Town joins predator free initiative

The Waikato town of Morrinsville is aiming to get 100 predator traps out in the community to create predator free communities for bats and birds.

Following the recent discovery of native long-tailed bats in Morrinsville, a community network is being established to help give them and other native wildlife a fighting chance against predators.

Go Eco and Piako Catchment Forum are launching Predator Free Morrinsville, with an information session, and working bee on November 6, from 9.30am to 12pm at the Rotary Club Hall on Canada St. The working bee will involve building rat trap tunnels for backyards and community trapping programmes in public areas including Holmwood Park Reserve and the Morrinsville River Walk.

The aim is to send 100 traps into the community for the launch, and the long-term goal is to have one in five Morrinsville properties controlling predators like rats, stoats and possums.

Based on results in other predator free communities, this will help protect bats and bring more native birds like tū ī into Morrinsville.

The event follows the bold initiative to rid mainland New Zealand of rats, stoats and possums.

In June, the Department of

Conservation (DOC) hosted a summit of key figures in the Predator Free New Zealand programme to release the progress report in the Predator Free 2050 national strategy.

The task ahead was challenging in terms of size and scope, with Acting Minister for Conservation Dr Ayesha Verrall pointing out a recent review of 9000 land species revealed that more than 3000 were threatened or at risk of extinction.

But Brent Beaven of the DOC said the past five years had shown predator-free Aotearoa was achievable.

‘‘Now that we have mapped it all out, it’s left me with a huge confidence that we can do it. It’s not an impossible dream,’’ Beaven said.

‘‘No one can do this by themselves. When we’ve got a clear shared goal look at what we can achieve.’’

The event will only run under alert level 2, with a maximum of 50 participants.