Building Connections and Kicking Off Predator Control in South Rodney

It was a beautiful morning at Kaukapakapa Hall on Sunday, 5 May, when more than 35 people gathered for the South Rodney Trapping Workshop, hosted by The Forest Bridge Trust and a fantastic line-up of conservation partners. With a real mix of attendees—from long-time landowners to fresh faces just starting out—the event sparked conversations, connections, and a shared commitment to protecting our precious native species.

People came not just from Kaukapakapa, but also from Wainui, Waitoki, Rothesay Bay, Northcross, Woodhill, and Riverhead, highlighting the wide interest and growing momentum for community-led predator control across the region.

Tris from The Forest Bridge Trust kicked off the event by sharing the big-picture vision of kiwi connectivity across the landscape – helping people understand how their backyard efforts are part of a much larger movement. Angela spoke about planting and fencing funding available through Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR), a key resource for those wanting to restore habitat and protect waterways.

Attendees also got practical advice from Charlie, who offered one-on-one support for those wanting to learn how to use the Trap.NZ app to record catches and track their progress. Alex delivered an engaging presentation on predator control and capped it off with a trapping demo, which drew lots of interest and questions from the crowd.

Auckland Council rounded out the speaker lineup with a presentation on the importance of community conservation and fielded many questions about council support and pest control initiatives – especially deer management, which turned out to be a hot topic for several landowners in the room.

Community groups in attendance included The Forest Bridge Trust, Auckland Council, Kaipara Kiwi, Predator Free Coatesville, Predator Free Dairy Flat and Waitoki, Kaipara Moana Remediation, and Rewild the West. Although Predator Free Kaukapakapa couldn’t attend on the day, their presence was felt in the kōrero and connections being made.

One of the standout moments came when we asked the room what species they’d seen in their area that they wanted to protect. There was a long pause. Then, one landowner said, “I know what I want to get rid of!” The conversation shifted quickly to the pests they’d seen – rats, possums, deer – and how determined they were to take action.

That moment highlighted something powerful: the difference between predator-controlled and non-controlled areas. Across The Bridge, we’ve noticed a shift over time – from people talking about what they’ve trapped, to celebrating the return of tūī, kererū, and even kiwi. But this event reminded us of the early days when the focus was on doing the hard mahi, building local momentum, and looking forward to the gains still to come.

Thanks to everyone who came along, shared their stories, asked questions, and made connections. This is what building a predator-free future looks like – one trap, one conversation, one community at a time.