War on weeds gets half million funding boost

Hawke's Bay Regional Council land services manager Campbell Leckie said extra funds to battle weeds was welcome. Photo/Supplied

A war on weeds to eradicate some of the region's worst plants will get a much needed boost with $30,000 for Hawke's Bay Regional Council.

"DoC will fund 10 regional and district councils to do weed control projects in their communities, especially those that target our annual 'Dirty Dozen' weeds - identified as doing the most damage by smothering our natural landscapes and destroying the habitats of our native species," Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said.

"Invasive weeds threaten our native animals and plants, destroy our unique landscapes, and impact agriculture and the favourite places we like to visit."

The project focuses on Hawke's Bay's hard to tackle weeds known as old man's beard and banana passionfruit and intensifies the efforts to keep them under control or eradicate them.

In total, almost $500,000 extra will be spent on regional projects that target the country's worst weeds.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council manager land services Campbell Leckie said it was a well-needed boost.

"We have been fortunate to receive some additional funding for plant pest control in the region, and it is really pleasing to see the minister's commitment to help communities deal with controlling some of these worst weeds.

"Hawke's Bay Regional Council will use this additional funding to target some of the worst weeds, with a lot of work being done on the Maraetotara River."

Department of Conservation supervisor of biodiversity Dan Wynchester said DoC already has weed programmes on conservation land and in reserves but he didn't believe it had been this bad before.

"It will only get worse as time goes on. Old man's beard is all through rivers and mainly willow areas. Banana passionfruit is limited but also scattered through those areas."

A key part of the regional programme is to build support and help enable people to join the War on Weeds and know which plants are on this year's Dirty Dozen list.

"Councils are well placed to energise local communities to join forces on the War on Weeds because they already have their own weed control programmes and can quickly mobilise their communities into action," Ms Barry said.

"This extra investment will accelerate and expand the work they are already doing, and enable a regional approach to managing the weeds on the annual Dirty Dozen list."

It also feeds into the Battle for our Birds programme and Predator Free 2050 which aims to restore ecosystems and protect natural taonga.

For more information on the War on Weeds visit: http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/war-on-weeds/

Councils receiving funding include:
• Auckland Council - $125,000 targeting climbing asparagus, moth plant, woolly nightshade and wild ginger
• Bay of Plenty - $12,700 to remove Spartina
• Hawke's Bay Regional Council - $30,000 to tackle old man's beard and banana passionfruit
• Gisborne District Council - $24,900 to attack moth plant and Japanese honeysuckle.
• Taranaki Regional Council - $60,000 to control old man's beard.
• Horizon's Regional Council - $100,000 for accelerate work getting rid of old man's beard, wandering willie, Japanese honeysuckle and banana passionfruit.
• Marlborough - $20,000 to be used on old man's beard.
• Tasman District Council - $34,800 to control banana passionfruit, old man's beard, climbing asparagus, woolly nightshade, buddleia, Japanese honeysuckle, English ivy, wandering willie and periwinkle.
• Environment Canterbury - $50,000 to survey and control Spartina
• Southland - $29,993 to remove Darwin's barberry, old man's beard, buddleia, Japanese honeysuckle, banana passionfruit and wandering willie.