- Hon Tama Potaka
The latest Predator Free 2050 Board appointments will help to strengthen biodiversity efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.
Mr Potaka today announced two appointments to the Board of Directors of Predator Free 2050 Limited, a key player in the wider Predator Free 2050 Programme.
"The Predator Free 2050 goal presents a complex ecological and social challenge that cannot be achieved by one organisation in isolation," says Mr Potaka.
"Predator Free 2050 Limited's role is to fund projects that contribute to developing cost-effective and scalable predator eradication methods in rural and urban environments, and to invest in breakthrough science."
Predator Free 2050 is a multi-agency initiative - led by the Department of Conservation - which aims to eradicate rats, possums, and mustelids from Aotearoa New Zealand by 2050. Predator Free 2050 Limited, a Crown-owned company, contributes to this goal.
Mr Potaka said the appointments will enhance the collective skills of the Board and support Predator Free 2050 Limited in its strategic focus on research, science, and innovation.
Katie Milne, Chair of Predator Free South Westland and former President of Federated Farmers has been on the Board since 2021. Her appointment has been extended for a further term.
Joining the Board is Dr Bruce Campbell, former Chief Operating Officer of Plant and Food Research and current board member of Horticulture New Zealand and the Institute for Environmental and Scientific Research. Dr Campbell brings skills and experience in applied science and research, commercialisation, and public sector governance, and commenced his role on 12 November 2024.
