manage animal pests at different scales according to their impacts and behaviour, as well as available methodologies and resources (including financial and human resources). The exact approach will be refined through engagement with key stakeholders and partners. As part of the development of the proposal stakeholders will be asked to consider what is most appropriate delivery vehicle for the project (e.g., charitable company or trust; NZ National Parks and Conservation Foundation or some other vehicle) as well as the composition of that group and a process for regular monitoring, reassessment of approach and priorities and reporting to interested parties. 3.3 PEST ANIMAL CONTROL 3.3.1 Target Species OGNZL is proposing broad-scale pest control using trapping across the area shown in red in Figure 2 (referred to here as ‘the management area’) for stoats, possums and feral cats and shooting/hunting for goats and deer. The trapping would be based on best practice according to the target species and traplines would be designed around ‘ridges and spurs’ so as to be efficient and effective. Traps would be chosen so as to meet humaneness standards and set according to best practice. The track layout would be designed bearing in mind the following objectives: a) Tracks on the same or similar contour to reduce climbing; b) Tracks forming loops from accessible/central points so there is little/no dead walking;
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