The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Watch: Mapping tool to help wilding conifer control

By Guy Williams
Otago Daily Times·
18 Jul, 2017 10:10 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Otago Daily Times: Authorities fighting the spread of wilding conifers will have a complete picture of infestations throughout the country, thanks to new technology. Land Information, Minister Mark Mitchell says the web-based mapping and monitoring tool will efficiently control invasive plant species. Video made with support from NZ on air

A new mapping tool is giving wilding tree control groups a complete picture of infestations throughout the country.

Launching the Wilding Conifer Information System in Queenstown yesterday, Minister for Land Information Mark Mitchell said the tool would ''underpin'' a Government-led programme to control the spread of wilding trees.

The web-based analytical tool, which maps and monitors infestations, would be used by Land Information New Zealand (Linz), Ministry for Primary Industries, Department of Conservation, New Zealand Defence Force, regional and district councils and community groups such as the Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group.

Based on the Esri GIS mapping software platform, it had been developed by Linz over about two years, in conjunction with Auckland-based IT company Eagle Technology.

''The tool provides for accurate and nationally consistent standards to record data about infestations and control activities,'' Mr Mitchell said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

''This information will be vital at both regional and national levels when it comes to making decisions about where to prioritise funding for control.''

The system included a mobile app for field workers to record information in real time.

Wilding trees were affecting more than 2million ha of land, and spreading at an estimated rate of 5% a year, he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A national programme to remove self-sown trees, spread from introduced wilding species, is in its second year.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said five new areas covering 371,000ha had been added to the programme for 2017-18, including the Lammermoor Range in Central Otago.

That was in addition to the more than 1million ha on which control efforts were carried out in 2016-17, Ms Barry said.

The Government is spending about $6million on the programme in 2017-18, along with nearly $2million in funding from other parties. It has allocated $16million for the programme's first four years.

The other new areas are Mid Dome, in Northern Southland, Ohau and two areas near Tekapo, in Canterbury.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Butter prices: Here’s how much they might still rise

09 May 05:03 AM
The Country

'Prime focus': Avocado industry targets global markets

09 May 03:08 AM
The Country

Watch: Deer's ill-fated dash to airport - 'I've hit the darn thing'

09 May 02:44 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Butter prices: Here’s how much they  might still rise

Butter prices: Here’s how much they might still rise

09 May 05:03 AM

The price of butter could reach $9.50 by September.

'Prime focus': Avocado industry targets global markets

'Prime focus': Avocado industry targets global markets

09 May 03:08 AM
Watch: Deer's ill-fated dash to airport - 'I've hit the darn thing'

Watch: Deer's ill-fated dash to airport - 'I've hit the darn thing'

09 May 02:44 AM
Winston Peters' rugby days on The Country

Winston Peters' rugby days on The Country

09 May 02:02 AM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP