'Meri Kirihimete, we did it,” says Predator Free Bay of Plenty interim coordinator Fiona Lavin.

Fiona is celebrating not only Christmas, but the reaching of a significant goal.

'We hit a major project milestone, reaching 4000 trappers in our network,” says Fiona in a Christmas email out to all the Predator Free Bay of Plenty supporters.

Predator Free BOP is a community initiative to trap rats in order to protect NZ native birds. The aim of the organisation is to get a rat trap in every fifth backyard, covering suburban Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty area.

'I am so amazed by the hard work of our community of volunteers and I cannot thank you enough for all that you contribute to our project. Thank you for all that you do.

'If you are like me, your inbox has been filled with end-of-year emails wishing you a Happy Holidays, and letting you know close-down periods,” says Fiona in her email.

'Well this will be a little different! Firstly, pests don't stop for the holidays and so you will still be able to get hold of me if you need to by email, preferably.”

Rats, possums and stoats kill an estimated 25 million native birds per year in New Zealand.

Fiona will be back in her office from January 10 for anyone wanting to do a trap pick-up.

'As I sit here typing this email, I can hear tui calling outside and I know that we are making a difference, 2022 will be the year that we begin our monitoring so we can show that difference!

'Thank you again for everything that you contribute, we rely on our community leaders to be our voice across the region. Ngā mihi nui,” says Fiona. To contact Fiona Lavin at Predator Free Bay of Plenty email predatorfreebop@gmail.com or go to the website www.predatorfreebop.nz or Facebook: www.facebook.com/predatorfreebop