Minister wants wider use of traps in Hawke's Bay

Minister for Conservation Maggie Barry with Jake and Tomomi Bowcock from Pest Free Esk Hill. Photo/ supplied.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry encouraged trap action at the Predator Free 2050 event held in Napier on Thursday.

Local community group Pest Free Esk Hill was presented with 20 DOC200 predator traps, which will be deployed in local backyards, by Ms Barry yesterday.

The programme is to rid New Zealand of three of the country's most damaging introduced predators - possums, rats and stoats - by 2050.

"It will deliver huge benefits for the social and cultural links with our environment, for our regional economies through primary industries and tourism and for our threatened native species.

"Achieving this goal will require new technology and a co-ordinated and collective impact of individuals, communities, central and local government, iwi, Ospri, philanthropists, non-government organisations, businesses, science and research organisations and land owners," Ms Barry said.

Pest Free Esk Hill spokeswoman Tomomi Bowcock said the new traps would boost their efforts tremendously.

"We started with support from DOC, who gave us 20 possum traps, and Hawke's Bay Regional Council who gave us 20 DOC200s."

Operational Solutions for Primary Industries (Ospri) also stepped up and provided the group a number of One Station Kills All [OSKA] bait traps to combat tuberculosis in the area.

"Our aim is to make a positive difference to our local biodiversity and have 100 traps, checked weekly by community," Mrs Bowcock said.

Hawke's Bay Predator Free ranger Kellie Mayo said Predator Free 2050 allowed those initiatives to have a clear, shared voice, and it encouraged others to take part in this ambitious goal.

Some of the initiatives already under way in Hawke's Bay included Hohepa's wetland enhancement project, Cape to City, Poutiri Ao ō Tāne, Friends of A'Deans bush, Pest Free Esk Hill, Whatuma Restoration community group, Cape Sanctuary, Maungataniwha biodiversity restoration programmes, Ahuriri Bittern protection, Pan Pac Predator control, ECOED Kiwi protection, The Hawke's Bay Biodiversity Strategy and the Whangawehi Catchment management group.

As the Predator Free 2050 programme becomes established there will be increasing opportunities to become involved.

The event on Thursday also included the launch of a trap library, a Q&A session with the Minister, predator trap demonstrations, and talks about local initiatives.

Visit www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/predator-free-2050 for more information.