Chris Bishop

National List MP based in Hutt South

Media statement

27 June 2017

Chris Bishop delighted Eastbourne’s MIRO granted $35k funding

Chris Bishop is delighted that Eastbourne’s Mainland Island Restoration (MIRO) will receive a $35,000 government grant.

The grant, announced today by Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Associate Environment Minister Scott Simpson, will help MIRO reduce predator numbers within the Eastbourne and Eastern Bays area.

“The volunteers who run MIRO do incredible work protecting our local wildlife from predators,” said Mr Bishop. “It’s fantastic to see their hard work recognised by a significant grant. The three-year education and trap-loaning project it will fund is going to make a big difference to our local environment.”

“MIRO’s Sally Bain presented on the group’s predator trapping work at a Predator Free public meeting I held late last year,” said Mr Bishop.

“The group has a big target of having one in five households in the Bays to be actively involved in trapping rats on their properties. They’re also going to work with Hutt City Council to control other predators such as stoats and involve local schools through their Enviroschools programmes.

“The positive impact to our native birds, such as the banded dotterel, is going to be just fantastic and I think we’ll see the next generation of MIRO volunteers come out of this raring to get New Zealand to its Predator Free 2050 goal,” said Mr Bishop.

ENDS

© Scoop Media