Joint media release: Environment Waikato and Department of Conservation

Environment Waikato and the Department of Conservation (DOC) are holding an information day this Saturday to discuss the methods they will use to control possums near Coromandel town.

Running from 10am-2pm, the information day will be at the TCDC office next to the information centre in Coromandel town.

The operation on public conservation and private land near Coromandel town will be the third Peninsula Project possum control operation carried out on the Thames coast over the past two years.

Following discussions with land owners, Environment Waikato and DOC had proposed a relatively small aerial 1080 operation along the western side of the range in conjunction with ground-based control.

In response to concerns about the aerial application of 1080, Environment Waikato and DOC reconsidered the methods they will use. They have now confirmed that 1080 will not be aerially applied during this control operation.

“We have listened to the concerns this community had about 1080 and have made some changes to our operation,” said DOC spokesperson Fin Buchanan.

“Originally we had planned to cover the area west of the Coromandel Range from Manaia to Koputauaki Bay. But it just isn’t financially possible to cover such a big area with a ground-based operation alone, so we’ve reconsidered the area we’ll cover.

“We’ve also explored the effectiveness, cost-efficiency and safety of alternative poisons and the use of trapping.

“We hope the community will take this opportunity to come along and chat to our staff about what we plan to do for this operation and the process we’ll follow.”

People who would like more information about the Peninsula Project’s stage three possum control operation, but are unable to attend Saturday’s information day should call DOC on (07) 867 9180 or Environment Waikato’s freephone 0800 800 401.