Rob Forlong to head Predator Free 2050

Forlong has recently completed two terms as chief executive of Whangārei District Council, where he contributed to Whangārei becoming a significant metropolitan local authority with strong population and economic growth, and enhanced relationships with Iwi/Hapū.

Previously, Forlong acted as the chief executive of the Environmental Portection Authority (EPA) when it was established in 2011, and was also the chief executive of the Environmental Risk Management Authority from 2005 to 2011.

He will start on 11 July, taking over from Brett Butland who has been Predator Free 2050 Limited’s acting chief executive since the departure of Abbie Reynolds in August 2021.

“Rob will bring his strong leadership credentials and a broad experience of working on interconnected environmental issues to contribute to the predator free movement,” says Predator Free 2050 Limited chair David Macleod.

The government-owned charitable company was set up in 2016 to make a significant contribution to the government’s goal of removing possums, stoats and rats from New Zealand.

Predator Free 2050 Limited is currently providing co-funding for 19 large landscape predator eradication projects covering more than 820,000 hectares and invests in breakthrough research and technology developments, with backing from the government’s Conservation budget, the Provincial Growth Fund and the Jobs for Nature programme.