A grounded landing template for programs rebuilding trail knowledge, stewardship practice, and intergenerational safety on the land—season by season, line by line, with clear wayfinding and documentary tone.
Short updates in a field-guide cadence—what changed on the line, what we repaired, what we learned.
Learn how to set up traplines in the Rotorua bush with a practical, step-by-step guide covering permissions, trap selection, safe placement, bait and lure tips, spacing, navigation and marking, checking schedules, humane dispatch, biosecurity hygiene, and record-keeping. Designed for Rotorua conditions and New Zealand predator control best practice for possums, rats, stoats, and feral cats.
Learn why hedgehogs are a pest in New Zealand ecosystems, including how introduced hedgehogs prey on native birds, eggs, lizards, and invertebrates. This article explains their ecological impact, threats to biodiversity, and why hedgehog control is important for protecting vulnerable native species.
Explore community conservation in Rotorua and why it matters-how local volunteers, iwi-led initiatives, and conservation groups protect native biodiversity, restore wetlands and lakes, control invasive pests, and strengthen climate resilience. Learn the benefits of Rotorua conservation projects for waterways, wildlife habitat, eco-tourism, and community wellbeing.
Learn how the Animal Welfare Act applies to trapping rules in New Zealand, including humane trapping requirements, legal responsibilities for trap use, welfare standards for captured animals, prohibited practices, and practical guidance to stay compliant when controlling pests or managing wildlife.
Learn effective prefeed techniques for possums in field projects, including bait selection, timing, placement strategies, and monitoring methods to increase bait acceptance, improve control efficiency, and support successful wildlife management operations.
Learn how to use a DOC200 trap correctly with clear, step-by-step instructions. This guide covers proper setup, best placement locations, baiting tips (if applicable), safety precautions, inspection frequency, humane handling or disposal guidelines, and maintenance to keep your DOC200 trap effective and compliant.
Sponsor a trap in Rotorua and support conservation efforts that protect native birds and restore local ecosystems. Your trap sponsorship helps fund predator control, ongoing monitoring, and community-led projects across Rotorua’s forests and reserves-making a measurable difference for biodiversity in the Bay of Plenty.
A practical rat trapping guide for New Zealand conservation work, covering how to choose the right trap, where to place trap lines, bait selection, safe handling, checking schedules, humane dispatch requirements, recording results, and biosecurity steps to protect native wildlife during predator control operations.
After extensive monitoring around the course bats were detected at almost every location with constant nightly activity in some areas and tours will feature them
Archive page featuring Rotorua Canopy Tours bat hunt, first prefeed trap feeding and preparation of ten kilometres of trapping lines in the Dansey Road Scenic area
Advocate Print supports the local community and the Forest Restoration Project with quality printing services and has recorded stoat control actions in the area.
No matter if you live in a city town or in the country you can help reduce pest numbers by using traps at home protecting native birds from rodents
A braided route through the year—nodes for planning, checks, and shared responsibilities.
Learn how to donate to forest restoration in New Zealand with confidence. This guide covers reputable native reforestation charities and community tree-planting projects, how to choose high-impact programs, what your donation funds (seedlings, pest control, maintenance), tax-deductible giving options, and practical tips for supporting long-term forest regeneration across Aotearoa.
Explore the Rotorua forest restoration project and how it works-from site assessment and native planting plans to pest and weed control, erosion management, community volunteering, and ongoing monitoring. Learn how restoration partners improve biodiversity, protect waterways, strengthen habitat for native birds and insects, and create a healthier, more resilient forest landscape in Rotorua.
Learn how predator control in Rotorua forests helps protect native wildlife by reducing threats from possums, stoats, rats, and feral cats. Explore effective methods such as trapping networks, bait stations, tracking and monitoring tools, and community-led conservation programs that support birdlife recovery and healthier forest ecosystems in the Rotorua region.
Learn practical safety guidelines for bush trapping volunteers, including pre-trip planning, PPE and hygiene, safe trap setup and checks, wildlife handling precautions, navigation and communication protocols, weather and terrain risk management, vehicle safety, emergency response steps, and humane animal welfare practices to keep volunteers safe in remote field conditions.
Learn practical possum trapping tips for New Zealand bush projects, including trap selection, safe and humane setup, bait and lure ideas, placement strategies, checking routines, and best-practice pest control methods to protect native birds and restore bush areas.
Learn how to use peanut butter bait for rats and when it works best. This guide covers why rats are attracted to peanut butter, the best trap types, baiting techniques, ideal placement locations, seasonal timing, and mistakes that reduce catch rates-plus safer alternatives when peanut butter isn’t effective.
Learn DOC250 trap placement tips for better results, including the best set locations on tracks and runs, how to position the trap for clean strikes, and practical advice on bait/lure placement, anchoring, and weather-proofing to boost catch rates.
Learn whether hedgehogs are harmful to native wildlife in New Zealand, including their impact on ground-nesting birds, skinks and geckos, and native insects. Explore why hedgehogs are considered a pest in many regions, where the risks are highest, and what conservation measures can reduce predation pressure on vulnerable species.
Tania and Oliver supported the forest restoration project by joining a canopy tour and sponsoring a rat trap helping preserve unique New Zealand wildlife
Our conservation programme has been featured in several media outlets including One News Waikato Times New Zealand Herald and the Daily Post
A passionate Kiwi Alan shares memories of rich bird life in Aucklands ranges and supports successful pest control and native tree planting near Dansey Road
Archive page listing Forest Restoration Project blog posts from December 2013 including The cost of conservation and The results are starting to show
Skills-forward sessions with notebook slips, checklists, and time for questions—no rush.
Native forest restoration in Rotorua explained in plain language-what restoration means, where it’s happening across the Rotorua Lakes and surrounding catchments, and why replanting natives matters for biodiversity, water quality, erosion control, and climate resilience. Learn about key methods like pest control, weed management, riparian planting, and long-term maintenance, plus practical ways locals and visitors can support Rotorua restoration projects through volunteering, planting days, donations, and responsible track use.
Learn about humane trapping regulations in New Zealand, including key legal requirements, animal welfare obligations, approved trap standards, and compliance tips for pest control and wildlife management. This guide explains what “humane” means under NZ rules, how traps are assessed and approved, where different trap types can be used, and how to avoid penalties by following best-practice trapping methods.
Learn how pest trapping in Rotorua supports conservation projects by reducing predators like rats, stoats, possums, and feral cats. Discover proven trapping methods, monitoring tips, and best-practice predator control strategies that help protect native birds, restore habitats, and strengthen biodiversity across Rotorua reserves and surrounding landscapes.
Discover the best bait for possum traps in New Zealand, including proven sweet and scent-based options like apple, peanut butter, cinnamon, aniseed, and commercial possum lures. Learn what works best for cage traps and kill traps, how to place bait for higher catch rates, and practical tips for trapping brushtail possums effectively in NZ conditions.
Learn how to prefeed before trapping to increase capture rates and reduce trap shyness. This guide covers when to start prefeeding, what bait to use, where to place food, how long to prebait a trap, and common mistakes that can ruin trapping success.
Learn how mustelid trapping in native forests works, including stoat, weasel, and ferret control methods, trap types, placement strategies, monitoring tips, and why predator management is critical for protecting native birds and biodiversity.
Learn how to get started with volunteer predator trapping in Rotorua with this step-by-step guide. Discover where to volunteer, what training you need, which predator traps are commonly used, how to set and check traps safely, how to record catches, and best practices for protecting native birds and wildlife around Rotorua.
Pest control in New Zealand is vital to protect unique native species. This article explains why trapping is used over poisons and how to effectively trap rats.
Explore stoat control methods used in New Zealand forests, including trap networks (DOC traps), self-resetting traps, toxin baiting (such as 1080 operations targeting prey species), detection dogs, and modern monitoring tools like trail cameras and tracking tunnels. Learn how integrated pest management reduces stoat numbers to protect native birds such as kiwi, kākā and mōhua across conservation areas.
Conservation is the responsibility of us all before it is too late If you want to be involved the following options let you sponsor traps lines or become a corporate supporter
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Advocate Print supports the local community by providing great product great value and great service encouraging customers to be recognised in colour while aiding forest restoration