The Work: Protecting Peel Forest

Our work is focused on managing and controlling the invasive species that threaten the delicate ecological balance of Peel Forest. Here is a summary of the predators and plants we target.

Invasive Predators in Peel Forest Reserve

PhotoSpecies (Common/Scientific Name)Primary Ecological ImpactPrimary Control Methods in Peel Forest
Brushtail Possum (Trichurus vulpecula)Predation on bird eggs/chicks; extensive browsing damage to native canopy trees (e.g., tōtara, rātā).Intensive trapping (kill traps, leg-holds); use of toxins in bait stations.
Invasive Rodents (e.g., Rattus rattus)Predation on bird eggs/chicks, lizards, and invertebrates; competition for food (seeds, fruit).High-density trapping (snap traps, self-resetting traps); use of toxins in bait stations.
Mustelids (e.g., Mustela erminea)Hyper-predation on a wide range of fauna, especially birds (including adults) and their chicks.Systematic trapping using DOC 200 kill traps in tunnels, baited with eggs or salted meat.
Feral Cat (Felis catus)Apex predator of birds, lizards, bats, and large invertebrates; notoriously difficult to control.Trapping (cage traps, leg-holds); poisoning and shooting are used nationally but are challenging in this terrain.
European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)Predation on ground-nesting bird eggs, lizards, and a wide range of native invertebrates.Incidental but high-rate capture in traps set for other ground predators (e.g., DOC 200s).

Other Key Invasive Species in Peel Forest Reserve

PhotoSpecies (Common/Scientific Name)CategoryPrimary Ecological ImpactPrimary Control Methods
Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)Browsing HerbivorePrevents forest regeneration by selectively browsing palatable understory plants and seedlings.Recreational and guided hunting.
Feral Pig (Sus scrofa)Rooting OmnivoreDestroys forest floor and understory through rooting; facilitates weed invasion and degrades water quality.Recreational and guided hunting, often with dogs.
Tahr/Chamois (Hemitragus jemlahicus / Rupicapra rupicapra)Grazing HerbivoreDegrades sensitive alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems through intensive grazing and trampling.Recreational hunting; national aerial control for tahr.
Bennett's Wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus)Browsing HerbivoreIntroduced to South Canterbury in 1874 and now a major regional pest; selectively browses native seedlings and forest understorey, halting bush regeneration.Ground hunting and night shooting, coordinated through Environment Canterbury's regional and national wallaby control programme.
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)Canopy-invading TreeOutcompetes and displaces native canopy trees, forming dense, monotypic stands.Felling and stump treatment with herbicide; targeted killing of large seed-source trees.
Gorse (Ulex europaeus)Pioneer ShrubForms dense, spiny thickets in open and disturbed ground, preventing native forest regeneration; has a long-lived seed bank.Mechanical removal, herbicide application, and biological control.
Broom (Cytisus scoparius)Pioneer ShrubForms dense thickets on open ground and river margins, out-competing native seedlings; has a long-lived seed bank.Mechanical removal, herbicide application, and biological control.
Blackberry/Traveller's Joy (Rubus fruticosus / Clematis vitalba)Scrambling/Climbing PlantSmothers native vegetation from ground level to the canopy, killing mature trees.Cutting stems/vines and treating stumps with herbicide; foliar spraying for large patches.
Giant Himalayan Lily (Cardiocrinum giganteum)Garden-escape HerbA garden escape naturalised around Mt Peel — the "Mount Peel Lily" — that forms a thick, shade-tolerant cover on the forest floor, crowding out native seedlings and ground plants.Cut and remove the seed pods before they release seed, dig out all parts of the plant, and dispose of them off-site.

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