Restoring NZ’s native wildlife: 10 years of Predator Free 2050

Ten years into efforts to eradicate predators, how are things going? Discover the progress made, and what's next for Aotearoa.
About this Event

Talk Description

Predator Free 2050, New Zealand’s bold mission to eradicate introduced mammals that have been threatening our taonga bird species for more than a century, has just had its tenth birthday. Join Professor James Russell for an update on the past decade and to hear about the amazing progress made by Kiwis across the motu who rallied behind the plan. More than 1,000 predator-free community groups now operate and rats, stoats and possums have been eliminated from over 100,000 hectares of the mainland, including South Westland, Taranaki Mounga, and the Otago and Miramar peninsulas. James will discuss the goals for the next decade and, in a pat on the back for all Kiwis, what the predator free mission says about our sense of place and responsibility when coupled with a can-do attitude – showing the world what can be achieved through a common social purpose.
Bio

Professor James Russell is a conservation biologist jointly appointed in the School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Statistics, and Senior Advisor to the NEXT Foundation. His work across the natural and social sciences is used to inform conservation practice. As a leading proponent for Predator Free New Zealand, James works across the conservation sector to enable implementation of the plan.