Lawrence's town water supply will undergo testing following a planned 1080 poison drop, as a result of strong public protest to an upcoming operation at the nearby Glendhu Forest.
​
At a public meeting at the South Otago town in April, a number of people were vocal in their concerns about the impact of the poison as a means of TB possum control with toxin sodium fluoroacetate - 1080, on water ways, people and animals, in the Glendhu recreational area.

Recreational and commercial hunters have been asked to identify areas where game herds are at risk ahead of this year's large-scale aerial 1080 operation.  

The call comes as the Department of Conservation prepare for the Battle for our Birds, a large-scale aerial 1080 operation to control rats and stoats in response to a beech mast event.
​
It follows a similar campaign to control rats and stoats on public conservation land in response to a beech mast event due to heavy seedfall in 2014 and will be the largest pest control operation in New Zealand's history.