The Government has announced a $10 million investment to accelerate predator eradication efforts across Tāmaki Makaurau, strengthening Auckland’s role in the national Predator Free 2050 programme.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka and Auckland Minister Simon Watts say the funding will support large-scale predator control initiatives aimed at protecting native wildlife and restoring biodiversity throughout the region.
The investment will help expand efforts to eliminate introduced predators such as rats, stoats, and possums, which continue to threaten native bird populations and fragile ecosystems across Auckland’s urban, coastal, and forest environments.
Tāmaki Makaurau has become a national leader in predator-free initiatives, with community groups, mana whenua, conservation organisations, and volunteers already working together to restore native habitats and protect taonga species.
The funding is expected to support new technologies, strengthen existing programmes, and improve coordination between local conservation projects. Auckland’s unique geography, including its islands, maunga, ngahere, and coastal reserves, makes it an important testing ground for predator eradication methods that could be replicated elsewhere in New Zealand.
For Māori, the investment aligns closely with the principles of kaitiakitanga and the responsibility to protect indigenous species and ecosystems for future generations.
The Government says the funding will help safeguard native birds such as kererū, tūī, kākāriki, and kiwi, while also supporting healthier forests and improved biodiversity outcomes.
Predator Free 2050 remains one of New Zealand’s most ambitious environmental goals, seeking to eliminate the country’s most damaging introduced predators within the next 25 years.
Officials say the latest funding package will help build momentum towards that target while supporting local communities and mana whenua who are already playing a key role in conservation efforts across the Auckland region.
The announcement comes as conservation groups continue to highlight the importance of sustained investment and long-term planning to ensure native species can thrive in both urban and rural environments.
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