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Predator Free Dunedin trust has posted a $321,172 surplus in its inaugural year.
The trust’s annual report shows it received $1,364,107 in donations, fundraising and the like and it paid out $883,384 in donations and grants and another $160,888 for services.
Predator Free Dunedin manager Rhys Millar said in the report that over the next four years the trust would support its partners’ work to remove possums from 9000ha on Otago Peninsula and to suppress possum and mustelid species on more than 12,000ha north of Dunedin in the Halo Project area around Orokonui Ecosanctuary.
‘‘Urban Dunedin will link the two project landscapes, with city householders encouraged to take part in predator control efforts to create a corridor of safe habitat,’’ he said.
‘‘We also aim to eradicate predators from two small ‘stepping stones’ in the Otago Harbour, Quarantine Island and Goat Island.
‘‘These predator-free landscapes are the key to having wildlife populations return to our city to flourish.’’
Among the successes of its partners, the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group work was highlighted: trustee Brendon Cross’ ‘‘possum aversion fence’’ was now being tested at Zero Invasive Predators’ Lincoln facility, and the residual trap catch figure for possums dropped to less than 1% last year, from a high of 30% in 2017.
‘‘Predator Free Dunedin plans to ... make the city a place where robins play in your garden, kaka hang out in the Octagon, and all native birds can flourish.’’