Predator Free Southland
In order to support the ongoing efforts across Southland and to find a way to move us closer towards the predator free goal, a joint initiative of Ngai Tahu, Environment Southland, the Department of Conservation, Gore District Council, Invercargill City Council and Southland District Council has resulted in the formation of a governance group and the joint funding of the role of a Predator Free Southland Coordinator.
What does the coordinator do?
The coordinator focuses on establishing a collaborative network including community groups and agencies across Southland, identify the necessary capability and capacity in order to find solutions and funding, determine priority projects to focus our efforts on, and create a framework and 5-year action plan for Southland to collaborate at scale to control our predators and protect our biodiversity.
Meet Dr Ini Gunn
Having lived in eight countries and managed research projects for 13 years as part of international teams in Europe, Australasia and the Middle East, Ini settled in Southland in 2018. She says she was attracted to Southland by its welcoming community and rugged nature, and went in search of a role that would allow her to contribute to the conservation of New Zealand’s unique biodiversity.
“Across Southland, many individuals, community groups and organisations are doing predator control projects using traps, bait stations and poison to buy our native species some space and time.
“Southland poses its individual challenges, but the immense work that is already being put in, in order to protect our biodiversity and control our predator numbers, speaks to our vision, dedication and kaitiakitanga for Southland.”
Ini’s work will focus on mainland Southland, excluding Fiordland and Stewart Island where existing Predator control initiatives are already in place.
You can get in touch with Ini by email: ini-isabee.gunn@es.govt.nz.
What's Predator Free 2050?
Predator Free 2050 is an ambitious goal to rid New Zealand of its most damaging introduced predators that threaten our nation’s indigenous biodiversity, our taonga species, our economy and primary sector. It is one of many work programmes that aims to contribute to reversing the rapid loss of our biodiversity, by eradicating possums, mustelids and rats, so our unique wildlife can thrive and our ecosystems can grow strong again. Across New Zealand, many individual community groups and agencies have been conducting predator control projects using traps, bait stations and poisoning, to buy our native species some space and time.
Pest free islands and mainland sanctuaries have shown us what is possible, and we now need to advance efforts on the mainland by transitioning from individual isolated projects to coordinated landscape-scale projects.
Where can I find out more?
Updates
19/12/2019: Media Release
