This course includes pre-reading before the workshop. See the pre-reading box below for further information.

This workshop is specifically designed for motivated individuals and team leaders of groups that wish to become more active in undertaking predator pest control and their local conservation areas.

This conservation workshop aims to provide an overview of New Zealand pest predators, focusing on rats, stoats and possums. You will look at defining why these predators are pests, their impacts and control methods. The main focus will be on developing an effective predator control plan for your area and the importance of monitoring. This course allows you to work out the right methods to match the outcomes you are looking to achieve. You will also gain the practical experience you need to be able to trap successfully.

This course has a good balance between classroom theory and a short field component where the participants get to handle and set DOC200 and GoodNature A24 traps.

A range of other traps are discussed and demonstrated.

The course would be suitable for people wanting to set up a new predator control programme or those wanting to review their current programme. Participants get to work on a basic pest control programme during the course, with support from the course facilitator and the key contacts (two technical experts including the local Department of Conservation Predator Free 2050 ranger). The successful completion of this course will also result in you being awarded a NZQA unit standard worth 6 credits.

By the end of this short course you will be able to:

• Assess and apply ecological principles to activities undertaken in wider conservation settings.
• Use a range of technological systems and techniques to support conservation purposes.
• Assess and maintain conservation infrastructure to contribute to the sustainable stewardship of the environment.

Forest and Bird, Top of the South Regional Manager, Debs Martin was on the pilot intake of this course and she said at the launch she would be recommending it to all their offices.