Lethal 1080 is still being dropped in the West Coast to kill possums, which destroy native trees and bird life and are thought to give bovine Tb to farm stock. Not everyone backs 1080 drops, as Marjorie Cook reports.
A Group of Haast 1080 protesters continues to tail the Department of Conservation's aerial poison drop programme in South Westland, attending an operation in the lower Landsborough area on Monday and planning to protest at another drop scheduled to take place this month at Okuru, as soon as suitable weather permits.
Doc and the Animal Health Board use 1080 poison (sodium monofluoroacetate) to kill possums, considered a national pest that spreads bovine tuberculosis and destroys native trees and bird life.
Controversy over its use has raged for years, with protesters concerned about the effects on native insects and birds, and on other wildlife such as deer, and on dogs and humans.
In January last year, protesters fixed signs to the Arawhata bridge objecting to a $500,000 aerial drop that distributed 109 tonnes of poisoned pellets across 31,000ha.
This week's operations follow previous 1080 drops in the Landsborough in 2004 and in the Okuru in 2005.
About 10 protesters, including Haast resident Logan de Ridder and Daryl Macale, of Wanaka, attended the Landsborough drop on Monday.
Mr de Ridder and Mr Macale then brought their protest to Wanaka on Tuesday.
Mr de Ridder is "anti-poison, full stop" and fears 1080 can enter the food chain and water supplies.
He believes the risks of 1080 use have been downplayed significantly and possum-trapping programmes deserved better support.
"There has been 50 years of poisoning. Is this going to be the same thing for another 50 years?"
The pair said it appeared a mistake occurred during Monday's operation, causing an "overspray" of poisoned pellets into areas outside the drop zone.
Contractors in white suits were observed stopping traffic on State Highway 6 while they picked up pellets outside the drop zone, they said.
The protesters put up signs and handed out flyers to tourists, who did not know poison was in the area, Mr de Ridder said. They also picked up any 1080 pellets they could find.
Doc South Westland Weheka area manager Jo McPherson said a mistake had not been made.
Steep cliff faces and wind had caused some pellets to go over the boundaries.
It was common practice to check boundaries and remove any pellets that might have gone over.
Checks had been made along SH6, around Pleasant Flat and up to the Gates of Haast Bridge, she said.
Ms McPherson said the protesters had found two pellets on a side road, within the operational zone.
The road had been thoroughly checked and the pellets were removed during the operation, she said.
"The protesters were within the operational zone during the aerial drop when they found the pellets and baits."
" . . . Doc was not outside the terms of its consent," Ms McPherson said.
Doc has put up signs inside the operational area and near SH6, she said.
The protesters questioned the need for a 1080 programme in the Landsborough, which they said was tuberculosis free and had a low possum count.
Ms McPherson said the operation was not related to tuberculosis, which was governed by the Animal Health Board.
It was a Doc operation, related to forest health and protecting native habitats.
Possum trapping counts were undertaken in the lower Landsborough from September 2007 and in Okuru in November 2006.
The residual trap catch index for Landsborough was 7.5%, and the area had a trigger intervention rate of greater than 5%.
It had been estimated possum numbers had increased to between 11% and 12% immediately before Monday's aerial drop, Ms McPherson said.
The residual trap catch index for Okuru was 17.17% in 2006, with some lines returning over 50%. The Okuru area had a trigger intervention rate of greater than 10%.
The amount of 1080 used per hectare in the Landsborough (2.7g) was less than that intended to be used in Okuru (6g).
The Landsborough operation was part of a larger national trial with Landcare Research and the Animal Health Board to look at the minimum amount of 1080 that could be used and still achieve the desired kill rates of possums, Ms McPherson said.
"Without 1080 to control pests in key areas, we would see a steady degradation of habitats that support some of our native species.
"It is biodegradable, does not contaminate water supplies, nor is it accumulative in the environment.
"1080 has been used in New Zealand for over 50 years, with no human deaths and no pattern of health effects reported," Ms McPherson said.
• Deadly shower
This week's South Westland 1080 operation:
Sites: lower Landsborough Valley (3529ha); Okuru Valley (5873ha).
Method: aerial distribution of 1080 cereal baits.
Amounts: Each kg of bait contains 1.5g of 1080. Lower Landsborough: 6350kg of bait, or 2.7g of 1080 per ha.
Okuru: 23,492 kg of bait, or 6g of 1080 per ha.
Approximate costs: Landsborough $58,000; Okuru $115,000.
Percentage of West Coast conservation land treated with 1080: 6%.
