Dear Sir,

Opinion

re Possum Plague Possibilities

There is a danger that by establishing a possum fur trade, one establishes economic and social reasons for maintaining a population of possums to harvest, thus dooming our forests to silent shadows of their more glorious past. We easily forget that this plague of possums was started in the mistaken belief in 1858 that New Zealand would benefit by introducing Trichosurus vulpecula to start a skin trade. The release of rabbits in the 1830s followed by mustelids (stoats, weasels and ferrets) in the 1880s (in the hope of controlling the rabbits) have been even more disastrous.

Now, I am a practical greenie who believes in innovative but non-destructive use of our resources to improve both our economic and environmental futures. What we need in Taranaki is a way to both protect the environment and create employment opportunities.

One possible win/win solution is to treat the Egmont National Park like an "island" with the aim of possum, stoat, pig, cat and rat eradication, while accepting the current DoC policy of control in the rest of the region''s forests. Stories of success of both offshore and land based fenced "islands" makes me think it could be possible to "vermin proof" fence the Park''s boundary, which for the most part is clearly visible even from space!

We have plenty of unemployed apparently wanting to work and the government and local councils are desperately throwing money at "regional development" and "tourism", so it should be possible to employ teams of fencers to enclose the Park. Once isolated, all vermin could be aggressively hunted and trapped for a set period by agents for Environmental Products (local organic tanners), then two large teams of workers could systematically eradicate all remaining pests starting at one point and going in each direction around Mt

Taranaki poisoning (and hunting) from the fence to the bushline until (eventually) the teams meet and the Park is "cleansed" of possums and other feral pests. The northern side of Carrington Road could be left as is, to remind us how bad the rest of the park once deteriorated to, to give recreational hunters somewhere to shoot but mainly because it would be harder to keep secure.

Vehicular access would need a system of double gates (possibly automated), like any wildlife park, and for a province that spawned the Taranaki Gate, we should have no shortage of cheap yet practical design ideas! River exits from the park would need some thought, as would eradication of plant pests.

Then comes payback! Plant and bird life will hopefully naturally recover, but some releases of kiwi (?from Kapiti), stitchbird, saddleback, kokako and possibly even kakapo could be possible once island stocks elsewhere increase and the park''s pest free status was confirmed. Who knows if future genetic engineering and cloning might even bring back moas and huias!

This "island" teaming with native bird life would attract many more tourists and trampers than other even more hair-brained tourism schemes we''ve heard proposed. The necessary upgrading of tracks (including the Around the Mountain Circuit) and huts, maintenance of the fence and the Park''s pest free status would also provide ongoing employment and purpose for many of our youth.

The only long-term real cost would be the loss of a handy supply of possums to the fur trade, but then there are the Kaitake and Matemateaonga ranges still brimming with vermin.

Dr Keith Blayney
PO Box 447
Hawera 4800
(06) 2785189 or 025 445 135
K.Blayney@bitworks.co.nz