Conservation volunteers overwhelmingly agree with Predator Free 2050 goals but only 54% say they are confident the goals will be reached in time, new research shows.
The study is the first nationwide survey of its kind, and found most volunteers undertook work within 10km of their home, for an average of 10 hours a month, for six years.
They were mostly older, had higher than average income and education and were predominantly Pakeha.
They were also motivated by a feeling of responsibility, some referring to the concept of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) or a desire to right past wrongs.
However, the survey also revealed them to be more pessimistic than the average New Zealander about the state of the country’s environment, Mr Heimann said.
"This grimmer outlook may have prompted their volunteering, or perhaps been caused by their exposure to the negative aspects of invasive plants and animals, declining populations of native species and habitat degradation while volunteering."
The fact only 54% believed the goals of Predator Free 2050 could be reached in time might signal concerns from conservation volunteers that either the timeline of 2050 was not feasible, or that eradication was not possible at this time, he said.
He hoped the results of this initial snapshot would enable conservation volunteers to be better supported in their efforts.
"Supporting conservation volunteers now will benefit those individuals and the nature they work to protect and improve, but also the communities they make up — now and into the future.
"Volunteers play a vital role in conservation in New Zealand. They do an impressive amount of work, cost-effectively.
"They have the potential to not only be the workforce driving New Zealand toward its conservation goals, but also the advocates for these conservation goals in their local communities."
