Update: To ensure public safety and environmental protection, these areas will remain closed to the public until further notice as we continue the extensive pest control operations – Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges, Waharau, and Whakatiwai, along with tracks within DOC’s managed Mangatawhiri and Vining reserves.
The public should not enter the park as there is a risk to people and pets from this operation. We will update park users as soon as all the tracks have been cleared and checked and the park is ready to reopen.
The second phase of this season’s pest control operation will begin across Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges parkland, neighbouring Department of Conservation (DOC) reserves, and some adjoining private land this Friday 17 October.
To ensure public safety and environmental protection, several areas will be temporarily closed including Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges, Waharau, and Whakatiwai, along with tracks within DOC’s managed Mangatawhiri and Vining reserves.
These areas will close to the public from 5.00pm this afternoon, Wednesday 15 October.
The closures will remain in effect during a thorough track clearance programme to remove any residual hazards and subject to meeting Health NZ requirements.
This initiative primarily aims to control invasive pests to very low levels such as possums and rats which pose a severe threat to the environment by preying on native wildlife, destroying vegetation, and damaging ecosystems.
A key beneficiary of these measures is the endangered kōkako, a rare and iconic forest bird whose populations in the Hūnua forest in past years were decimated by these predators and who now flourish, in part due to successful pest control management.
Covering more than 23,000 hectares of native forest, the operation involves the aerial distribution of bait containing sodium fluoroacetate (commonly known as 1080), a targeted toxin effective against mammalian pests while minimising impact on native birds and insects.
Special precautions have been implemented around water supplies, reflecting the operation's commitment to environmental stewardship. Reservoirs in the initial treatment block were isolated from the public water system prior to bait deployment and will only be reconnected after rigorous monitoring confirms no detectable traces of 1080 through consecutive clean samples. Additional safeguards include designated exclusion zones around reservoirs and strict no-fly rules over these areas during application.
Once the operation concludes, visitors are urged to heed all informational and warning signage in the parks and reserves. The toxin 1080 is particularly hazardous to dogs and young children, who may encounter poisoned carcasses or bait remnants.
Dog owners should refrain from bringing pets into the parkland until the caution period ends, typically for a minimum of six months, and all warning signs are removed.
For dog safety, it is important dogs are closely supervised to ensure they do not enter the operational area being treated or scavenge carcasses that may have come from the operational area following the operation.
If you must walk your dog near the operational area, keep it on a leash, stay on tracks/roads and ensure it is well fed and hydrated.
These measures highlight the operation's dual focus: eliminating pests to restore the ecosystem while prioritising human and animal safety.
While track closures and caution periods may inconvenience some visitors, the operation plays a vital role in safeguarding the ecological health of the forest and ensuring species like the kōkako continue to thrive in the Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges.
Watch the drop in action
