The group was operating a "drop-in event" explaining plans for a helicopter drop of 1080 poison on 2000ha of hill country near Luggate.
However, when about 30 members of the public arrived, the group of Ospri staff and contractors decided to leave.
A spokesman for Ospri said yesterday: "We’re disappointed that many of the people who attended last night were from outside the region and that our staff had to leave because they were concerned for their safety."
Meeting organiser and Luggate resident Tracey Morrow was taken aback when told by the Otago Daily Times of the Ospri comment.
"‘What else were they going to say — ‘we’re a bunch of wusses who couldn’t face the public’?
"Nobody was even vaguely menacing or threatening or anything else.
"We were there to have a peaceful community discussion expecting to have our questions answered."
Ms Morrow said two security guards were present and the meeting was filmed by Ospri.
Ospri declined an ODT request for the video, citing privacy issues.
"There were unidentified members of the public and contractors in attendance, and we don’t have their permission to release the video," the spokesman said.
Ms Morrow said five people present were from outside the Upper Clutha but regularly attended Ospri consultation meetings.
The 1080 drop, in an area known as Alice Burn East, is aimed at possums responsible for spreading Tb among cattle and deer herds.
Luggate residents are concerned 1080 poison could contaminate the water supplies of some residents and kill native falcons.
Ms Morrow believed rather than an aerial 1080 drop, possums in the area could be trapped.
An Ospri spokesman told the ODT 90% of possum control work was done by ground staff but the Alice Burn terrain was too difficult.
Catlins possum trapper Dave Fluerty, who attended the meeting, said the area was not too difficult to do on foot.
"It’s very, very easy country."
