Wilding pine control efforts praised for exceeding expectations

Wilding pines. Photo / RNZ - Sally Round

RNZ

Efforts to control wilding pines are exceeding expectations.

In last year's budget, the government set aside $100 million for a four-year project to control wilding pines.

Biosecurity Minister Damien O'Connor said the programme had made huge strides in its first year - tackling more than half of its four-year target.

"Control crews and community projects treated 817,000 hectares from Te Taitokerau Northland to Motupōhue Bluff and created more than 1000 full or part-time jobs," O'Connor said.

"This success shows that concerted and coordinated efforts are succeeding in bringing large-scale wilding conifer infestations under control.

Wilding conifers cost New Zealand around $100 million every year in lost productivity, lost water for irrigation and hydroelectricity generation, and the costs of fire prevention and control.

O'Connor said central to the success of control efforts was the coordination of resources and a collaborative model.

One of the groups working to control wilding pines is Wilding Free Mackenzie, which works under The Canterbury Regional Council (ECAN)

Community co-ordinator Haeleigh Turner said there was huge interest from farmers and community groups to get involved in the control programme.

"If wilding pines become established, they soak up a lot of groundwater, which means there's less available for say irrigation and agriculture," Turner said.

"And I think there's a growing understanding among local residents of the dangers of having mature wilding pines close to residential areas, they're a huge fire risk, we saw that with the Lake Ohau Village fire just across the lake."

Turner said recent working bees had been popular so more were being planned over coming months.

"People want to bring their walking groups. I've had people want to coordinate sessions for their kids to go along to and people wanting to arrange school holiday events.

If the next three years of the programme are as successful as the first they would be winning the fight against wilding pines, Turner said.

- RNZ