By DANIEL JACKSON
Michael Edwards is not squeamish when it comes to conservation.
In the past two years, the Kaikohe 13-year-old has personally eliminated 226 possums from his father's farm as well as seven rats, 42 myna birds and eight magpies.
Every night he sets his collection of 15 traps and every morning he goes out in search of his grisly tally. But he never feels sad about it.
"You've got to block that out," he explained over a cup of Milo in the Edwards family's kitchen.
"Every night possums eat 21,000 tonnes of leaves as well as birds' eggs and baby birds."
And besides: "There's 70 million possums. I don't think 226 less are going to worry them too much."
The Kaikohe Intermediate pupil won a Northland Conservation Award for his efforts in reducing the predators and pests on the farm as well as for encouraging his dad, Tony, to fence a 7ha section of wetland at the back of the property and plant natives on the property instead of pine.
Department of Conservation officer Sandra Heihei nominated Michael for the award and was delighted when he won.
She said Michael first came to her attention when he was 11 and showed a fascination for the conservation exhibits at the Dargaville A and P Show.
Since then she had grown to know him well and said he was always full of questions and quickly won the support of people in his efforts. "He's a good influence on people."
Mr Edwards agreed and said, thanks to Michael, he was no longer a typical "slash and burn" farmer.
"The farm used to be covered in teatree and hakea and I spent years bulldozing it out."
Planting the native trees on the farm was one example of how his attitude had changed through Michael. "He's always pushing me to do that sort of thing."
The fenced wetland at the back of the farm would now be protected as long as Mr Edwards owned the property. One day, he hoped to turn the farm over to Michael.
"I think he'd like to be a farmer but he's leaning toward the conservation side of things."
Michael is a bit more certain about his future. "I want to be a DoC hunter ... like Barry Crump."
Pest-battling teenager traps wildlife award
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.