Hands-on possum control back for North students

More than 80 Northland students are to gain hands-on knowledge of possum trapping, fur and pelt recovery in the latest ‘Project Possum’ training run under the umbrella of the popular Enviroschools Programme.
In a national first last year, Enviroschools Northland, the Northland Regional Council, the Department of Conservation and the local possum industry joined forces to offer ‘Project Possum’ through which participating students were able to earn NCEA Level 2 and 3 credits.

Susan Karels, the council’s Regional Enviroschools Co-ordinator, says the training – designed to give participants the chance to earn the NCEA credits as well as create potential job prospects – had proved popular, with 50 young Northlanders taking part.

Buoyed by that success, organisers are offering three new Project Possum ‘events’ this month, each made up of a training workshop and an overnight assessment camp.

Mrs Karels says 81 students from more than a dozen schools from throughout the region have leapt at the chance to take part in the latest training, which will be held at the Lonsdale Outdoor Education Park in the Far North on Tuesday 15 May and at the Tangihua Lodge in the Whangarei district on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 May.

Mrs Karels says the students come from Years 11 to 13 (Forms Five to Seven), with the bulk in Year 12 (Sixth Form).  Their schools contribute towards the training and accreditation costs.

“Schools see this project as a very useful learning tool and extremely good value with students picking up a great deal about possums and possum control in a relatively short time and in a way they find really enjoyable.“

She says students learn about the biology of possums, the traps used to control them and applicable techniques, as well as the ins and outs of plucking and skinning possums, including preparing fur and skins for sale.

Mrs Karels says as well as assisting the young people, it’s also a great opportunity to help control the possum, a pest which has a significant impact on Northland’s environment.

She says information about the Enviroschools Programme generally is available from the regional council’s website via: www.nrc.govt.nz/enviroschools