Growing a predator-free community in Pōkeno
As Pōkeno develops into a busy township, locals can work together to protect habitats, help native wildlife, and keep nature part of the community.
Why this project matters
Pōkeno sits within a changing landscape of rolling farmland, streams, gullies and pockets of native vegetation. These natural areas provide valuable habitat for native wildlife and help support the health of local waterways and the wider environment.
As the town grows, Pōkeno Pestbusters is helping connect local people through a shared commitment to protecting nature. There’s an opportunity to make conservation part of Pōkeno’s future, protecting remaining natural areas, caring for waterways and supporting wildlife as new neighbourhoods take shape.
Introduced predators such as rats, possums and stoats threaten native birds and other wildlife. Because these pests move freely across property boundaries, coordinated community action can achieve more than isolated efforts alone.
Whether you’re already trapping in your backyard, live on a rural property or are new to the neighbourhood, you can be part of Pōkeno Pestbusters’ local conservation effort. Every trap checked and neighbour encouraged to get involved helps build a stronger network of people working towards a shared goal.
Together, Pōkeno Pestbusters and the wider community can help protect local biodiversity and create a healthier environment where both people and native wildlife can thrive.
Get involved with Pokeno Pestbusters
1. Join the Pokeno Pestbusters project newsletter
2. Get in touch with the local project coordinator
Contact: Rusty
Email: rusty@predatorfreefranklin.nz
3. Check out our events calendar
See what's coming up in your local area and across our rohe
Already have traps and bait stations?
We would love it if you could map them on Trap.NZ, and, even better, keep records of what you catch (Don’t worry, the exact locations are kept private, it just lets us know roughly where action is happening in the area).
How to map your traps and bait stations and keep records
1 – Register on Trap.nz
2 – Join the Pokeno Pestbusters project
Join the Pokeno Pestbuster project
4 – Use the app to map your traps and bait stations and to keep records
Map your traps and bait stations and to keep records of when they’re rebaited and when captures happen. Check out trap.nz's handy 'Getting Started' info to learn the basics of using this powerful conservation platform.
When nature thrives, we all thrive.
Te Ara Hīkoi empowers communities across Franklin to protect and restore nature through predator control, habitat restoration, pest plant management, and conservation education.
