1080 fears: DoC man has gun handy
Marked rise in threats against Conservation staff largely linked to use of disliked poison
ADepartment of Conservation ranger has told of sleeping with a gun under his bed, amid fears for his family over death threats from anti1080 activists.
Figures show such threats against staff have risen dramatically over the past few months — most of it centred around DoC’s use of 1080 poison to rid conservation land of rats, stoats and possums killing native birds.
Some of the more serious abuse is in notes released to the Herald under the Official Information Act.
The ranger, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the most frightening incident included a man parked outside his home, waiting.
“It has been hard not to start imagining the worst. For two weeks I slept with a gun under my bed, I didn’t want to have to use it,” he said.
“These pricks are out there sleeping like babies while me and my family jump every time we hear the dog bark or a car drive past.”
DoC responded to the threats by installing a security camera on his property and for two weeks he had security guards outside his house. Police also paid regular visits. It was among hundreds of incidents logged by DoC this year, ranging from social media death threats to a worker being approached and asked to eat 1080, while also receiving threats against their family.
Last month, photos and details of a South Island DoC worker were posted online, with comments that included “filling him with lead” and “we need some good snipers in NZ”.
A few days later, a letter delivered to the New Plymouth DoC office with a blue substance leaking from it was forwarded to the police to deal with.
In October, a radio host even encouraged the kidnapping of a DoC worker — that was referred to the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
One staff member interviewed on TV was later the subject of attempts to identify her in her community.
There were threats to interfere with or shoot down aircraft dropping 1080, and vehicle tyres were slashed and wheel nuts loosened.
Some cases could not be detailed by DoC as they are before the courts.
“I just think [the anti-1080 fervour] is all so unnecessary, if people just took the time to be informed,” the ranger said.
“This stuff is just coming from some of the hardcore protesters, there is a lot of misinformation out there and there is almost no way of getting through to them.”
The ranger blamed social media for fuelling the hostility.
“There is almost this religious fervour, not backed by the facts. It is disappointing for me, out there on the frontline and having to deal with the fallout,” he said.
The ranger said, contrary to protesters’ claims, they worked to protect native flora and fauna.
“We are just going about doing our job, and the job we do is for every New Zealander. We are into saving the birds, not killing them.” That point was also emphasised recently by DoC director-general Lou Sanson.
“1080 is the best tool for the job in large, rugged or remote areas and if we don’t use it forests will continue to be devastated by pests and we could lose our precious birds such as kiwi, mohua, and kōkako,” he said.
“Where we are using 1080 to target predators, our native species have started to recover.”
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage, who has just confirmed a $30 million, two-year operation mainly using 1080 to beat back a pest plague fuelled by masting trees, also said the threats were “totally unacceptable”.
Dave Hansford, author of the book Protecting Paradise: 1080 and the Fight to Save New Zealand’s Wildlife, suspects much of the anger has little to do with the poison.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the very regions and communities where anti-1080 sentiment burns hottest happen to be those that have been affected most badly by three decades of job losses, eroded worker protections, evaporating welfare and social services, and the loss of Government jobs and infrastructure.”
Hansford also fingered social media’s role in the problem.
For information on 1080, www.1080facts.co.nz.