Date:  12 July 2017 Source:  Office of the Minister of Conservation

"The funding gives that extra push to promising projects already in the pipeline to help make them safer, more cost effective or to enlarge their scale," Ms Barry says.

"We know new tools and technology are needed to win the war against invasive predators, so we've funded the newly-formed company Predator Free 2050 Ltd to support breakthrough scientific research."

"We also know our current tools and technology need to be improved and enhanced to make a difference in the short to medium-term as we head toward a predator-free New Zealand."

"That's why we are investing in these three multi-year projects which will receive a total of $1.24m support from the first round of a DOC-managed Tools to Market fund. I'm pleased to see successful proposals for predator-specific toxins and research to avoid harm to native birds."

"These projects and the impressive groundswell of community groups joining the predator-free movement will be invaluable as we head towards our 2050 goal."

The three multi-year projects to receive Tools to Market funding are:

• Landcare Research NZ Ltd project to extend a Norway rat-specific pesticide so that it also targets ship rats
• Victoria University of Wellington project to bring long-life rat lures to market
• Landcare Research project to evaluate the potential sensitivity of native birds to bait containing para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) to support the toxin's development for aerial stoat control.

DOC put out a request for proposals last December and selected projects where additional investment would accelerate completion and implementation of new predator control tools.

The fund has $2.8 million to allocate over four years and another Tools to Market funding round is expected later this year.

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