The Department of Conservation (Doc) is preparing to drop the controversial toxin on the key hunting range and drinking water catchment this week, depending on weather conditions.
Doc said the drop would help conserve native birdlife — including the at-risk mohua — by killing rodents, possums and stoats.
Yesterday, a group of concerned residents manned a pop-up information centre in Tapanui’s main street.
They told the Otago Daily Times of their anger and frustration there had been no public consultation on the drop, and said they had received unanimous support from those they had spoken to.
The group had engaged a lawyer to send a formal letter to Doc requesting an immediate halt to the drop, so a more thorough risk assessment and consultation could take place.
Their concerns centred on the suddenness of the pest control programme, its effectiveness and its potential effects on hunters, farmers, wildlife and watercourses.
Business owner and possum trapper Shona Rogers said the suddenness of the announcement had taken locals by surprise.
‘‘It’s scheduled for Thursday, although the weather may prevent that. The first most people knew was when an announcement appeared in our local paper this week.
‘‘We’d like to see Doc pause the programme until we have some answers to our concerns, and feel local people’s voices have been properly heard.’’
Mrs Rogers said the drop appeared to cover both public land and private forestry, despite being publicly funded.
‘‘This is forestry where hunters and trappers could be just as effective in managing predator traplines, if they were given proper access. We believe there are better ways of managing predator control than mass 1080 drops, which affect more than just the target animals.’’
She said there were also concerns a reduction in hunting during the programme could lead to an explosion in numbers of pigs and deer, which were not targeted by 1080.
Artist and mother Kate Anderson said she was concerned 1080 could enter public water supplies, as Tapanui was fed by Blue Mountains waterway Whisky Creek.
‘‘It’s impossible [for the drop] to avoid all waterways. Part of the reason I returned to Tapanui was because of its fresh mountain water, so to explain to my son that people want to poison that . . . he just doesn’t understand.’’
She said New Zealand’s tourism and export industries relied on its ‘‘clean, green image’’.
‘‘That relies on people staying quiet about this stuff. But we’re here to make our voices heard.’’
Mrs Anderson encouraged affected locals to register their concerns with Doc.
‘‘The mountains are part of the way of life here. We’re asking Doc to engage with the people who care about them the most.’’
Information on Doc’s website said care was taken to ensure 1080 did not contaminate drinking water.
‘‘Drinking water in New Zealand has never been contaminated by a 1080 operation. Decades of research and monitoring in water catchments treated with 1080 have shown that contamination is extremely unlikely when the current safety procedures are followed.’’
It said using 1080 to control predators had a net positive effect on wildlife.
‘‘Through sustained predator control using 1080, there is a big increase in breeding success for native birds, their food source is more abundant and the forest canopy is healthier.’’
Doc said 1080 was the safest and most effective method to control possums, rats and stoats over large areas.
