A national law firm is helping catch predators - the four-legged kind - in a Conservation Week activity by building traps at work.
Predator Free Port Hills (PFPH), an initiative of the Summit Road Society, ran the trap-building workshop on the roof of the Wynn Williams building in Christchurch, with around 20 lawyers putting together 10 wooden box traps used to catch rats and other small pests.
PFPH spokesperson Natasha McIntosh says every small action counts.
"We run these workshops for businesses and schools, and we bring all the materials. It's a great way to get people practically involved and see the tangible difference they can make.
"This year's Conservation Week theme is 'nature needs a team effort'. Simple actions like joining a community group, putting a trap in your backyard or learning more about your local Predator Free organisation will all help with our 2050 goal of a predator-free Aotearoa," she says.
Wynn Williams Partner Josh Taylor says the trap building in Conservation Week is part of their sustainability strategy and they have a large, motivated staff who want to take part in nature-based activities.
"It's a bit of a change for lawyers to be hammering in nails and putting traps together while at work, but people were keen to give it a go. We want to do something more than just donating money. Some of our staff who live in the Port Hills have taken the traps home to put in their backyards, which is pretty cool," he says.
Josh Taylor says the younger staff at Wynn Williams are particularly keen on the nature initiatives.
"As a group, they're really motivated to help. They're always out doing activities in nature in the weekends, so they see the benefits first hand," he says.
Natasha McIntosh says trapping works and they're already seeing signs of native birds like tūī exploring the Port Hills as they look to expand their range from Banks Peninsula.
"This so exciting for Ōtautahi – having said that, these tūī pioneers are incredibly vulnerable. Our focus is building a 'buffer zone' to protect the bush of the hills and support the work of Pest Free Banks Peninsula leading the way to a predator free Waitaha," she says.
The Department of Conservation has created a special kete of resources to help people plan, promote and share their naturing actions during Conservation Week.
The kete includes activity guides and promotional materials to make running your own event simple, fun, and impactful.
Download your free Conservation Week kete.
Explore ideas at Conservation Week.
NATURE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE
Nature isn't scenery. Nature is a society that we rely on for everything, every day. It's behind our identity and our way of life.
