Pest control
Pest control research focuses on providing improved pest management through new and improved management strategies, tools and techniques – ranging from biological control to traps and toxins. The key pest targets are possums, rodents, stoats, ferrets and invertebrates (wasps, ants). Staff have expertise in wildlife pest ecology, impact assessment, trap design and testing, animal welfare, toxicology, bait development, immunology, virology, reproductive biology, modelling, and decision support systems.
Research
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Biocontrol and Ecology of Weeds
Reducing the environmental, economic and social impacts of invasive plants by undertaking research to understand how best to manage them, including a strong focus on developing biological control programmes. -
Biological control of possums
Research is being conducted to develop biological control of possum fertility, which will provide possum management agencies with a wider range of control options. -
Invasive invertebrates
Looking at risks to natural ecosystems posed by invasive ant species established in New Zealand, developing strategies to control wasps and ants, and other invaders that might breach our borders. -
New and improved baits, toxins, traps and delivery systems
Vertebrate pest management is a critical component of many New Zealand conservation efforts and relies on the development of both new and improved baits and toxins. -
Pest Control Technologies
Understanding the ecological context of existing and emerging pest control techniques. -
Supporting collaborative approaches
Ways to nurture and support collaborative initiatives by groups or teams. The role of groups and teams as a catalyst for change in environmental management is becoming well accepted. Groups may be formally constituted and ongoing (e.g. a landcare group, or agency team for resource use efficiency), or they may involve multi–stakeholder processes to tackle more common–good challenges.