It’s not just islands and conservation land getting the predator proof treatment - backyards all over Aotearoa New Zealand are getting stuck in.

Over the past seven years, Predator Free New Zealand Trust has funded 90 community conservation groups to the tune of more than $400,000.

That’s a total of 17,644 trapping products, such as trap boxes and traps, and 14,263 pre-trapping products, like chew cards and tracking tunnels.

“Nature and wildlife isn’t something that’s “over there” on offshore islands and seen only on Great Walks. It’s right here in our urban centres, suburbs and backyards. It’s up to us to nurture it,” Predator Free NZ Trust chief executive Jessi Morgan says.

“The grassroots movement for bringing birds and bugs back to our backyards has reached every corner of Aotearoa.”

Two funding rounds open every year. Community groups, existing or new, can apply and, if successful, receive up to $5000 for the purchase of humane traps, tunnels or materials. In the last seven years, well over 500 groups have applied.

The most recent funding round funded groups from Auckland down to Oamaru. The goal to get a trap in every fifth backyard in Aotearoa is well underway.

“Backyard trapping is paying off in a visible and motivational way. Wildlife is returning to the suburbs. It’s enhancing neighbourhoods and neighbours,” Jessi says.

According to community funding advisor Janine Hearn, choosing successful applicants is tough.

“We get hundreds of applications yearly, and we’d love to fund everyone. It’s a good problem - so many people keen to free their neighbourhoods of predators.”

Janine says two of the many factors considered are community support and geography.

“It’s not a one-person job - applicants need back up from at least a few other people to take on organising a predator free community.

“We also try to fill gaps in the predator free puzzle - say if ecologically sensitive areas surround a community or there’s an opportunity to create a corridor between predator free areas. Those are great gaps to fill with either a new group or a funding boost,” Janine says.
 

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