https://www.facebook.com/806928302495955/

Opanuku Stream Team - Saving Shona

Home
New Zealand
Auckland
Opanuku Stream Team - Saving Shona

Directions

Restoring biodiversity in Shona Esplanade Reserve. A critically endangered indigenous ecosystem.

22/09/2026

Come and see me and Kiri if you fancy coming out to Mt Roskill on Saturday morning next month :)

18/08/2026

Was great to plant some natives for bank stabilisation further up stream last weekend (and the weekend before).

28/03/2026

1st possum caught in Shona since setting up the line. Used a ramp with fejoa that I smushed on it and that seemed to do the trick.

Nasty

Xoxo Nikita

15/02/2026

Catch activity since the beginning of 2026.

If you or someone you know wants to run a trapline.. boy do I have the solution for you ;) flick me a message !

xoxo Nikita

15/02/2026

Nest contents of a pīwakawaka. Suspected rat poo and remnants of a chick. Nest size comparison as I believe the other one is a thrushes nest. Both empty.

We need trapping. We trap. :)

Xoxo Nikita

sent from Shona

03/02/2026

The new trap boxes are proving diligent. Ship rats move in 3D so instead of sticking to the forest floor, they head up the trees in search of baby birds and eggs.

A quick humane death for a rat is far preffered over being eaten alive wouldn't you reckon?

Thank you Predator Free Wai Huruhuru Creek for the 4 additional traps.

Xoxo Nikita

01/02/2026

Plenty of this in Shona. Flowering at the moment and has spread rapidly on the stream edges. Sometimes can feel like a losing battle as it sometimes helps stop erosion.

Pest plant alert: Chinese & Tree Privet 🚨
These fast-growing evergreen invaders are a serious threat to our native bush! 😤

Why theses species are a problem:
🐦 Birds spread thousands of highly viable seeds across wide areas
🌱 Seedlings are shade-tolerant and form dense understories, choking out native species
🌲 Eventually they replace natives in the canopy - sometimes forming complete coverage!
🤧 Massive pollen production causes allergies and health problems
☠️ Leaves & berries are poisonous to people and animals

Spot them now:
Chinese privet flowers Sept-Dec with fragrant white drooping clusters Tree privet flowers Nov-March with creamy flower heads
Both produce bluish purple-black berries

Take Action:
🔗For more detail on what it looks like and recommended approaches to control and dispose please visit our Conservation Auckland pest page for tree privet:
https://tinyurl.com/control-privet

💬 Talk to neighbours and encourage them to take action too!
🌿 Replace privet with natives

28/01/2026

Down in the bush today clearing bindweed and setting up 4 more traps.

In total now 7 rat traps and 1 possum trap. Today, the three traps I have been checking were either moved or interfered with. If you see dodgy-ness, hit me up !

Pic of bindweed for reference

Xoxo Nikita

21/01/2026

Looking for something to do when the kids go back to school, or want to learn some new skills to add to your CV or simply want to make new connections.
Starting at 10 am on Friday 13th February is a volunteering session meeting at the Corban estate bridge at Henderson Park. We will undertake Waicare testing of the Opanuku stream. This will help to determine the health of the waters.
Each session will have a different focus where you can learn something new.
The sessions will finish by 11.30am with a short morning tea together.
For any further information e-mail Natasha at
[email protected]

Address

Shona Reserve
Auckland

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Opanuku Stream Team - Saving Shona posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.