Effective animal pest control and eradication work is best achieved with the use of experienced and methodical operators. Coastal Pest Solutions is one of the best “one stop shops” for this work. Ditch Keeling and his team combine top notch pre operational planning with experienced and dedicated personnel to consistently achieve a high standard of work. The proven practical experience of Ditch and his team mean that you will always get the best techniques and systems tailored for your job.

Jo Ritchie

Environment Manager – Treescape Limited

Our ability to manage species in a key site had been compromised by predation. After initial discussions with Ditch he identified that the very large rabbit population was supporting artificially high numbers of our top line predators. After canvassing available operators, as is policy, we were quickly directed back to Ditch by his peers citing both experience and competency. Coastal Pest Solutions then drew up a site specific plan for us incorporating the training of one of our staff in the methodology Ditch was employing. Ditch took 3554 rabbits and fifteen cats over 22 nights. The operation eventuated in a very high level of control which we would not have been able to reach ourselves internally. Ditch then formulated a maintenance plan for our staff to follow to ensure rabbit numbers are kept to manageable levels.

Rowan Hegglun
Programme Manager Biodiversity
Department of Conservation 
 

 “Ditch was contracted to undertake possum control by the ADRG, which we are a member of.  As a result of his good work there we asked him to undertake some possum control work for us in Whitford Forest, Ditch now undertakes all our possum, goat and pig control work.   Highly recommended.”

Dr Angus J McPherson
Registered Forestry Consultant
Wood'search Marketing Limited 

 Thanks for your help on this project.  I am very happy and relieved that you were available, your performance was excellent, across planning, scenario painting, logistics, methodologies, stakeholder comms, ops performance, hard work, reporting back and analysis/learnings.  Add to that just plain passion.  Animal incursion management is absolutely your “thing”.   

 Jack Craw

Group Manager Biosecurity

Auckland Regional Council  

 I have engaged Coastal Pest Solutions (CPS) on behalf of Auckland City since 2007. My contact with CPS involved pest control on a long-term coastal restoration project at Kaitoke beach on Great Barrier Island.

I myself was engaged as a consultant to manage these sensitive works on behalf of Auckland City’s Transport section. Sand dunes where threatening the Claris Airfield with wind blown sand due to the degraded state of the dune vegetation.

A report, undertaken by Growing Edge Partnership and Coastline Consultancy, on how to reverse the degrading dune systems made many recommendations including an urgent need to undertake pest control on the flourishing rabbit population.

CPS where recommended to me by Department of Conservation staff on Great Barrier Island.

This year, 2010, is now the fourth year CPS has undertaken pest control for the project at Kaitoke Beach. CPS’ initial assessment and control methodology have proven to be very effective due largely to their thorough assessment of the site and pest problem before undertaking control.– see pictures above.

There is more to the skill set that CPS brings to the work place. Great Barrier like many small communities works on personal reputation not necessarily professional experience alone.

Staff from CPS understand this requirement and spend time getting to know the local issues and residents. This in many ways has lead to the successful pest control programme we have undertaken at Kaitoke Beach.

I have no hesitation in recommending Coastal Pest Solutions for pest control works and wish Ditch and his team the best for the future

Patrick Thorp

Growing Edge Partnership 

Ditch’ has been the contractor for our community based possum control programme for several years now. Our rural group undertakes possum control in an area of 1000 hectares which includes areas of native bush, commercial forestry, farmland, private gardens and orchards. 

Ditch’s knowledge and enthusiasm never ceases to amaze me.

He is honest and reliable and always notifies residents if he is going to work on their property. 

Our group has complete confidence in Ditch’s work and we know that when we are ready to move on to other types of pest control, Ditch has the know-how and the ability to help us. 

He is also extremely helpful at advising individuals in the group, about control of particular pests that are affecting their land.

You name it, Ditch knows how to nail it!

 Sandra Loudon

Chairman Arakotinga Drive Restoration Group

I have been using Coastal Pest Solutions fresh rabbit baits for live trapping feral cats and mustelids for the last year as part a research programme monitoring the seasonal abundance of pest mammals in a large wetland.  I need to be absolutely confident that I am catching most, if not all the predators in the study site during each survey session, this means I need high quality bait in my traps. The ‘CPS Pro-Bait’ product is fantastic, the rabbit meat is cut to exactly the sizes I require, comes in convenient easy to handle pails and above all, is always delivered on time. I highly recommend this product to any trapper who is serious about catching feral cats or mustelids.

Craig Gillies

Predator Ecologist

Department of Conservation

Research & Development Group

Hamilton 

CPS Predator baits are second to none; we were recently trying to catch a ferret that had killed a number of Kiwi, within 24 hours Ditch sent us 400 baits and we started catching animals straight away, in the first few days we caught a Ferret that DNA proved to be the culprit, fantastic bait & great service.

  Guus Knopers

Wildlife Contractors Ltd