New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association Inc.

Hi Everyone I have been tasked with coordinating the wasp wipeout program this year for the Region. The wasp wipeout, is a wasp control programme set up in partnership with DOC, Fairfax Media and local community groups; with the purpose of reducing Vespula Wasps for recreation and biodiversity reasons. A pilot programme was carried out last year in the Nelson / Tasman area and proved to be quite successful. This has now been extended to include Canterbury, Marlborough and Coromandel areas. The intention is to target key wasp hot spot e.g. camping, picnic and tracks and huts etc. Fairfax Media raise the money required to pay for the work, as well raising the awareness of the programme through articles in regional newspapers and via stuff. Hopefully this encourages volunteers to help with the delivery of the programme. DOC will help plan the work programme and do some of the delivery in some cases. The money is held by an organization, environmental group to act as fund management (still looking for a group to do this. Any ideas). They will pay the invoices as they come through from volunteers groups. What I need is a list of key sites (hot spot for wasps on PCL), that you would like the work carried out at. Name of site, reason for undertaken wasp control (recreation, biodiversity), has there been wasp work done before, the distance (bait stations positioned every 50m), number of bait stations, first year cost, ongoing maint cost, group contact (email) and the group name. of any volunteer group, willing to undertake the operation (some members will need to obtain a license to purchase and handle the bait), and a contact person from each office to help coordinate the work. Note the information required is in the attached spread sheet. Send it through to me in table form and I will enter it into the a spread sheet I need this information by mid-December so that bait can be purchased. Cost per km is around $100 for set up (bait stations [every 50m] / bait etc); then around $50 per km in the following years and so on. there maybe money available for logistics cost as well??. When looking at sites keep it simple e.g. just around the perimeter of camping areas, along tracks. Rank your sites, as I may need to delete some depending on the number of sites I receive. Its not an endless amount of money. Any questions please give me a call. Cheers Brian Taylor Biodiversity Ranger: Fire, RFO North Canterbury District Rangiora Office DDI: 03) 312 0829 CELL: 027)229 7735