Hand-plucking possums and trapping rats were some of the hands-on experiences a group of Northland students got stuck into at an Enviroschools Project Pest Control Programme.
Northland high school students had the opportunity to participate in the 'hands-on' Enviroschools Project Pest Control Programme last week in Whangārei.
The two-day event, at Kiwi North, offered students theoretical and practical sessions which looked into animal pest biology and the devastating impact pests continue to have on the environment.
![Ben Watkins, from Ruawai College, plucks fur from a possum. Photo / Tania Whyte](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/ST6JDRXSC5FK7X2ERDRBBODOAE.jpg?auth=3123facc87e6c29fc332ad497fe222cf47bcc22270314d6d99164b22ff6b1c5c&width=16&height=22&quality=70&smart=true)
A record 99,126 animal pests were trapped in Northland last year, and on average, 1900 are trapped on the Kiwi Coast every week.