Source: Auckland Council
After weeks of lockdown, the move to Alert Level 2 will see us all experience a “new normal” in our daily lives.
While we’ll have the freedom to move about more and resume a wider range of activities, there is still be time to spend in our backyards.
Whether that be trapping pests, pulling weeds or planting natives, there are still plenty ways to protect and restore the native biodiversity while staying safe in your backyard.
To help you on the road to creating a pest-free haven at home, we’ve pulled together some ideas to you get started
Trapping pests
Start out by finding out what is living in your backyard by making your own tracking tunnel with Ranger Glenn. This will tell you what bugs and native species you have roaming around, and which pests you need to target.
As we head into winter, it’s a great time to start trapping rats as their regular food sources reduce, making them more likely to be attracted to baits. If you have a compost bin, try rodent-proofing your compost bin, to eliminate another attractive source of food, making the rats more likely to take interest in your bait (not to mention how pesky rats are when they get into your compost.)
Take a trip to your home improvement store and buy a rat trap as well as all the supplies needed to make your own trap tunnels. For tips on how to safely and effectively set your victor trap, you can watch this short video from Predator Free NZ.
Pulling weeds
This brochure helps you identify common pest plants and tells you how to control them. For more information about pest plants have a look at our pest plant database.
Planting natives
You can attract native birds to your backyard with native plants which provide the food and shelter they need. To find out what birds like which plants, and when is the best time to plant them, check out this handy guide.
Under Alert Level 2, garden centres will be open for business to help you with all the advice you might need on native plants and seedlings.
Learn something new
There are so many new resources being made available online as we find new ways to connect and learn while maintaining social distancing, here are just a few of our favourite webinars and blogs so you can learn something new from the comfort of your home.
