Going to the source

After returning from a road trip touring the northern part of the south island, many questions are whizzing around my head.
We had already done the southern part of the south island so we were pretty well informed about landscape (always overwhelming), weather, insects (I don't like midges), and local industry - sheep, sheep and more sheep; cows; goats; deer and a variety of other farmed animals and also the crops - mostly improving pastures down south. BUT up north of the south island is IS very different.
Some of the questions I am still considering:

• why are SO MANY homes, baches, farms, motels, shops and assorted businesses - FOR SALE?
• why are there so many possums road kill?

I know in OZ we love our possums and even protect them with legislation. hey, people take  them to the vet when they find them sick or injured.But in the country of the long white cloud they are a pest. I get that.They are an introduced species. The possum is in plague proportions in NZ and is interferring with native flora and fauna. So, what are my Kiwi friends doing about this? I can see - we went to a gazillion craft markets on our journey - that some industrious people are using the fur, skins etc to make lovely useful artifacts, so why not do this in a more serious way FARM THE POSSUMS,  then everyone will be more careful NOT to run them over! (My theory)