The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is making a $19.5m investment to develop innovative approaches to expand predator control in regional New Zealand, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today.
“The new approach will also focus on maintaining predator free environments using innovative techniques once initial eradication in the project areas has been achieved.
This will reduce the need to use 1080 to maintain predator free status in these areas,” Shane Jones said.
“New Zealanders know that a healthy environment is at the heart of a healthy economy.”
“The funding will be used by Predator Free 2050 Limited, a Crown-owned company, to contract projects that will bring tens of thousands of hectares of rural and forested land under predator control, create regional jobs and stimulate demand for education at regional training institutes.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage welcomed the commitment from Predator Free 2050 to invest in research and development that will improve predator eradication tools and technologies.
“This project will help stimulate rapid innovation in the design of products such as more effective traps, lures, remote sensing, surveillance and data management technologies.
“Natural assets are at the heart of our regions and their local economies. This investment will further protect this important resource and support regional growth,” Eugenie Sage said.
Predator Free 2050 Limited will seek expressions of interest in ambitious, predator eradication projects from local authorities and community-backed entities in the PGF surge regions of Northland, Bay of Plenty, East Cape, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui and the West Coast.
Information about funding support for surge region projects and product innovation is available on the Predator Free 2050 Limited website:
Notes to editors: Funding from the Provincial Growth Fund is approved in principle and announced, after which contracts are negotiated. Some funding may depend on completion of business cases. Payments are made once agreed milestones are met. These are set as part of contract negotiations, and differ from project to project.
