How do Possum Impact our Forests?
The Possum is one of the greatest threats to our natural environment.
Possums kill trees along with the wildlife they support.
A Possum infested forest will be recognizable by the skeletons of giant trees that can be seen. Less obvious damage are the bird nests and their eggs that are destroyed; along with the lizards and other small animals that bring vibrancy to the forest cover. In areas where high numbers of possums are present the “morning chorus” of native birdsong is replaced by a requiem of silence.
The invisible impact of Possum is the loss of Carbon storage that is provided by a healthy forest. Every Possum removed allows the regeneration of these forest environments and their Carbon benefits. This is an effect similar to planting a tree to offset carbon.
Removing a Possum will prevent the loss of 470kg of Forest Vegetation
The annual vegetation consumption of Possum would provide carbon benefits
The removal of each possum has carbon benefits of
A tree planted today in a New Zealand Native Forest will provide similar carbon benefits of 190 kg CO2e after
Take it from the experts
Introduced pests including Possum are identified to have Carbon impact of 3.1 million tonnes CO2. Nearly 15% of New Zealand’s 2018 net greenhouse gas emissions per year could be locked into native ecosystem carbon sinks if we controlled feral browsing animals to the lowest possible levels.
The Possum – A small leaf eating marsupial from Australia – is devastating the New Zealand environment.
