Track Establishment for Predator Control in Papa Aroha Conservation Area

The purpose of this RFT is to assist the Department in meeting its ecosystem restoration objectives in the Papa Aroha Block, through the establishment of new predator control bait station lines. The work is necessary to bring the tracks up to an appropriate standard to reduce health and safety risks for the Biodiversity Rangers to carry out the baiting of bait stations for possum and rat control.

This work is also required to bring the bait station network up to a standard to reduce possum numbers to below 5%.The Services will consist of establishing approximately 100 kilometres of track in the Papa Aroha Block to the Department of Conservation marked route standard.

This service will involve the following: � Establishing new tracks by cutting and clearing vegetation along routes that have already been marked out by the Department with flagging tape. � Re-establishing existing tracks by cutting and clearing vegetation along routes that have been previously been marked out with only pink triangle markers.

Tracks marked with blue triangle markers (or any other colour that is not pink) will not be cut. The Department of Conservation will provide the contractor with access to the existing network of bait station and trap lines in the Papa Aroha Block. The contractor will be responsible for transport to and from the site, communication with parties in the field, and track cutting equipment (e.g.

chainsaws, personal protection equipment, and radio or satellite communication).