The Predator Free 2050 movement currently comprises over 5,000 groups and iwi and 13 landscape partnerships.
Whānau, hapū and iwi have a whakapapa relationship with New Zealand’s indigenous flora and fauna. As kaitiaki they have an obligation to ensure that our native taonga are protected for future generations. Tangata whenua will play a key role in reaching the goal of a predator free New Zealand.
Communities (including businesses and NGOs) will play a critical part in New Zealand becoming predator free, as to be successful we need support and commitment from throughout the country and across communities. Increasingly, people around New Zealand are coming together to form local predator trapping programmes, independent of central or local government commitment.
Landowners and land managers play a vital role in Predator Free, both as beneficiaries of reduced economic impact on agriculture and as active contributors on their own land. Farmland also has the potential to provide barriers to predator movement.
New Zealand’s Biological Heritage National Science Challenge is focused on coordinating the science system for effective delivery of one of New Zealand’s priority science challenges. Some of the work being done for this challenge will assist in the development of new predator control tools and surveillance technologies, learning more about the population ecology of the target species, as well as effective data management and monitoring. BHNSC is also investing in social science research which will help shape how we work towards a Predator Free New Zealand as a collective.
Department of Conservation (DOC) is the government agency responsible for facilitating the overall Predator Free 2050 programme and ensuring public and private sectors are connected. It is responsible for developing the strategic direction. As well as this, DOC delivers a large component of Predator Free 2050, including predator management, eradication science, training, regulatory work and partnership development. It is also a key contributor to regional and local predator control activities and planning.
The Predator Free NZ Trust is an independent organisation established in 2013. Its vision is to connect and energise the nation towards Predator Free 2050. It aims to do this through inspiring, engaging with and supporting community groups and individuals, helping to make involvement in predator control easy and accessible to all New Zealanders, and as effective and efficient as possible.
Predator Free 2050 Limited is responsible for directing a significant amount of Crown investment into the Predator Free 2050 programme. The company is focused on investing in large, high value, landscape-scale predator removal initiatives and breakthrough science.
Local Government (regional and district councils and unitary authorities) are instrumental in delivering Predator Free 2050 programmes at the community level. Regional councils are the key organisations responsible for delivering pest management on land outside conservation land administered by DOC. They manage public parks and reserves and undertake large-scale predator control. They are actively working with private landowners, community groups and iwi/Māori in planning and undertaking predator control activities. Many district and city councils around the country are leading the work with their citizens in the effort to become Predator Free.
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research is a Crown-owned research institute (CRI) which specialises in terrestrial (land-based) research. This includes native forests and the plants and animals, including pests – especially mustelids, rats and possums – that live within them. Manaaki Whenua is responsible for much of the modelling that has been done with regard to possum numbers and their impact in New Zealand.
Ministry for the Environment (MfE) is the government agency responsible for overseeing the resource management system (including the Resource Management Act 1991) and for making decisions that protect and improve our natural resources. In particular MfE oversees the Pest Control Regulations under the RMA.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) – Biosecurity NZ promotes alignment of pest management within the whole biosecurity system, overseeing New Zealand’s systems for pest management and measuring overall system performance, facilitating the development and alignment of national regulations, promoting public support for pest management and facilitating communication, cooperation, and coordination among those involved in pest management. In addition, MPI leads and facilitates the management of animal welfare policy and practice in New Zealand, and also provides regulatory control of vertebrate toxic agents. Once predators are eradicated, MPI will have a crucial role in ensuring they are not reintroduced to New Zealand via the international pathway.
Environmental Protection Agency regulates hazardous substances and new organisms including novel predator control technologies and methods.
Zero Invasive Predators Ltd (ZIP) develops operationally ready, innovative, strongly supported technologies to completely remove stoats, rats and possums from large mainland areas, and then defend those areas from reinvasion.
OSPRI runs the national programme that aims to eradicate Bovine Tb (Bovine tuberculosis) from New Zealand by 2055. The largest vector of Bovine Tb is possums (and, to a lesser extent, ferrets). OSPRI operates a large possum control programme across the country, keeping possum numbers low enough to eradicate Tb from local cattle populations.
New Zealand Fur Council represents the interests of the members of over 90% of the fur industry. This group is made of possum fur harvesters, fibre collection agencies, yarn spinners and knitters. With large numbers of very experienced trappers on the ground, they can play a role as trainers into the future, and help with application of innovative possum eradication tools and techniques.