Department of Conservation quiet about date of 1080 drop after threat in Manawatū
Thursday, 9 November 2017
The Department of Conservation will not disclose when 1080 poison will be dropped in Manawatū amid fears staff could be threatened.
In early November, police were notified about a DOC staff member being intimidated by a member of the public in Manawatū.
DOC lower North Island operations director Reg Kemper said the incident was in relation to 1080 drops, and any threat or intimidation of staff was taken extremely seriously.
'While we respect people's right to peaceful protest, the wellbeing of staff is the department's primary concern and threats to their safety won't be tolerated.'
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The incident came after an announcement that there would be a 1080 drop in the northern Ruahine Range between November 2017 and April 2018.
Another DOC staff member, Jayne Ramage, said for the safety of staff, the department would not elaborate to media on when the northern Ruahine drop would occur.
A police spokeswoman said police received a report of intimidation of a DOC staff member and appropriate action was being taken.
The 1080 poison drops target predators such as rats, stoats and possums that threaten native plants and animals including whio, North Island brown kiwi, kākā and North Island robin.
DOC spokesman Herb Christophers said the drop was weather-dependent, requiring a certain amount of fine weather followed by a period of rain.
About a week before the drop, affected people, such as neighbours, would be notified, Christopher said.
DOC declined to give more details on the incident in Manawatū.
The drop in the northern Ruahine Range will cover 30,000 hectares in a bid to stop an expected surge in predator numbers.
Every two to six years beech trees flower and produce massive quantities of seed, in an event known as a 'mast', which gives predators a bounty of food.
In February, DOC sampled areas of the ranges that confirmed a mast was occurring in the ranges.
Once the drop happens, warning signs are placed in the ranges for 10 months.
The northern Ruahine operation is one of 34 Battle for our Birds predator control operations taking place nationwide. The programme supports DOC's goal of protecting threatened species and making New Zealand predator-free by 2050.