The plight of the MacKenzie

Date: 16th April 2024

The MacKenzie basin in Canterbury is the largest and least modified intermontane basin in New Zealand but it’s under siege from wilding pines. Endless and vast landscapes endure the relentless march of wildings. They stretch from the flat land in the valleys to the tops in the far distance.

Photos: R. Young

Despite many years of intensive management some areas feel like ground zero when you visit – wilding pines are everywhere and so dense you can’t walk through them. Reducing funding is incredibly challenging anywhere but confronting in this landscape when there is still so much to do.

The community groups who work in the wilding space are relentless, strategic and innovative in their efforts to get the message out about the extent of the challenge. Being relentlessly positive and taking every opportunity at the local level to get the message out is how we will win this battle. We congratulate Wilding Free MacKenzie with their You Tube video featuring three well known Kiwi’s – Nadia Lim, Sir Grahame Sydney and Al Brown. It’s a short punchy wee piece: http://Iconic kiwis on wilding pines (youtube.com). Watch and encourage others to do so. Get in Behind Wilding Free MacKenzie. Wilding Pines have no place here.

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