Motu Trails journeys through areas that are important for their biodiversity.

The Opotiki coast has many species of shore birds including dotterals; while inland the Urutawa forest has species including North Island robins, NI tomtits, NI weka, and kiwi.

It has been a longstanding goal to get extensive predator trapping along both the Dunes Trail and Pakihi Track. In 2021-2022 we have made exciting progress. 

There are now 50+ predator traps along 8km of the Dunes Trail, and 25 traps along a 4.5km section of Pakihi Track. The traps are all double-set (two traps per trap box) DOC200s. These are instant-kill traps using no poison. There are other considerations, such as they are long, to be weka-proof.

The target species are stoats, weasels, and rats.

The Dunes Trail traps were put out by Motu Trails Trust, Whakatohea Tiaki Taiao, Nga Tapuwae o Taneatua tramping club and other volunteers, and DOC staff. They're being checked and cleared by a number of people including volunteers. Thank you to all — it's a real partnership effort!

The traps were made possible with DOC community conservation partnership funding.

The Dunes Trail trapline has now caught about six stoats, seven weasels and 80+ rats. Enough to start making a difference for birds and other species that are at risk.

The goal over time is to build on this start, especially up the Pakihi valley.