Have your say on the future of Predator Free 2050

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is asking for feedback on the Predator Free 2050 strategy for the next five years — this is your chance to make sure your voice is heard.

A cat roaming in a forest — A feral cat in the bush. Image credit: Supplied

Predator control is already making a huge difference and the movement is growing, but to keep up the momentum we need to show DOC and the government this work is important to you and the rest of Aotearoa.

We’ve made it easy: fill in our pre-populated submission form but feel free to personalise it with your own thoughts and experiences. Share this form with your friends and family. The more submissions, the stronger the message.

You can read the full discussion document and submit directly on DOC’s website, if you prefer.

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What makes a difference for people participating in predator free?

DOC wants to hear what makes a difference for those involved in the predator free movement, what information or support people need and what barriers there are to taking action for nature.

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Are you already involved in Predator Free work?

What support do you or your group need to maintain the progress you have made?

Volunteers and community groups are the heart and soul of the predator free movement. There’s a lot of emphasis on “growing the movement”, but growth without support isn’t sustainable. The current funding and support model is broken; it leans too heavily on volunteer grit and goodwill. If the Department of Conservation wants our vital work to continue, the system must change.

Here’s what would make a difference:

1. Make funding easier to access and manage
Right now, even small funding grants require extensive reporting and administration. This puts a lot of strain on volunteer-led groups and diverts energy from the work on the ground. Short-term, one-off grants mean we’re stuck working hand-to-mouth and don’t allow us to plan for the future. It’s hard to build momentum or keep skilled people on board.

We need funding processes that are simpler, proportional to the size of the grant, and multi-year funding options for high-performing groups.

2. Provide long-term, targeted support
Groups are asked to prove impact and grow their reach, but we don’t always have the time, tools, or training to do it well. We need ways to measure biodiversity and social outcomes, and access to support for things like GIS, communications, engagement and data systems.

Stronger support, such as backing for local hubs or umbrella organisations, better coordination and access to technical expertise, and shared resources would help reduce admin pressure and keep knowledge in the system if staff or volunteers move on.

3. Fund people, not just gear
Most funding covers equipment like traps and tools, but not people who make the projects happen, train volunteers, organise work plans and apply for grants.

We need funding that supports operational costs, staff time, community engagement and access to expertise.

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What barriers are there to being involved?

Practical, social and systemic barriers are holding back the predator free movement. These are some barriers:

1. Time and burnout
Communities are stretched thin, without enough funding or proper support. Many people don’t get involved, especially if there’s no one to guide them. Funding local coordinators or shared services through regional hubs would make a big difference.

2. It’s hard to see impact
If people don’t know whether their work is making a difference, it’s tough to stay motivated. We need better ways to track and share results — both from local trapping efforts and big national predator free projects — to keep people motivated and build trust.

3. Access to knowledge and expertise
Make it easier for groups to access up-to-date knowledge and expertise. DOCs and regional councils don’t always have the expertise in-house or time to help groups. Invest in expertise targeted at community conservation, catchment groups, and landowners. A local coordinator who can help point people in the right direction would be useful.

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Should feral cats be added to the National Target Species List?

The current Predator Free 2050 target species list includes possums, ship rats, Norway rats, kiore, weasels, stoats and ferrets. These species were chosen because they are “considered the most harmful” to our native wildlife, and “those that might be realistically eradicated before 2050”.

DOC is proposing to keep this target list the same until at least 2030 while continuing to develop tools and techniques for eradicating other introduced mammalian predators.

Do you think feral cats should be added to the National Target Species List? Why?

In the Department of Conservation’s own words, feral cats are “one of the most ferocious predators in our ecosystem” and “have a major impact on our unique native wildlife such as birds, lizards and bats, as well as spreading diseases like toxoplasmosis.”

Yet they remain excluded from Predator Free 2050, which provides the strategies, targets, and funding to remove the most damaging predators.  We are ready for feral cats to be added to the target species list. There is strong public support for better cat control, including from farmers, cat owners, the SPCA, and conservationists.

Here’s why feral cats must be included in Predator Free 2050:

1. Excluding them undermines the whole mission
Feral cats are apex predators. Leaving cats off the list while trying to save vulnerable species creates a gaping hole in the strategy. We can’t claim to aim for a predator free New Zealand if we’re ignoring one of the deadliest predators. By not including them we are limiting cat research, control work, funding and policy development. If feral cats are not added to the list now, we are just kicking the can down the road.

2. No national plan means poor outcomes
Without national leadership and mandate, efforts to manage feral cats are fragmented, under-resourced, and vary in quality. The lack of nationally supported humane best practice guidelines or dedicated research and development for managing feral cats leads to poor wildlife and animal welfare outcomes. It also limits the investment and research needed to develop effective, ethical control tools.

3. It sends the wrong message
Leaving cats off the list sends the message that they are not a serious problem, weakening public understanding of their impact on biodiversity. It also undermines community education and the possibility of a National Cat Act for responsible pet ownership, including desexing and microchipping.

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Release of information

Predator Free New Zealand Trust will send your submission information from this form directly to DOC. We will not share your data with any third parties. For more information, please see our privacy policy

Summary of submissions

DOC may release a summary of submissions. Contact details would not be included in this summary.

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I acknowledge that my name and/or my organisation’s name may be released in a summary of submissions, and my submission is subject to release under the Official Information Act, unless the reasons or grounds for withholding information under that Act are met.

Please keep confidential, and do not include my name or any other personal information in the summary of submissions.

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Official Information Act requests

All submissions are subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and can be released, if requested, under that Act.

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Please withhold my entire submission, or the following identified parts of my submission. I have stated below my reasons and grounds under the Official Information Act that I believe apply, for consideration by DOC.

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DOC will take the reasons and grounds supplied into account when responding to requests under the Official Information Act. DOC may consult with submitters as it considers necessary.

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Have your say on the future of Predator Free 2050

Have your say on the future of Predator Free 2050

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is asking for feedback on the Predator Free 2050 strategy for the next five years — this is your chance to make sure your voice is heard.

Your information

What makes a difference for people participating in predator free?

Should feral cats be added to the National Target Species List?

Release of information

Summary of submissions

Official Information Act requests

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Have your say on the future of Predator Free 2050

Have your say on the future of Predator Free 2050

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is asking for feedback on the Predator Free 2050 strategy for the next five years — this is your chance to make sure your voice is heard.

Your information

What makes a difference for people participating in predator free?

Should feral cats be added to the National Target Species List?

Release of information

Summary of submissions

Official Information Act requests

National map

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Our vision

Follow us