Alison Nicholl Reports: Hi Will, Figures for August are 4 mice; 2 rats. Birds heard are Quail, Kereru, Tui, Blackbirds and Chaffinch.

Mike Oliver Reports: (The Fire Lookout Trap line) July catches were 3 mice and 1 rat.

Will Reports: August was still busy for the planting team with 165 planted. These were some 46 from TDC (matai, beach, kaihikatea and totara); 14 flax from Alison; and a rimu from Eric Peterson in memory of Jim Nichol. We also received nine totaras that Jim had potted up at his home. The balance was dianella nigra, renga renga and some flax. The forest species have been planted throughout our earlier (second growth) plantings and we will make checks to trim branches to maintain a ‘light hole’ for the foresters. Hopefully these nursery shrubs will be taken over by the foresters in ten to twenty years. It’s just too bad that some of us won’t be around to give their trunks a pat! Will this – could this, be a lesson to the young today?

Will working on the Fossil Steps.

Jim Nichol’s Rimu has been planted nearby June Clark’s memorial Miro. A good lot of weed spraying was done this month (75 litres) around the newly planted shrubs right up to Grassy Saddle. A number of renga renga plants have been pulled out over the last month. Someone has an objection to the species growing here. Okay, while not being holistic, they have been planted to help hold the soil and to encourage insect life until the other undergrowth takes hold. We will continue with the renga renga but will concentrate with the dianella. I just wish the person would pull the likes of old man’s beard, banana passion vine and Himalayan honeysuckle.  There’s enough of this around to satisfy any cranky person surely!!

Alastair Mackintosh Reports: Hi Will. Not much again this past month. Two rats early on and nothing since. Hopefully whittling numbers down but could be that with the warmer weather, they have just scattered further afield. Cheers, Alastair.

Bryan Riley’s Trap Catches: No catches during August.

John Wilson Reports: Hi Will.  Nothing caught in August. The birds were heard but not seen Friday—not even a fantail.  Regards J.W.