Jenny leads the Tawatawa/Manawa Karioi/Paekawakawa trapping group in our Phase 2 buffer project.
Jenny KilpatrickAs a keen tramper, Jenny loves getting out into the bush but says she feels sad about ‘so much silence’ out there, and this is one of the reasons she traps. ‘This is something I can do to help bring back native birds to my neighbourhood, and I can easily combine it with my daily dog walking,’ explains Jenny.
‘I first started trapping as I was aware there was already some great planting work happening in the Tawatawa area and I could see the benefits of linking in trapping with the existing efforts - the plants are providing the habitats for our native birds and the trappers are helping to keep them safe.’
‘We are making an impact, little by little and we are hearing more birds.’
Jenny says she’d like to hear as many tūī as possible, but it’s the diversity of birds that’s important: ‘I want to see all of the varieties we should have.’
Along with the prospect of more birdlife, Jenny also really enjoys getting to know the people involved and the sense of community spirit that trapping brings.
Anyone and everyone can get involved, and if you’re wanting to volunteer with Jenny she’s happy to fit the work into your schedule, and can accommodate all lifestyles – don’t be shy to contribute!
The Tawatawa/Manawa Karioi group involves 15 traplines. She currently has 20 volunteers who volunteer a couple of hours either every fortnight or every month, but Jenny would love another 15 volunteers.
‘I’m hoping we can knock the rat numbers down quickly, currently we’re seeing lots of bait take, and rats are also becoming more active at this time of year,’ says Jenny.