As many people who live closely with the land will know, a change of season shifts our priorities, and the natural world can be a very different place. Both farming and conservation rely on familiarity with the seasons, knowing what to do and when.

What does this mean for those who have a QEII covenant on their land? We talked to two QEII regional representatives about what the move into summer looks like in te taiao in their region and how to approach covenant care in the warmer months.

Lou Hagger, QEII regional representative for Tararua

As a QEII rep, what does your summertime involve?

Longer days and drier tracks mean the bigger more remote covenant visits can be done. I’m normally working around a busy time for farmers though with shearing, weaning etc. My quad bike also gets a service.

What changes would QEII covenant owners usually spot in your region as they come into summer?

The pastures dry off here, and the fire risk increases especially around exotic plantations. Some native species like tawa can suffer in the canopy and māhoe and kawakawa may wilt even under the canopy. Excluding a major weather event, streams and rivers will slow down.

What’s happening in the natural world at this time of year in your region?

Fledglings and young birds are out now, and they can be a bit clumsy and defenceless. Wildbase Recovery in Palmerston North is our go to for bird rehab. There will be plenty of birdsong as the winds and wild weather start to settle and the spring growth has kicked in. Keep an eye on the native species seeding and quantities – a mast year means we need to keep the heat on pest animal trapping and figure out effective ways to entice them to interact with traps!

Myrtle rust may also be evident on species up here like ramarama and swamp maire so biosecurity when moving around the region is important. I’m usually disinfecting boots in between visits and also I am observing which parts of the region the rust is present in.

Do you have any summer advice for landowners in your region?

Summer is a really busy, sometimes stressful time for our farmers in the east, so I’d say go easy on the long hot days, stay hydrated and give yourself a chance to go and stop in the cooler temperatures of your covenant.

Do you have any summer pest control tips?

Get onto bait stations for the wasps in covenants! They are an underestimated pest that does a lot of damage to our native ecosystems as well as creating a hazard on farm. They’ll be hunting for protein at the end of the summer so a protein-based bait like Vespex then is a good option but there are other options on the market for during the summer. Also, hedgehogs: they’re out after their winter rest and will be eating ground-dwelling invertebrates, eggs from ground nesters and any chicks and lizards they can reach.

What about the plants? Is it a good time for planting or for pest plant control?

End of spring before the growth slows down hit the weeds with a targeted foliage spray being very mindful of any native species nearby when applying. The summer heat and sun will help the spray do its job.

Release young plantings from the spring growth but be mindful of the heat on them. Cardboard biodegradable plant protectors are great for shade, or mulch with some sheep dags and wool to keep the moisture in the ground and fertilize when the rains come.

Joe Potter Butler, QEII regional representative for Central Canterbury

As a QEII rep, what does your summertime involve?

I’m going to be trying to rack up monitoring visits to covenants in my region. There aren’t usually as many monitoring visits in winter, so summer’s the time to make the most of the nice weather.

What changes would QEII covenant owners usually spot in your region as they come into summer?

You might start to see grass starting to brown off in the next month or so. With this comes fire risk as the grass dries.

Flowering will be starting to wrap up for a few plants. There’ll be some jasmine left and some pale flax flowers still around at the moment.

What’s happening in the natural world at this time of year in your region?

Cicadas start kicking in soon and fledgling birds will be starting to show up around the place. At this time of year I’m on the lookout for lizards (skinks and geckos) hanging out in the morning sun.

We’re also between peak flowering and peak fruiting. Sedges and grasses can be identified more easily as they’ll have more flowers and fruit.

Do you have any summer advice for landowners in your region?

Be wary of hot exhaust pipes and dry grass with the fire risk higher.

It’s still a good time to spot certain weed species like banana passionfruit vine and gorse if those are plant pests for you. They’ll be more visible this time of year.

What about the plants? Is it a good time for planting or for pest plant control?

It’s not a good time for planting here unless you’re planting into wetlands, but it’s a good time of year for controlling weeds like old man’s beard and other problem vines, especially when you want to work in the shade of the forest out of the hot sun for a change.

Photo credit: Joe Potter Butler