Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Waipā predator-free action group nominated for Volunteering Waikato awards

Waikato Herald
9 May, 2022 06:20 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Volunteers David Griffith and Bertrand Salmi set a trap at one of the targeted locations in Cambridge. Photo / Supplied

Volunteers David Griffith and Bertrand Salmi set a trap at one of the targeted locations in Cambridge. Photo / Supplied

Volunteer organisation Predator Free Cambridge has been nominated for the 2022 Volunteering Waikato Team Excellence Award for its efforts and initiatives to protect indigenous birds and wildlife.

The 50 volunteers from Predator Free Cambridge are involved in helping native fauna and flora by trapping stoats, rats, possums, and other pests on Waipā District Council land across the town.

The group is part of Predator Free 2050, a nationwide initiative by the Central Government and the Department of Conservation to eliminate introduced predators.

Predator Free Cambridge was formed in 2017 on the initiative of resident Adam Thompson, who funded the first trap meeting.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The group's community coordinator Karen Barlow says they would target the three main predators rats, possums, and stoats as those did the most damage, however other predators like hedgehogs, ferrets and weasels were also trapped.

"Eggs, chicks, and even some adult birds are eaten by predators. Invertebrates, lizards, and bats are also eaten."

She wants to make clear the group was not about killing animals.

"The volunteers ... are nature-lovers and they want to protect native species.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"However, in order to protect native animals, we end up having to remove the predators. I think that's quite a big distinction."

Waipā biodiversity planner Hilary Webb says Predator Free Cambridge's work contributed to the national goal of eradicating animal pests by 2050.

"We fully support Predator Free Cambridge's nomination for the ... award and are proud of this recognition of their work, which has made a noticeable difference to our unique native bird, bat and insect species.

"The team is also going above and beyond by assisting with the survey of long-tailed bats in Cambridge. Both the trapping work and the survey will contribute to the protection of this critically threatened native mammal."

Discover more

Raised leg-hold traps essential to protecting kiwi

13 Jan 06:09 PM

Bat survey takes off in Cambridge

19 Apr 07:20 PM

Mangaiti Gully restoration nears completion

02 May 02:50 AM

The traps are sold at the Cambridge i-Site and local residents are asked to keep track of their traps and catches using the free Trap.NZ app.

The award recipients will be announced during National Volunteer Week from June 19 to 25.

Barlow said the group was always looking for volunteers to help service a trap line for rats, stoats, and possums. People who are interested in volunteering can inquire via email to karen@goeco.org.nz.

Neighbouring Predator Free Te Awamutu volunteer group is also looking for volunteers after it received a share of $50,000 funding from Predator Free New Zealand to assist with trapping in and around Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Maungatautari.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Premium
Lifestyle

The day Robert Redford landed in NZ – and preferred it to America

17 Sep 02:24 AM
Waikato Herald

Emergency response after van flips on rural highway

17 Sep 01:10 AM
Waikato Herald

Man shoots dog in the head after it barked at him in supermarket carpark

17 Sep 01:00 AM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Premium
Premium
The day Robert Redford landed in NZ – and preferred it to America
Lifestyle

The day Robert Redford landed in NZ – and preferred it to America

Hollywood legend Robert Redford has died. The Herald looks back at his time in Aotearoa.

17 Sep 02:24 AM
Emergency response after van flips on rural highway
Waikato Herald

Emergency response after van flips on rural highway

17 Sep 01:10 AM
Man shoots dog in the head after it barked at him in supermarket carpark
Waikato Herald

Man shoots dog in the head after it barked at him in supermarket carpark

17 Sep 01:00 AM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP