Possums are threatening Greytown’s leafy heritage, and Greater Wellington is calling for local homeowners to help protect trees and wildlife by allowing traps to be installed in their gardens.
Arbor Day was first celebrated in New Zealand in 1890 with the planting of 153 trees in Greytown. The town’s lush overstory, loved by locals and weekend visitors alike, also attracts possums which cause serious damage to trees, native wildlife and nearby forest.
The Greytown Township Possum Control project covers approximately 450 hectares and aims to reduce the possum population as part of wider possum control efforts across South Wairarapa.
Team Leader of the Pest Animals team at Greater Wellington, Glen Falconer, says possums are an issue in Greytown that needs to be addressed.
“Possums have many reasons to enjoy Greytown, with so many trees, orchards, and gardens to draw them into the town centre,” says Falconer.
“Possums cause significant environmental damage and can spread bovine tuberculosis to livestock. Our work helps reduce the impact of pest animals on farming and protects areas of high biodiversity, as outlined in our Regional Predator Control Programme.”
Greater Wellington will mainly use kill traps to target possums. When installed and set correctly, the traps are safe to use around homes and pets.
“We’re asking locals to support this work by hosting traps on their property,” adds Falconer. “Possums don’t care for fences or property boundaries, so effective control relies on good coverage across both public and private land.”
This project uses the TrapNZ App to record trap locations, checks, and catches. Participating households can join the project to log their trap data, to show how the collective effort is contributing to possum control.
Greytown residents interested in giving Greater Wellington access to their property, or setting traps themselves, can contact the Pest Animals team by emailing pest.animals@gw.govt.nz with their name, address and contact details.
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