Predator Free Southland has received a much-needed funding boost from a private charity to continue its operations in the region. 

Predator Free 2050's donation of $100,000 will also be used to pay for a regional coordinator.

Predator Free Southland co-ordinator Alana Bensemann began her new role a week ago.

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Predator Free 2050 chief executive Abbie Reynolds visited Invercargill this week to meet with members from the Predator Free Southland governance group and to make the funding announcement.

Alana said a large part of her role will be maintaining and building relationships with the community.

She will be liaising with community leaders to ensure there is a unified approach to the project and to get the correct and most up-to-date information out .

She will also network in the community to raise more funds for the project.

Another key focus would be to draft a five-year action plan, which will include community consultation.

Ms Bensemann said she couldn’t say how much more funding would be needed, as the figure was always “a moving target.”

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The goal of elimating predators by 2050 was a very ambitious, largescale project, she said. 

“It’s going to be a lot of work . . . [In Southland] we’ve got a large area and population density is quite low.”

Alana said despite the unique challenges in the deep south, there were a lot of fantastic community groups on the ground in the region, prepared to chip in and do what it takes to get the job done.

Predator Free Southland focuses on eliminating three main types of predators: possums, rats and mustelids (carnivorous mammals).