A Predator Free Whanganui volunteer said people would be suprised at how many possums were in Whanganui Centre. Photo / NZME
A Predator Free Whanganui volunteer said people would be suprised at how many possums were in Whanganui Centre. Photo / NZME
A volunteer with a Whanganui conservation group says he wants more local households to start trapping for possums in their backyards.
Volunteer Chris Smith said Predator Free Whanganui was a group comprised of like-minded volunteers who want to see action in Whanganui.
"The goal is to have one trap in every five houses. If we work towards that and get people to register their traps, we can then see where the gaps are that need filling."
He said the group had a focus on urban environments, and to do that the community had to be on board with things like trapping in their backyards.
He said if people want to do something, they should set up traps.
"We want more people to have traps in their backyard and register their traps on the Trap.NZ website, so we can gather data on who is doing what."
As part of this year's Conservation Week, a stall at the Whanganui River Traders Market this Saturday from 9am to 1pm aims to raise awareness on what people can do to take action, and will have traps people can purchase for koha to put in their backyards.
The stall is a collaboration between Forest and Bird, Bushy Park Tarapuruhi, St Johns Hill School, and Predator Free Whanganui.
This year's Conservation Week 2022 runs from Monday 5 to Sunday 11 September.
The Department of Conservation's acting senior community ranger in Whanganui, Katy Newton, said last year's Conservation Week theme was about observing and experiencing nature, but this year's was about taking action.
"This year is the next step with taking some action. Come out to Gordon Park and plant a tree or learn about predator trapping," Newton said.
"There is certainly a lot of interest, and with Te Awa Tupua and the great work Ngā Tāngata Tiaki are doing with their jobs for nature, funding is really putting the spotlight on conservation."
She said the importance of Conservation Week was to provide opportunities for learning and sharing.
Katy Newton said this year's conservation week was about taking action. Photo / NZME
"We're doing this in a collaborative way. So with predator trapping, people could go to Predator Free Whanganui, where they'll get the advice on who to talk to.
"It could be Horizons if it's a lifestyle block, DoC if it's in a national park, or Piwakawaka Farm if it's urban. Bushy Park also has a trap library with a focus on schools and marae."
She said a current focus in Whanganui was to spread the message about trapping, make it affordable, and remove barriers for people to participate.
"Then over time we target places to create these halo effects in different places," she said.
"People may feel like they can't make much of a difference with one rat trap in their house, but if many people do, it makes a huge impact."
DoC director-general Penny Nelson said regardless of whether people lived in the city or the country, there was always something that could be done.
"It could be beach clean-ups, volunteering your time with a local community group," Nelson said.
More than 4,000 New Zealand species are threatened or at risk. The species at risk include not just the well-known Māui Dolphin and kiwi, but also a variety of fungi, snails, insects, lizards, and fish.
"Each of these species are part of what makes New Zealand unique," Nelson said.
"And thousands of New Zealanders are already involved in conservation activities."
Conservation Week was originally launched in 1969 by the New Zealand Scout Association.
When the Department of Conservation was formed in 1987, it took over the Conservation Week duties, and has since worked with other groups, businesses, councils and agencies to make it all happen.
