Review of pest Research Enclosures to Inform Potential Pest Research Facility at Waipā Campus

New Zealand aspires to be predator free by 2050 and currently significant funding is provided to research groups and eradication programmes that are aiding in this goal.

The only facility in the country where organisations can test product development for pest control in a controlled setting is in Lincoln, Canterbury. The facility has only grassland habitat that restricts the scope of research, and is booked to capacity months in advance.  

Product developers are supportive of a second New Zealand site with different attributes that could potentially complement the current site in Lincoln.

This research investigated current designs of pest research facilities worldwide to inform the proposed design for a research facility at Waipā.