Advice: My friend's kids are wearing me out - can I say something?
Q: I have a close friend who has two young children whom I've been spending more time with lately. The kids are sweet, but I often find myself feeling overwhelmed and drained around them. Their parents divorced two years ago, and their father is emotionally unstable and unpleasant. I know
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NZ Herald
21 minutes ago
- NZ Herald
Pukenui Forest's pest control success boosts birdlife and biodiversity
Colloquially referred to as 'the lungs of the city', Pukenui Forest borders Whangārei city on the west, covering around 1700ha from the Whau Valley area, north, down to Kara Rd towards Maungatapere, south. It was logged in the 1920s but has since regenerated and is the largest remaining remnant of native lowland forest in the district. An ancient kauri tree. Photo / Andy Avery, Pukenui Trust The forest is a mix of both old growth – huge kauri trees, taraire, totara and up to 800-year-old kahikatea – and regenerating forest with greatly varying terrain, encompassing mountains, valleys and countless streams. Additionally, there are several important Māori archaeological sites, including defended pā sites and kāinga (villages). In the past, species such as North Island kōkako, riflemen, kākāriki and kiwi would have thrived there. However, due to human impacts; the introduction of mammalian predators such as dogs, mustelids, possums, rats and feral cats, many species have become locally extinct within Pukenui. Rangers carrying DOC200 traps into the forest for more stoat control. Photo / Andy Avery, Pukenui Trust In 2008, an elaborate 10-year slog began to intensively manage the 1700ha land and reinstate it to a standard safe for the reintroduction of its former inhabitants. While goats and pigs were brought under control fairly quickly, when it comes to possums, rats, stoats and weasels, you've got to keep the pressure on, Martin said. 'Predator control is key to allow for the taonga species to thrive. It has been the first time since the Trust was formed that the forest has received scalable pest control, which has both been in the form of intensifying trap lines, adopting new trapping technologies, and increasing the toxin baiting networks. Thousands of possums have been removed using a range of tools, with the amount for rodents removed being much higher. Mustelids such as stoats and weasels have seen the highest catch rate in recent years.' A ranger at work in the forest Photo / Andy Avery, Pukenui Trust All data of pest removal is recorded on a GIS-like tool, TrapNZ, and analysed by reviewing recorded trap catches and toxin take. The latter is carried out by monitoring the amount of bait take and estimate catches based on what the lethal dosage is for the target pest species. The Trust has acquired self-setting traps which put out a fresh lure paste at night. Each battery lasts several months with up to 100 kills on a cycle, before it is brought in to recharge and the lure pouch refilled. The team were able to increase the network through a Department of Conservation (DoC) grant of $107,000 to use over three years, of which they are halfway through, to intensify predator control. 'Across 1020 of the hectares, we've increased from one station per hectare to two. That's the home range of a rat and that will put every rat at risk of coming across a bait station. The rat numbers are declining – they've halved over the last 18 months. This makes a really big difference for bats, tūī, kākāriki … a lot of species will massively benefit and it's just the latest piece of the puzzle which has been an amazing step forward for the Trust,' Martin said. Kiwi have been released into Pukenui Forest over the years and are now spotted roaming freely within. Photo / Andy Avery, Pukenui Trust The 1020ha was focused on as it's the 'grand central station' to the rat population and data shows this is where a lot of long-tailed bats reside. While bats aren't of the noisy variety mentioned earlier – their high-frequency sound of around 45kHz can only be picked up through an electronic device – they are slow breeders and one rat can have a large impact on the bat population. 'There are few places in New Zealand where there are urban bats but Whangārei is one of several locations. Bats have always been there, I think they've just been holding on, but bat populations are declining. Bats give birth to one puppy a year just before Christmas and there's a six-week period where the baby can't fly so, while mum's out catching food, the rats crawl into the tree holes and eat the baby bats,' Martin explains. Possums additionally impact the canopy health, targeting particular tree species they find tasty which can cause tree extinction of some species. They also compete for food with species such as tūī. A AT220 self-setting trap can catch around 100 pests on one cycle. Photo / Andy Avery, Pukenui Trust 'We're maintaining a high level of control for possums and adding additional pieces of the puzzle for a healthy forest,' Martin said, adding that he has witnessed kiwi walk by since a series of translocations over the years to reintroduce them to the forest. These anecdotes, with camera footage to monitor interaction, are signs the mahi is paying off. 'I've seen and heard kākā in there this year. They are a big noisy bird and were formerly all over Northland but now recently breeding populations are on islands. They have a good knack of knowing when pest populations are low. People in Whangārei won't be used to seeing and hearing kākā in Whangārei but they're turning up in the forest now. Particularly with the rat control, there's more food for them and they're realising it's a safe place to be and settle down and breed so they turn up off their own accord. That's the future that I see and what keeps me going as a volunteer.' Pukenui Trust chair and volunteer Tim Martin has a vision for the forest and says it is on-track. Photo / Andy Avery, Pukenui Trust Martin says he moved to Whangārei just over four years ago, which is when he first entered the forest. Although he can't comment from personal experience what it was like 17 years ago, he knows from the pests present then it would have been what he calls a 'silent cathedral'. 'I can attest to the audible bounce back of life over just the past four years. The forest is a lot noisier with bird song and a noisy forest is what you want.' Success due to dedication Martin says the enormous amount of work achieved has been largely thanks to the dedicated work of rangers, volunteers and contractors, who have carried out the pest control in the rugged, steep hills of the forest. 'There are a lot of moving parts to pull off this scale of work, all throughout the ngahere. We'd like to thank the Department of Conservation, Whangārei District Council, Foundation North, Predator Free Whangārei, Tiakina Whangārei, Northland Regional Council, and Kiwi Coast. Moreover, it is not lost on us that this forest has a lot of history and significance to hapū and iwi. We are extremely grateful to have Matua Winiwini on our board to guide us in the mahi that is carried out. 'One of the many other focus has been to re-establish some volunteering trap lines and work on invasive weed control to grow the volunteering network. There is so much more exciting work to come. If anyone is keen to support the Trust's work by volunteering or donating, please do reach out, as there's no shortage of work to be done.' For further information, visit or follow the Pukenui Western Hills Forest Trust Facebook page.
Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Wastewater pipeline build to start in new year
Queenstown is set to benefit from a larger, more effective wastewater system, with construction announced for a new pressurised wastewater pipeline that will provide an additional connection through to existing infrastructure in Frankton. The Queenstown Lakes District Council said in a statement construction of the new pipeline was expected to begin in early January next year, with a contract for the works out for tender. Once selected, the contractor will develop a delivery programme detailing how the project will be carried out and key dates for the public to be aware of. Council property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said the infrastructure would increase wastewater capacity in the area, reduce the risk of overflows, and ultimately provide for the needs of the district's rapidly growing population. "The new pipeline will be located underneath Frankton Track and positioned alongside an existing gravity pipe there, adding a second connection running from Cecil Rd in Queenstown through to the pump station near Frankton Beach," he said. Mr Avery acknowledged Frankton Track was an extremely important connection and recreational space that a wide range of residents and visitors used to move around the area, and that construction of this wastewater infrastructure would affect access for extended periods of time. "To minimise as much disruption as possible, we're planning to deliver the project in stages, but this will still require temporary closures to parts of the lakeside trail so crews can complete work safely and efficiently. "We're working closely with people who live or work along Frankton Track to understand their access needs and how we can tailor the construction programme to meet those needs. We'll share more details on what to expect once we have it in place." Other disruptions expected as part of the project include additional noise, vibration, rock-breaking, and construction machinery movements in the area. The council planned to remediate each part of Frankton Track after sections of the new pipeline had been installed, reinstating the compacted gravel surface and planting natives along the track's edge. New seating would also be installed in several places along the lakeside trail so people using the path could rest and enjoy views over Lake Wakatipu, and additional signage would help direct users to their destinations. It is expected the new pipeline will take about 18 months to complete after physical construction begins. — Allied Media
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
New York declares 'total war' on rats
By Ana Fernández , AFP A rat is seen in a Harlem backstreet in the Manhattan borough of New York City on 1 August, 2025. Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP New York is waging a war on multiple fronts to combat the near ubiquitous rats that plague city streets and the subways, leaving some residents afraid to let their children walk on sidewalks. Faced with an overwhelming and ever-growing problem, officials have moved beyond gassing burrows to suffocate rodents and are now using high-tech mapping tools to try and sterilise the population. Alongside targeted interventions, officials are mounting an effort to educate the public about the need to avoid leaving behind food waste that feeds and sustains the rat population. Caroline Bragdon, director of neighbourhood interventions for Pest Control Services within New York City's Department of Health, told AFP that the lack of food "stresses" rats and other vermin. "Perhaps this forces them to go further in search of food, but perhaps they simply have fewer offspring," she said. "That's usually what we're seeing. Fewer rats over time. Less breeding leads to less rat activity," Bragdon added. The city is testing out an arsenal of different tools in the Harlem neighbourhood, aiming to find new products and methods to tackle the rats. For large, densely populated cities like New York - with its 8.5 million inhabitants - food sources for the rodents are bountiful, whether it's on sidewalks, in overflowing trash bins, or in parks. "Lately, I haven't felt that I have to run in between the mounds of trash to run away from rats because they have those new (sealed trash) containers," said Harlem resident Karen Del Aguila, 50. Rats, which survive on practically the same diet as humans, can flourish even on items discarded as trash - like soda cans thrown into recycling bins, or crumbs given to pigeons, warned Bragdon. A rat needs 28 grams of food per day to sustain itself, and it can have up to 12 offspring per litter. During its short life of less than a year, it can have between five and seven litters. The best way to counter the scourge of rats is to "remove their food source... So make it harder for them, then they're going to have to travel further to try and find something," said Alexa Albert, a supervisor for the city's pest control service. She swiped her screen to show the street-level data logged on a rat tracker app used by those involved in the crusade against rodent infestation. The city health department's 70 inspectors use the mobile app to detect, report and monitor rodent activity - as well as plot abatement tactics. Inspectors go door to door asking businesses and residents to clean buildings, stores, and sidewalks. Authorities also now offer training on how to combat rats, taken by thousands of residents and building managers. In October 2022, New York City vaunted a "trash revolution," aimed at installing sealed containers to allow the removal of black bags of organic waste from sidewalks after rats surged during the coronavirus pandemic. Pre-pandemic, their population had been cut by as much as 90 percent in some areas. "So we know it can be done," said Bragdon, who added that she hoped 2025 would be a "turnaround year." Local resident Jessica Sanchez said she had observed much fewer rats in her neighbourhood. "Not a long time ago, when you went to put out the trash, five of them came out," she said. "I was even afraid to put my son on the floor." The rat warriors are seeking to learn the rodents' dietary habits throughout the year by using samples of different food types to identify what bait they are most likely to take. In 2024, complaints about rat activity dropped 25 percent compared to the year before, according to official data. But so far, only Manhattan's Chinatown has managed to bring the rat population under control. - AFP
