News we like

Predator Free Wellington fast tracked with $7.6 million funding

September 7, 2020 4:00 pm

Predator Free Wellington has been given a $7.6 million funding boost today from Predator Free 2050 Limited as part of the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme. Speaking at the launch, James Willcocks, Predator Free Wellington Project Director said the new funding will generate 42 full time jobs across Wellington. “Originally a ten year project, with this new funding we can fast track our project and aim to become the world’s first predator free capital city within the next 5 years. …more

Abbie Reynolds to head Predator Free 2050 Limited

August 25, 2020 12:30 pm

Predator Free 2050 Limited has appointed Abbie Reynolds as its new CEO. Abbie Reynolds is the former Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Council and in that role helped establish the Climate Leaders Coalition, motivating more than 100 member organisations to climate action. …more

Significant milestone for Pest Free Banks Peninsula

August 9, 2020 4:00 pm

Making Banks Peninsula pest free is an ambitious community-led goal that has now secured significant new funding to make this dream a reality. Predator Free 2050 Limited will provide $5.11 million to the Pest Free Banks Peninsula project. The funding will create 15 new jobs and enable predator eradication over large parts of Banks Peninsula and Kaitōrete. …more

Predator Free Whangārei receives $6M from Predator Free 2050 Limited

July 10, 2020 9:31 am

Predator control efforts in Whangārei are set to scale up over the next five years following a $6 million funding announcement from Predator Free 2050 Limited and the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF). The announcement was made today by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones. Predator Free Whangārei is a large-scale community-led project that will build on many years of dedicated and successful community predator control in the Whangārei area. …more

New transformational tools for the Predator Free 2050 effort

July 9, 2020 9:01 am

New tools being developed to help boost Aotearoa’s Predator Free 2050 effort were unveiled today by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. A new rat poison, a camera with predator recognition software to detect and report predators, a new predator lure and a reporting and communications system will receive $1.7 million in funding from Predator Free 2050 Limited backed by the Provincial Growth Fund. …more

New Zealand’s most devastating predators’ genomes sequenced

July 8, 2020 11:51 am

Media Release July 8, 2020 – The DNA secrets of the Predator Free 2050 programme’s most wanted species have been revealed. The complete genome of the stoat is now available to researchers on the US-based National Center for Biotechnology Information genome database, hard on the heels of the ship rat genome. The reference genomes were created by teams of Kiwi scientists working with international collaborators. …more

First Iwi-led Predator Free 2050 project funding announced

June 29, 2020 10:07 am

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa has welcomed the announcement and funding of its Korehāhā Whakahau predator eradication project. Funding was confirmed on Saturday 27 June by the Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae in Whākatane. The $5.6 million-dollar project will be led and delivered by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa. Initial funders include Predator Free 2050 Limited, providing $2.4m through the Provincial Growth Fund, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Awa Group Holdings and Department of Conservation. …more

We’re hiring a new CEO

June 18, 2020 1:36 pm

Predator Free 2050 Limited is seeking a new CEO to lead the company into its next phase of growth. Details about this exciting position are available here. …more

Predator Free Lake Brunner gets go ahead

May 29, 2020 12:59 pm

Lake Brunner/ Kotuku Whakaoho is the setting for the latest predator free project to receive backing from Predator Free 2050 Limited and the Provincial Growth Fund. The announcement was made today by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. The ambitious project will be delivered by West Coast Regional Council, which approved the funding agreement during the confidential section of the last meeting of the council on 14 May. Chair Allan Birchfield says it is part of a broader vision for the region. …more

Predator Free 2050 Limited welcomes Budget 2020 funding announcement.

May 14, 2020 5:51 pm

Predator Free 2050 Limited welcomes the emphasis of Budget 2020 on creating environmental jobs. As part of a $1.1 billion COVID response package designed to create 11,000 environment jobs, Predator Free 2050 Limited will receive an extra $76 million ($19 million per year), enabling it to co-fund new predator free projects around the country. …more

Predator Free 2050 Limited Chief Executive to step down

May 6, 2020 9:42 am

Predator Free 2050 Limited Chief Executive Ed Chignell has resigned and will step down from his role on 10 July 2020. Mr Chignell has led the government-owned company since August 2017, overseeing investments in ambitious predator eradication projects and breakthrough-focussed research around the country. …more

Target 0 Newsletter

April 20, 2020 4:49 pm

The latest issue of ‘Target 0’ looks at how predator free projects can create jobs as part of the government’s response to COVID. We announce funding commitments for a new stoat eradication project on D’Urville Island, report on mapping the genome of the ship rat, pay tribute to Sir Rob and visit NZ Autotrap’s new factory in Whakatane. Plus a roundup of the latest science and operational news from predator free projects around the country. …more

Predator free jobs for the post-COVID economic stimulus

April 20, 2020 3:35 pm

To help inform the government’s economic stimulus package in response to COVID-19 we have worked with our partners to prepare a prospectus of investment-ready projects around the country. By accelerating existing projects and fast tracking pipeline projects we’ve identified the potential for 457 long term predator free jobs, 307 of them that could be created within 12 months. …more

D’Urville Island gets predator free green light.

April 14, 2020 9:03 am

D’Urville Island is set to become stoat free after the signing of agreements between an island-based trust and funders this month. D’Urville Island Stoat Eradication Charitable Trust (DISECT) Co-Chair Oliver Sutherland says the six year, $3.1m funding commitment was the culmination of 16 years of preparation and planning by the group. …more