Introduced pests are a major threat not only to native biodiversity on the peninsula, but also to farming and tourism businesses, cultural values, and recreational assets.

Pest Free Banks Peninsula is a collaborative programme to eliminate or control pest animals across the peninsula’s entire 110,000 ha area.

The PFBP partnership includes representatives from 24 local and regional organisations, agencies, Runanga, community and volunteer groups and landowners.

Feral ungulates are a global threat to biodiversity. In New Zealand their combined ecological and economic impact is estimated at more than $200 million annually. We have successfully eliminated feral goats from4,500 hectares, and we are leading one of New Zealand’s largest feral pig elimination programmes.

These projects are considered nationally significant, delivering measurable benefits to New Zealand’s economy and long-term biodiversity outcomes.

Possums weaken native forest canopy, prevent natural regeneration of key species, reduce forest carbon uptake, and prey on flora. We have achieved possum free status for Akaroa township and surrounds covering approx. 4,500 hectares, and we are planning to expand the programme across the entire 110,000 hectares of Banks Peninsula. We have a total of 7,500 hectares under active control on the peninsula. We also support community trapping networks beyond the peninsula into Christchurch City and wider Canterbury.

Plants and animals found nowhere else in the world call Kaitorete home. They are threatened by mustelids (stoats, ferrets and weasels), feral cats, rabbits and hares, and hedgehogs. We are currently trialing multi-species elimination over 5,500ha with aspirations to extend this programme Peninsula-wide. This work is needed to prepare the peninsula (including the Port Hills) for species reintroductions.