18 Boffa Miskell Ltd | Pest Animal Management Plan | Wharekirauponga Compensation Package | 30 May 2022 5.4 Post-operation monitoring Toxicity monitoring - Signs must be maintained and remain in place until monitoring shows that bait and carcasses are no longer toxic. Once hazards associated with the aerial 1080 application no longer exist, or a prescribed minimum time is up (whichever is the longer), then signs must be removed. Pest monitoring – The target pest populations (rats and possums) should be monitored via chew cards between 3 and 6 weeks following the operation to determine success. Biodiversity monitoring – Outcome monitoring is needed to determine the effectiveness of management aimed at protecting biodiversity (K. P. Brown & Urlich, 2005). A Biodiversity Monitoring Plan will be developed in conjunction with stakeholders. 5.5 Timing and frequency Unless timing is designed to specifically address a population irruption, the toxin will be applied around late winter/early spring (between 1 June and 1 November) when bait uptake by rodents is highest (Gillies et al., 2003; Speedy et al., 2007), and when little rain is forecast for the following two weeks. The normal frequency of aerial toxin application is every 3-5 years. Reinvasion of possums normally occurs gradually over this time period, however, reinvasion by rats is normally more rapid (within a few months), which is why ground-based control strategies have also been recommended to provide for continued suppression. The aerial bait applications will be accompanied by intensive trapping, and ground-based bait stations where necessary, as per the ground-based toxic baiting and trapping protocols in Sections 6.0 and 7.0 of this WAPMP respectively, to ensure toxin is available to the highest number of target pests and ensure maximum knock-down. 5.6 Risks The application rate and sowing methods have been refined over many years to increase efficacy of reducing target populations, and the non-target kill of native species is normally very low. As with all predator control methods, there are some risks which need to be identified and appropriately mitigated. As a toxin, 1080 must be handled, stored, deployed, transported, and deployed, as per strict protocols (National Pest Control Agencies, 2018a). It must always be used according to label instructions by personnel with a CSL and an Approved Handler license. Notably, 1080 is particularly toxic to dogs, so any pets or hunting dogs must be kept out of the area during and post-operation. Warning signs should be in place as per standard procedure described in the best practice documents (Section 5.3).
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