Okay, let's get one thing straight – we will never, ever get rid of rats, mice and stoats from mainland Aotearoa. So why waste valuable resources killing them with persistent toxins that destroy our forest ecosystems, cause rat plagues, make people sick and contaminate our ground water?

Instead, let's support clean, safe methods that reduce exotic mammals to the minimum, that don't have the ‘acceptable' side-effect of by-kill (DoC doesn't deny this) and allow our native creatures to flourish and support the fur and meat industry.

The world is back in business for fur – by utilising possums as a resource we make valuable foreign exchange for both fur and meat, prevent the extinction of other animals killed for fur overseas and support a way of life for bush-men/women.

I know a few groups that are working with innovative and thoughtful conservation and sharing the information with anyone who will listen. Flora and Fauna Aotearoa is one. Their inaugural conference is in Auckland in April. Those interested in finding out how we can both save our priceless taonga AND make money need to be there. Who knows - there might even be Provincial Growth Fund dollars in it for our region.

T Livingston, Tauranga.