Predator Free 2050 Limited welcomes the emphasis of Budget 2020 on creating environmental jobs.

As part of a $1.1 billion COVID response package designed to create 11,000 environment jobs, Predator Free 2050 Limited will receive an extra $76 million ($19 million per year), enabling it to co-fund new predator free projects around the country.

“We looked at ways we could help the COVID response and identified investment ready projects that could create upwards of 450 jobs, including 300 in the first year,” says Predator Free 2050 Limited CEO Ed Chignell.

“This budget announcement is fantastic news for biodiversity and regional job creation.”

Mr Chignell says the company created a prospectus of investment-ready projects in response to the COVID situation, to allow government, councils, iwi entities and philanthropic partners to invest in high impact projects.

“This stimulus will help take the national predator free effort to the next level.”

Predator Free 2050 Limited has six regional projects underway, three further projects about to be launched through Provincial Growth Fund support, and a raft of new tools in production that make permanent eradication of possums, stoats and rats feasible across large landscapes.

Predator Free 2050 Limited Chair Jane Taylor says the company has received strong support from Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and the Department of Conservation and has proven systems in place to achieve ambitious eradication objectives.

“We will be working with partners to quickly mobilise these projects. This is an important legacy investment by government that provides a massive boost to the Predator Free 2050 goal,” says Ms Taylor”

© Scoop Media