More than 300 researchers and practitioners are gathering this week for a conference on eliminating invasive species from islands and island-like environments to enhance biodiversity and people’s lives.

The latest Island Invasives at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland comes 25 years after the inaugural event, the world’s first conference on invasive species, was hosted by the University in 2001.

Professor James Russell from the School of Biological Sciences attended the first event as a student and is proud to be continuing the tradition. The first conference was set up by now Emeritus Professor Mick Clout and Wildlife Service veteran Dick Veitch.

“New Zealand leads the world in managing invasive species and continues to set its ambitions incredibly high in this area,” says Russell.

The Department of Conservation has eradicated rats and mice from over half the offshore islands they have invaded, while the organisation Zero Invasive Predators has eliminated rats and possums from nearly 100,000 hectares in South Westland.

“Attendees from around the world will be excited to learn about how we have achieved this, while also bringing their own success stories to share,” he says.

Projects span the Galápagos, Hawai’i and Cyprus and separate workshops will cover pig, rat and mouse eradication.

Nicola Rata-MacDonald, the chief executive of the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, who’s immersed in Hauraki Gulf conservation, will talk about the fight to eliminate the invasive seaweed caulerpa.

University of Auckland speakers will talk on shrews, ants on Great Mercury Island, and the social science of pest control projects.

The largest numbers of attendees come from New Zealand, the US, Australia and the UK, while others are from the likes of the Seychelles, Caribbean islands, and Pacific islands.

“Every speaker is required to submit a full scientific paper for the conference proceedings,” says Russell. “Attendees are exposed to cutting-edge work not currently published elsewhere and the papers will be published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The conference is from 9 to 13 February, sponsored by Orillion, The Nature Conservancy, Auckland Council and Critter Solutions, with support from the Department of Conservation, Royal Society of New Zealand, and 100% Pure New Zealand.