PREDATOR FREE 2050 THE GOAL THAT UNITES A COUNTRY
In July 2016, the Government announced the goal to make New Zealand predator free by 2050, taking up the challenge to initiate what the late Sir Paul Callaghan described as “New Zealand’s Apollo project”. Our cultural and national identities are drawn from the unique plants and animals found in Aotearoa New Zealand. Māori have highlighted the significance of these taonga and the importance of acting as kaitiaki for them over decades. In the seven years since the 2050 target was set, huge gains have been achieved. There are now 18 large landscape projects underway targeting possums, rats and stoats, that will collectively cover close to 800,000 hectares across a mix of rural and urban geographies. Already, over 54,000 hectares have been cleared and are now being defended using a suite of tools and technologies developed and brought to market through Predator Free 2050 Limited’s Products to Projects funding.
Kiwi photo Shaun Lee. Cover by Ian Robertson
In addition while the biodiversity wins are being notched up in every active project, the benefits of the Predator Free 2050 movement extend well beyond saving our species.
Predator Free 2050 Limited Company Background As an integral part of the wider predator free system, Predator Free 2050 Limited was established to contribute to the Government’s goal of eradicating possums, rats, and stoats from Aotearoa New Zealand by 2050. We do this by investing and supporting large-scale predator eradication projects and research projects that investigate and develop new tools and techniques, and by attracting co-funders to contribute to this important mahi. While the projects we fund deliver the eradication gains, the Company acts as an important enabler and facilitator by connecting, supporting, and co-ordinating collective effort and accumulated knowledge across the projects.
Uniting communities Former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry is the patron of Te Korowai o Waiheke, the community led charitable trust established to make Waiheke the first predator free urban island in the world. He is witness to the galvanising impact of the project. “Predator Free 2050 is an extremely positive message in a world that is struggling with the hangover of Covid. We’re leading the world by doing rather than just talking about it. For the people of New Zealand trying to be the best I think is both unifying and motivational,” Sir Graham says. “It’s hugely motivating for the local community. We have 96% of Waiheke households supporting the project - a big team all committed, all working together - you can’t get much better than that!
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Already we can see the impact Te Korowai o Waiheke is having. The birds, including the natives, are increasing and the bird song as a result is louder, there’s this great feel-good factor that is building the desire to complete the programme.”
International reputation and tourism boost Dame Kerry Prendergast spent nine years as Mayor of Wellington and is now Chair of Capital Kiwi. Like Sir Graham, she has been buoyed by the community support and the strong partnerships built with iwi. “There is so much community and social cohesion built around this movement. The release of 63 kiwi back into Wellington is extraordinary and the relationship we have built with Iwi – Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangātira – is second to none. When the first 13 kiwi were released it brought the whole community together. In Wellington you won’t find anyone that is unaware of what is happening on Miramar Peninsula or of the smaller groups around the city who have encouraged members of the public to put traps in their backyards. They are now finally seeing kākā and kererū in their neighbourhoods, a thing some haven’t seen before.” As Chair of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Dame Kerry says all of this community effort is being noticed internationally: “A big part of the product that international visitors come to New Zealand to see is our nature – here they can experience our biodiversity. So it’s a key component of what we can offer. Returning bird song is not just for us but for visitors too. We want to build up visitor numbers to pre-Covid times and selling New Zealand’s biodiversity is part of that.”
Delivering on our responsibility of kaitiakitanga Estelle Leask has dedicated much of her career to conservation. She is a Senior Environmental Advisor for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, sits on the Southland Conservation Board, chairs the Bluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust and joined the Predator Free 2050 Limited Board in 2019. Speaking for her Ngāi Tahu whakapapa, ki Murihiku hapori (Southland community), Estelle says Predator Free 2050 is more than just a goal or a catch phrase – it is a call to arms, for the sake of future generations. “A lot of people fail to understand the connection between the health of our natural environment and how it is linked to human health. Many Ngāi Tahu whānui understand that connection, we understand the inherent obligations of kaitiakitanga, it is not a choice it is a responsibility. To me PF2050 is ‘real hope’ for the future of Rakiura Stewart Island. With 20 years of experience in predator suppression in Motupōhue Bluff Hill, supporting habitat and species recovery, I’ve seen some amazing transformations. Aside from the undeniable indigenous biodiversity gains, I found purpose in my life, created wonderful friendships with like-minded people doing really meaningful mahi, enhancing mana and enabling me to practice kaitiakitanga o te taiao. It gives me great pride and endless satisfaction to see the results of our hard work.”
Backing innovative Kiwis A big part of Predator Free 2050 Limited’s role is to drive advances in science and Research & Development. Helen Blackie has 20 years experience in biosecurity and pest control, the past nine of which she has spent with Boffa Miskell introducing new pest control tools. Working alongside predator ecologists and groups throughout New Zealand, Australia and the UK, Helen’s job involves finding new solutions to eliminate pest species using novel methods of control and surveillance. In her field, the Predator Free 2050 goal has changed the game. “In the R&D space, things have changed, and we now have funds to develop tools from inception to commercialisation. We can rapidly research and introduce new tools.” Helen says. “The groups we work with, including engineers and collaborative teams, are all part of NZ Inc. Interest in this R&D is now coming in from overseas, from groups wanting similar technology for similar problems. We have been able to use seed funding to move into offshore markets and we are now regarded as leaders in the R&D space. Not only do we provide great research opportunities, but a number of NZ Inc companies are collaborating with organisations in the UK, as well as five or six universities and companies across Europe. Products made here are being promoted overseas, delivering significant economic opportunities and important reputational benefits. It’s of enormous value to critical international species too.”
Enabling self-determination Makere Jenner lives on Māori-owned Rangiāhua, one of the Broken Islands south of Te Whanga-o-Rarohara / Port Fitzroy on Aotea Great Barrier Island. She homeschools four children, serves her whānau where she can on the marae and is Project Lead for Tū Mai Taonga, an ambitious programme to restore the indigenous biodiversity of Aotea. She says the project is helping transform the outlook for her hapū. “The availability of Jobs for Nature funding coincided with the election of a new trust to manage the affairs of Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea. This gave us a genuine opportunity to determine how conservation could be carried out on the island. This required us to listen to the voices of kaumātua and approach the restoration of our whenua in new ways, with respect and responsibility. Building a workforce and infrastructure from scratch has been a huge challenge, at a time the island has experienced unprecedented cyclones and wet winter weather. But now we are employing around 30 workers – more than half of them are whānau – providing training, household income and opportunities to move to Aotea and rediscover ancestral connections and knowledge. We are removing rats from offshore islands to prove new methodologies, and feral cats from a large landscape in Te Paparahi on the main island, with a vision to make Aotea predator-free and allow residents to live within a thriving natural world.”
Galvanising rural communities Farmers have long been conservationists at heart so it is not surprising to see how quickly rural communities have gotten in behind the predator free challenge. Rotomanu dairy farmer Katie Milne is Vice President of the World Farmers’ Organisation and is now heavily involved in the predator free goal, with Lake Brunner/Te Kinga project on her back doorstep as well as being on the boards of Predator Free South Westland and Predator Free 2050 Limited. “Before the predator free movement became what it is today, we had this vision about Mt Te Kinga being a landlocked piece of New Zealand. With the lake on one side and farmland surrounding it, it’s actually an island hill. We thought it would be a great opportunity to prove that the eradication of possums could be achieved, and also halt the cycle of continuous treatment of cattle for tuberculosis, which is really disheartening. It is heart wrenching watching animals having to be destroyed because of tuberculosis.” Katie says. “With predator free funding we have the opportunity to permanently rid Mt Te Kinga of possums and restore the biodiversity of the forest. While some people have been sceptical, knowing what can be achieved for the biodiversity of the area is very satisfying. In 2018 an individual kiwi was recorded on the mountain although it was unknown whether it was transient or a resident. Discovering that it was still around when we saw the first images obtained by the project team was great news. As the project team collect more data they should be able to determine the viability of Te Kinga becoming a creche for our roroa. I’d love for my grandson to be able to experience our backyard as a safe place for kākāpō and takahē. That’s important to me, it’s what can be achieved once we’ve eradicated possums.”
Ngāti Awa, Korehāhā Whakahau growing capacity and capability Karla Akuhata is the Communications and Engagement Manager at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa. She promotes Korehāhā Whakahau, Predator Free 2050 Limited’s first iwi-led project. Growing capacity and capability to be kaitiaki within the Ngāti Awa rohe is the key message of Korehāhā Whakahau. The project will develop a skilled biodiversity and biosecurity workforce, which is grounded in the whenua of Ngāti Awa, so that they can step up to their responsibilities as kaitiaki and undertake environmental work in the rohe, or tribal area. While there is a goal to eradicate possums from the project area of more than 4000ha, there is a large focus on providing employment opportunities for Ngāti Awa rangatahi, or young people, to develop skillsets focused on protecting and enhancing the wellbeing of te taiao, the environment, in the tribe’s rohe. Karla says “The benefit of this approach is that it supports the development of a skilled biodiversity workforce that could support environmental work long after the eradication of possums is achieved. It also connects the iwi, through our rangatahi, back to whenua which we had been disconnected from because of raupatu, or confiscation. Our Ngāti Awatanga, forms the foundation of Korehāhā Whakahau. This means that while there is a priority to develop conservation and environmental skills, we are also compelled to ensure that our cultural abilities including through te reo me ona tikanga, waiata and the application of matauranga Māori, are at the core.”
Predator Free 2050 Limited supported projects
Vote Conservation
Bay of Islands
Provincial Growth Fund Whangārei
Jobs for Nature Kaipara
Iwi led
Aotea Kawau
Community led
Waiheke
Council led
Whakatāne
Taranaki Mahia / Hawke’s Bay
Farewell Spit
Capital Kiwi
Lake Brunner
Wellington
Banks Peninsula
Te Manahuna Aoraki
South Westland
Dunedin
Chatham Islands
Ngā haumāuiuitanga Achievements to date Large-scale predator eradication projects Waiheke Island: Close to eradication of stoats. Rat trials have started to provide information that will be helpful in any attempt to eradicate rats from the Island.
Taranaki: 2,000 ha of Kaitake farmland is in the defence phase where possums have been eliminated. Hit their goal of having one-in-five households involved in the trapping programme.
Hawke's Bay: 5,500 ha of the Māhia Peninsula is possum-free and the project is on track to eliminate possums from the whole peninsula.
South Westland: 45% (43,000 ha) of the project area is in the defence phase and is effectively free from rats, stoats and possums.
Wellington: Weasels and stoats have been eliminated from Miramar Peninsula (1000ha) since July 2020, and Norway rats since January 2022. Ship rats have now been eliminated from 850ha of the peninsula, with elimination of the remaining animals underway.
Dunedin: On track to remove possums from Otago Peninsula by Sept 2024. Predator Free Dunedin is mopping up the last remaining possums in the first three operational sectors of Otago Peninsula (approximately 4,400 ha).
18 3 Large-scale predator eradication projects
of these projects are iwi-led.
Currently covering close to
800,000 ha
Science and research
A collective approach for prioritising ‘embedded research’ has been initiated
Seven new ‘capability development’ PhD students and postdoctoral researchers supported to build the new science capability that the mission needs
1080 ZERO Supported ZIP’s elimination model development that has now been applied over 43,000 hectares
World first genome sequencing of target predator species completed for ship rats, stoats, and possums, driving increased understanding of how to better eradicate them
Refined use of thermal cameras with AI to improve predator detection sensitivity by up to 50-fold
Created a world first Data Standard for pest management so that data from all projects can be combined for analysis
New ‘toxic rat’ approach for efficiently removing surviving or reinvading stoats from the landscape
Products and innovation
13
new products developed for large-scale projects to use, including long life ceramic lures, high-interaction traps, increased surveillance capacity through thermal cameras, artificial intelligence and remote communications
48
scientific projects and research studies funded
Partnerships Partnered with Ngāti Awa to host and deliver a wānanga for all large-scale projects focused on engaging with tangata whenua and improving understanding the role of mātauranga Māori in predator eradication work
Crown funding of approximately $69M has provided anchor funding that has secured new investment of over $110M from the philanthropic, corporate and volunteer sectors
Tū Mai Taonga field team heading out to the operational area. Photo Shaun Lee.
Abby Wutzler pest trapping for Capital Kiwi, Makara Beach, Wellington City District. Photo by Rob Suisted for The Capital Kiwi Project.
Predator Free 2050 Limited is a Toitū carbonreduce certified organisation. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and will be striving toward becoming a carbonzero workplace in the future.