By ANNE BESTON
The target spray zone for a moth pest in Auckland will not be increased until the Government decides on the future of the campaign.
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry staff faced a small but angry group of Auckland residents last night during a public meeting to outline plans to
possibly include two more suburbs in the aerial operation against painted apple moth.
The ministry emphasised that no decision on including Pt Chevalier and Waterview in the target area would be made until Cabinet ministers reviewed the project's effectiveness in mid-May. Spraying was unlikely to start before June.
The new area targets mainly the riparian margins from Waterview, past Selwyn Village to Pt Chevalier Beach, around the coast of Coyle Park and into Motions Creek, a total of about 150ha.
The ministry's forest biosecurity response manager, Dr Davore Bejakovich, said the proposed extension included few residential properties.
The third round of spraying is scheduled to begin on Saturday, weather permitting. After that, the ministry will assess the results and submit them to the Cabinet.
nzherald.co.nz/environment
