Co-developing a suite of control tools that target vulnerable gold clam (Corbicula fluminea) life-stages to disrupt dispersal, reduce the risk of transfer, and to manage the gold clam at different scales, including site-based eradication.
This encompasses novel control methods, advances the use of benthic barriers and conventional approaches. For example, benthic barrier research will involve testing of international and New Zealand specific materials and designs to determine their effectiveness in eliminating clam populations.
Methods will integrate conventional control tools with Mātauranga Māori, and leverage insights from other research areas within the programme (e.g. gold clam reproductive ecology).
Successful and ecologically safe strategies, proven to be non-harmful to native species, will be scaled up for field trials. These trials will be designed in partnership with iwi, stakeholders, and international experts.
Evaluating the effectiveness of conventional control tools will also be assessed with a view to how these methods can be adapted and integrated with novel approaches being co-developed.
A programme anchored by mātauranga and partnerships
Building relationships between diverse knowledge systems, particularly Mātauranga Māori with scientific research, underpins our work. Our approach is holistic, ensuring that all aspects of the programme are informed by Mātauranga concepts and partnerships, in doing so supporting indigenous perspectives and values in environmental management.