OUR REWILDING JOURNEY
OUR REWILDING JOURNEY
We purchased Possums' End in 2007. Uninterested in hobby farming we decided to rewild. With this in mind we made a pilgrimage North to Hinewai Reserve on Banks Peninsula. We were astounded at how marginal farmland had quickly reverted to regenerating native forest using the power of nature. We made contact with Hinewai's manager, Dr Hugh Wilson, who provided us with research papers, advice and encouragement. These are the basic principles and methods that we have used in rewilding Possums' End. In addition we have implemented a multi species pest control regime to remove introduced animals to further encourage the native plants to regenerate and native animals to return. As well as bringing back wonderful biodiversity, we are also permanently sequestering carbon in our rapidly warming world. Gains and losses are experienced, but there are now significant signs that the hard work is beginning to pay off.
​
In 2009 the cavalry arrived in the form of the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group, set up to facilitate the removal of animal pests on the Otago Peninsula and thereby protect the area’s biodiversity values. Australian brushtail possums are their first target and our re-invasion rates from this highly destructive pest have dropped dramatically as a consequence of their excellent work.
Many plants that were previously heavily browsed by possum, deer or stray sheep are now flourishing. A multi species pest control approach has meant that bush birds, which were initially seldom seen, are now well established. These include New Zealand’s smallest bird the rifleman, tomtits, brown creepers, tui, bell bird and fantail.
​
Smaller native animals such as weta, stick insects, slugs and snails have perhaps benefitted most spectacularly from the reduction in exotic predation. We are especially proud of our growing list of moths, some of which are very rare. We also hold the world's most southerly record of the New Zealand Reticulate Stag Beetle. Many of these creatures are only just beginning to put their heads above the parapet after 17 years of intensive pest control.
The battle against the introduced pest plants and animals is ongoing. Seedlings from exotic pest plants such as banana passion fruit (a tree strangler) and Darwin’s Barberry (a tree smotherer) are continually springing up. Relax and the rats and mice return in plague numbers, quickly followed by stoats, ferrets and weasels.
​
2014 was a significant year for Possums’ End as we negotiated to put 10Ha of the property under a National Trust Queen Elizabeth II Covenant. This means that it can never be developed, grazed or otherwise changed – ever. It is secure for future generations to benefit from the regenerating native bush, the returning New Zealand wildlife and permanent sequestration of carbon in our rapidly warming world.
​
For those with a technical interest we run approximately 70 bait stations, 30 NAWAC approved kill traps and 8 live capture cage traps (checked daily).
REGENERATION
Claiming back the land for nature
Possums' End is located on steep hill country. With the arrival of Europeans the bush was cleared of its rich diverse forest and pasture grasses introduced. The land was grazed by sheep for many years. When grazing sheep became uneconomic the land became fallow. Native plants began to reappear, seeded from the few remaining pockets of bush on the Peninsula.​
BIODIVERSITY
Giving the native species a chance
Millions of years of isolation has resulted in New Zealand developing a range of plants and animals not found anywhere else. Unfortunately these animals are poorly adapted to outwit the exotic predators introduced by humans.
CONSERVATION
Fighting back for our native plants and animals
At Possums' End we are not prepared to sit back and let our native flora and fauna be destroyed by introduced pest plants and animals. We actively control introduced predators and noxious plants.
LEGAL PROTECTION
The QEII National Trust
The QE II National Trust helps private landowners in New Zealand protect special natural and cultural features on their land with open space covenants. 10 Hectares of Possums' End is now legally protected by QEII covenants. A National Trust open space covenant is a legally binding protection agreement, which is registered on the title of the land. It is voluntary but once in place binds the current and all subsequent landowners.
LIFE RETURNS
Slowly but surely...
Life returns. It took 2 years of pest control before we saw our first native snails at Possums' End. They were soon followed by leaf veined slugs, weta and stick insects, all of which are a favoured prey of rats and mice. The photo shows 2 leaf veined slugs mating.
