Arthur Linnell, a Rangiora retiree, is eager to stay busy in retirement.

“At my age, if you stop doing things that matter or challenge you, then you stop living,” he says.

The well-known wood craftsperson, toy maker and toy repairer for the City Mission, says he loves being occupied, and he’s always looking for what he can do to help out in his community.

“I have access to a bit of timber, mostly off-cuts from friendly local builders, so I thought it would be a good idea to ask Pest Free Waimakariri if they needed help building traps.”

They agreed, and Arthur began making the wooden traps.

“They are built to fit the DOC200 traps which are designed to catch and trap rats, weasels, and stoats that would otherwise decimate our native bird populations,” says Arthur.

He says it takes about half an hour to measure, cut and assemble each wooden trap.

“If I didn’t use the off-cut timber graciously donated to me by many local builders, it would undoubtedly end up in a landfill somewhere, so now it’s being put towards a good community service.”

Richard Chambers from Pest Free Waimakariri says they have around 200 to 250 traps out in the district at any time.

"This time of year, there is less pest activity, and so up until springtime we are checking them all and fixing those traps that need repair.

“We are also always on the lookout for volunteers to check the traps that people like Arthur and several others in Rangiora are making.”

He says the traps are set up in various reserves around the district and without the volunteer trappers, the traps will sit idle.