T.R.A.P. Project - Trapping for Restoration and Protection

Our Big Goal for the Future - ‘T.R.A.P’ - Trapping for Restoration and Protection

We are seeking donations from individuals and businesses to purchase 500 AT220 self-setting auto traps, at $550 each, to use in our current project.

These devices are cheap to operate, only needing to be checked every 6 months, and are many times more effective than any existing traps we use.

The Waitohi Picton area is home to diverse native flora and fauna that are under constant threat from invasive predators like rats, stoats, and possums. Our current trapping methods have made significant progress in reducing these threats for over 9 years, reducing pest numbers by over 23,000, but they are labour-intensive to keep baited and maintained over the 4500 hectares we cover.

To ensure we can continue the achievements we have made towards protecting our local bird populations and the health of the forest, the time has come to sustain and strengthen our efforts through the use of these new traps.

The use of these traps will mean:

- Pest populations are reduced more effectively - the strike rates of these traps far outweighs anything else we have used.

- Fewer resources and volunteer hours will be needed so our busy volunteers can focus on the more accessible lines closer to home.

- The health of the local forest is improved, enhancing the beauty of our area and making it an even better place to live.