Copters stand by to blitz new infestation of moths

By ANNE BESTON, environment reporter

Urgent aerial spraying of a new painted apple moth infestation was due to begin at first light today as the pest continues to breach the limits of the spray zone.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry appears to be chasing the moth over an ever-expanding area, forced to add hundreds more hectares for each new round of its $90 million spraying campaign.

In the third round of spraying early this month a further 500ha of the margins of Herne Bay and Western Springs were added, and this time it is an even bigger area in the far northwest of West Auckland at Hobsonville. That is more than 6km outside the initial 8000ha target zone.

MAF, under increasing pressure from vocal anti-spray campaigners, tried to play down the new find, saying it had planned for "isolated detection" by gaining permission from Biosecurity Minister Jim Sutton to balloon the zone to 12,000ha if necessary.

Painted apple moth project director Ian Gear said about 40 caterpillars had been found on the western side of the former Hobsonville airbase in a grove of acacia trees, one of the moth's favoured habitats.

He could not say how big an area would be sprayed but said it would be more than 500ha.

The new infestation was to be sprayed by helicopter early today before the full operation, involving a Fokker Friendship aircraft and light plane, swung into action.

MAF was waiting for final weather reports yesterday before deciding whether round four of the operation would go ahead.

The ministry appears to have decided to hit the moth as hard as it can before there is any question of the plug being pulled on its eradication attempt.

Mr Gear said spraying would be suspended over Christmas and New Year, but stubborn infestations at Meola Rd, Motions Creek and Waikumete Cemetery would be blitzed every seven to 10 days instead of the usual three weeks.

He also reiterated the Government's intention to review the programme early next year.

The Hobsonville find comes on top of a series of troubling developments for MAF. In a move widely seen as thumbing its nose at the Government, Waitakere City has finally broken ranks and agreed to pay $10,000 towards the legal costs of groups trying to stop the spraying.

Mayor Bob Harvey has likened West Auckland to a "war zone", saying MAF has ignored residents' health concerns.

The council money will be used to pay former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer to give a legal opinion on the spraying campaign.

Herald feature: Environment