Predator Free Allandale

Located 20 minutes drive from Christchurch, New Zealand, Predator Free Allandale is a community driven pest control initiative, led by Living Springs. The programme is nestled in Allandale Valley on the Port Hills at the head of Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour.

Growing from an overwhelming desire of local landowners in Allandale Valley, the project officially began in October 2022 by the Kaimahi for Nature team from Living Springs. As of October 2023 the programme includes 20 landowners in our Allandale community and beyond, all committed to the vision of working towards elimination of pest species in the Head of Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour.

Living Springs aim is to support our local community with undertaking a comprehensive pest control programme towards removing possums, rodents and mustelids. By removing these pest species from our landscape, we will allow our stunning native bush areas to regenerate and once again flourish with native birds, lizards and invertebrates, many of which are rare to our Port Hills environment.

Our community trapping network has grown to approximately 120 traps, with over 200 pests now trapped and recorded. Added deployment of bait stations means we now cover 1190 hectares of landscape in our efforts to make Allandale Valley and the head of our harbour Predator Free.