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Proceedings of the First Symposium on Marsupials in New Zealand

Possum Control Problems

page 207

Possum Control Problems

Damage is often worse where poles are planted near scrub-filled gullies or bush patches but can also be severe in areas without bush or scrub where plantings are small and scattered. Both these situations present possum control problems, firstly because of the large areas involved and secondly because low density populations can cause severe damage.

Some improvement in tree protection would result from better co-operation between the Catchment Boards and Pest Destruction Boards. Pest Boards should be furnished with the size and siting of all erosion control measures well before planting so that they can assess the control situation. Pest Boards have sometimes been reluctant to protect poles in possum prone areas through lack of appreciation that erosion control measures can be essential in such areas. Generally co-operation is better now than in the past but could still be improved.

A second limitation to the effectiveness of current control is that the funds of Pest Boards, derived from rates on farms and a 1:1 government subsidy, are very limited. Catchment Boards cannot vote money for possum control and grants from the Agricultural Pests Destruction Council are only available for catchment control schemes, which include only a small proportion of the planting. The cost of control is high because of the large area of poles planted, the need for extensive controlled buffer zones around the plantings, and the need to reduce possum populations to very low levels. There is clearly a need for cost-benefit analyses especially in areas where low density populations cause damage to small groups of plantings.