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
  • 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

Wilding pine spread a threat to Central Otago

By Pam Jones
Otago Daily Times·
23 Apr, 2019 03:00 AM3 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

New Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group chairwoman Alexa White, of Chatto Creek. Photo / Supplied

New Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group chairwoman Alexa White, of Chatto Creek. Photo / Supplied

An expanded wilding pine clearing programme is vital to protect Central Otago from the threat the trees pose, the new chairwoman of Central Otago's Wilding Conifer Control Group says.

Alexa White, of Chatto Creek, said Central Otago was particularly vulnerable to becoming dominated by wilding conifers because such a large proportion of it was extensively grazed hill and high country.

"This [wilding pine spread] has serious implications for our unique landscape values, our scarce water resource, our land use options, our indigenous biodiversity and for public safety, from the risk and consequences of wildfires."

White replaces former group chairman Chris Pascoe, who chaired the group from its inception in 2012.

White said she wanted to continue and expand the work the group was doing, and raise awareness of the work.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She would also like to see more replantings of natives in areas that had been cleared, and for community groups, local government and volunteers to become involved with this.

Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group project manager Phil Murray  Photo / Pam Jones
Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group project manager Phil Murray Photo / Pam Jones

The Central Otago group initially worked with modest funding from the Department of Conservation and the Central Lakes Trust, confining spread from the Naseby Forest, Central Otago project manager Phil Murray said.

The group's work expanded massively when it received funds from the government through the national wilding control programme in 2016.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Since then about $1.3million has been spent clearing 325,000ha of wildings, mainly in Central Otago, but also some land within immediately neighbouring districts.

Murray said although the programme had successfully reduced the affected area, the group had yet to deal with some of the main seed sources, such as forest and amenity plantings around towns, and spread from commercial forests and farm shelter belts.

He said it was hoped more government funding would be available to the group, after an announcement last year from Minister for Biosecurity, Food Safety and Rural Communities Damien O'Connor.

O'Connor said at the NZ Wilding Conifer Conference in Omarama he would be presenting a business case to Cabinet for a new round of funding for the national wilding control programme, to follow on from the four-year funding provided in 2015.

Discover more

New Zealand

Tree-mendous efforts pole-axe pernicious pines

24 Mar 08:30 PM

Big dry: Farmers urged to check crops for feeding as winter looms

17 Apr 12:30 AM

Farm manager job challenging but rewarding

18 Apr 09:00 PM

Otago's long rabbit war rages on

22 Apr 10:30 PM

A "fresh injection" of government funding would allow groups such as the Central Otago one to continue to provide financial support and co-ordination for landowners and communities in carrying out control programmes, Murray said.

"New areas would be included in the programme as well as follow-up work on areas previously covered. Removing seed sources and reducing seed spread from existing forests by planting non-spreading species around the outside would be a major focus in Central Otago."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'Some of the worst we’ve seen': Huge pile of concrete dumped illegally

12 Jul 12:00 AM
The Country

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM
The Country

'Massive milestone': Rare native geckos, parrots return amid pest-control success

11 Jul 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

'Some of the worst we’ve seen': Huge pile of concrete dumped illegally

'Some of the worst we’ve seen': Huge pile of concrete dumped illegally

12 Jul 12:00 AM

Cleaning up the concrete and other waste is expected to cost between $25,000 and $30,000.

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM
'Massive milestone': Rare native geckos, parrots return amid pest-control success

'Massive milestone': Rare native geckos, parrots return amid pest-control success

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Opportunities in America for NZ red meat

Opportunities in America for NZ red meat

11 Jul 05:01 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

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
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • 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