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Ron Lee – 2 February 1929 – 11 August 2019
It is with sadness that we report the death of Ron Lee. He was a life member of the club, and held the position of President for 1976-77 and 1981-82.
Ron’s funeral was held in Napier on Wednesday 14 August. He was remembered at the club meeting on Thursday 22 August. Ted Angove recalled Ron’s encyclyopaedic knowledge of all the tracks and huts. Ron and John Marshall would prepare a presentation each quarter, describing the huts and tracks which were on the trip list for the next three months. John provided the photos and Ron the commentary of the track and terrain. He never got anything wrong, although he did miss the Plateau Rd turn-off into Whirinaki FP once.
He was an UK Army serviceman, stationed in Berlin during the later part of WW II. He came to New Zealand in 1952 and took a post in the NZ Army, moving from Essex to Waiouru. He was in the Royal Armoured Corps, ending his career as Lieutenant. In 1974, he was stationed in Napier’s barracks and joined the Napier Tramping Club.
Ron was a very keen member of the Napier Tramping Club, and in his spare time also tinkered with Subarus.
A kind and gentle man, he was an advocate for conservation and LandSAR.
How can we help make NZ predator-free?
The goal is a tough one. Every little bit we do counts. We have a guide on the DoC 200 traps and how to reset them. It is important to note in the hut book on the track the trap number (e.g. PP73) and the catch. This will then be logged by the volunteer trapping community on https://www.trap.nz/. Click on the guide doc200-predator-trap
Also, for more information on predator-free New Zealand, see the website https://predatorfreenz.org/resources/trapping-best-practice/
If you would like to help with the Kaweka Range trap lines, please contact Robyn.
Northern Ruahine Tiakina Nga Manu Operation August 2019
The info. below is from the DoC Senior Ranger for Biodiversity in Palmerston North whose area covers the Ruahine Ranges.
Kia ora
Nobby will have talked with many of you at the last RUG meeting about the upcoming Northern Ruahine Tiakina Nga Manu operation. The funding for the operation is now looking fairly certain and the operation is planned to go ahead from 15 August 2019 (depending on weather and contractor availability). The pesticide summary on the DOC website https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/pesticide-summaries/ will be kept up to date with information about when the operation occurs.
For anyone wanting more information, I have attached copies of the factsheet and key facts pack for the operation. Northern Ruahine factsheet pdf – DOC-5881882
For those of you interested in what is happening with the rodent numbers out there – at the last monitor in May 2019 rats were tracking at 61% – compared to 1% in May 2018. The next Northern Ruahine rodent monitor will be carried out in early August.
Northern Ruahine Forest Park rodent tracking abundance measured using footprint tracking tunnels.
Date tracking tunnel papers put out Rat tracking index Mouse tracking index. The first percentage is rat abundance, the second is mouse abundance.
8 June 2017 (pre pest control operation) 11% 3%
7 December 2017 (3 weeks post-operation) 0% 0.6%
27 January 2018 0% 0.6%
7 May 2018 1% 16%
27 August 2018 3% 23%
6 November 2018 15% 38%
13 February 2019 27% 16%
7 May 2019 61% 11%
Ngā mihi
Sue Moore
Senior Ranger (Biodiversity)— Kaitiaki Matua (Kanorau Koiora)
Department of Conservation—Te Papa Atawhai
Te Papaioea / Palmerston North Office 28 North Street or Private Bag 11010, Palmerston North 4442
DDI: +64 6 350 9675 | 027 539 5466
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