Ray Pierce: conservation scientist: Projects

Publications and Report by Projects

1. Island Restoration in the Phoenix Islands World Heritage Area

The Phoenix Islands of Kiribati comprise one of the largest World Heritage areas and are home to endangered and internationally important populations of seabirds like the Phoenix Petrel. Since 2006 I have led 5 expeditions to these uninhabited islands, supported by Kiribati and many partners, with the objective of restoring island ecosystems. Eradication programs for rats and rabbits took place in 2008 and 2011 and follow-up outcome monitoring in 2009 and 2013 respectively. Ongoing support work for Kiribati managers includes capacity building for biosecurity, plus monitoring and surveillance of the islands, and further pest eradication planning.

Part of a colony of 11,000 pairs of lesser frigatebirds

Biosecurity surveillance - here Tiare from Kiribati Agriculture checking noni trees on Kanton for possible yellow crazy ants

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Pierce RJ, Etei T, Kerr V, Saul E, Teatata A, Thorsen M, Wragg G. 2006. Phoenix Islands Conservation Survey April-May 2006: a feasibility study for the ecological restoration of the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati. Eco Oceania Ltd Contract Report for Conservation International, Samoa, and the Invasive Species Specialist Group c/- Auckland University, Auckland.

Brown D and Pierce RJ 2008. Report on Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) training workshop held at Kiritimati in April 2008. Eco Oceania Ltd report for NZAID.

Pierce et al 2008: Operational work undertaken to eradicate mammalian pests in the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati, May-June 2008. Eco Oceania Ltd report for Government of Kiribati and NZAID.

Pierce RJ, Anterea N, Coulston G, Gardiner C, Shilton L, Taabu K, Wragg G. 2011. Atoll restoration in Phoenix Islands, Kiribati: survey results November-December 2009. Conservation International Lessons Learned Technical Series. 7: 1-85.

Pierce RJ 2011. Biosecurity guidelines for the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati. Conservation International Lessons Learned Technical Series. 8: 1-78.

Pierce RJ and Teroroko T. 2011. Enhancing biosecurity at the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), Kiribati. In Veitch, C. R.; Clout, M. N. and Towns, D. R. (eds.). 2011. Island invasives: eradication and management. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Pierce R and Brown D. 2011. Summary of restoration work undertaken on the Phoenix Islands atolls, Kiribati in July 2011 Eco Oceania Pty Ltd Report for Government of Kiribati, CI - CEPF, and Packard Foundation.

Pierce RJ. 2012. Birds and Invaders. Chapter 4 In Stone et al (eds) 2012. Underwater Eden: The Phoenix Islands.

Pierce RJ. 2013. Preliminary report on a biota survey of the Phoenix Islands atolls, Kiribati in May 2013. Eco Oceania Pty Ltd Report for Government of Kiribati and CEPF.

Pierce RJ, Kerr V, Kamatie K, Taabu K, Brown D, Wragg GM. 2016 (in prep).
Pelagic seabird surveys in and around Kiribati, Central Pacific, 2006-15 (in prep).

2. Bird Recovery in Kiritimati and Malden, Line Islands Publications and Key Reports
- Pierce R, Anderson R, VanderWerf V and Young L. 2007. Surveys and capacity building in Kiritimati (Christmas Island, Kiribati), to assist in restoration of populations of Bokikokiko and seabirds. Eco Oceania Ltd report for Government of Kiribati, SPREP and PII.
- Pierce R. and Brown D. 2010. Technical support and capacity building for the wildlife conservation unit and quarantine at Kiritimati, Kiribati, report no 2, December 2010. Eco Oceania Pty Ltd Report for Government of Kiribati and NZAID.
- Pierce R 2010. Technical support and capacity building for the wildlife conservation unit and quarantine at Kiritimati, Kiribati, Report no 5, December 2010. Eco Oceania Pty Ltd Report for Government of Kiribati and NZAID.
- Pierce RJ, Brown D, VanderWerf E. 2012 (revised 2014). Guidelines for monitoring birds and invasive species at Kiritimati, Kiribati. Eco Oceania Pty Ltd Report for Government of Kiribati, NZMFAT and SPREP.
- Pierce R. 2015. Biosecurity action plan for Kiritimati and Kanton. EcoOceania Report for Government of Kiribati and RSPB.
- Pierce R. 2015. Draft Kiribati National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan. EcoOceania Report for Government of Kiribati and SPREP.
- Pierce R, Brown D, Ioane A and Kamatie K. 2015 Malden Island, Kiribati – feasibility of cat eradication for the recovery of seabirds. EcoOceania report for Government of Kiribati and SPREP.
- Pierce R. 2016. Invasive species management and bird monitoring at Kiritimati, Kiribati, November-December2016. EcoOceania report for Pacific Biosecurity and Government of Kiribati. (Draft)
- VanderWerf EA, Pierce R, Bebe,R Taabu K. 2016 Habitat Use and Status of the Bokikokiko or Christmas Island Warbler (Acrocephalus aequinoctialis). Pacific Science 70: 437-446.

An Endangered White-throated Storm-petrel at nest entrance

Wildlife Conservation staff surveying for invasive species on one of about 30 de-ratted islets in Kiritimati Lagoon

3. Bird Research in French Polynesia Publications and Key Reports
- Pierce R, Raust P, Wragg G. 2003. Report on an avifauna survey of atolls in the Tuamotu and Austral Archipelagos, French Polynesia. Wildland Consultants Report for New Zealand Agency for International Development and Haut-Commisariat de la République en Polynésia Francaise.
- Pierce RJ, Blanvillain C. 2004. Current status of the endangered Tuamotu sandpiper or Titi Prosobonia cancellata and recommended actions for its recovery. Wader Study Group Bulletin 105: 93-100.
- Vanderwerf EA., Pierce RJ , Gill VA, Wragg G, Raust P, Tibbitts TL. 2006 Pelagic seabird surveys in the Tuamotu and Gambier Archipelagos, French Polynesia. Marine Ornithology 34: 65–70.
- Pierce RJ, Blanvillain C, Burle M-H. 2015. Preliminary report on bird research and monitoring associated with SOP Manu pest eradications in Acteon-Gambier, French Polynesia, June 2015. EcoOceania Report for SOP Manu and BirdLife Pacific.

Polynesian Ground-doves feeding on fruits of Guettarda

4. Bird Research in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea
- Pierce R. 2009. Community monitoring of threatened birds in the Lakekamu Basin - report on a reconnaissance trip in December 2008. Eco Oceania Pty Ltd report for Conservation International and the Lakekamu Basin communities.
- Pierce R. 2014. Surveys of threatened birds and flying-foxes in the Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands, September – October 2014. Eco Oceania Pty Ltd Report for CEPF.
- Pierce R. 2016. Surveys and conservation planning for the Santa Cruz Ground-dove and Santa Cruz Shrikebill, Solomon Islands, September – October 2016. Eco Oceania Pty Ltd Report for CEPF.

A male Santa Cruz Ground-dove

5. Research in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area
- Pierce R, Schultz P, Scott K, Stowe R. 2017 (accepted). Trends in rainforest bird use of revegetated corridors along the banks of the Barron River, Kuranda. NQ Nat.
- Pierce R, Ogle C. 2017 (in prep). Why do Musky rat-kangaroos and other vertebrates feed in the flowers of the root parasite Balanophora fungosa (Balanophoraceae)?