Wilding Pine Network welcomes the PCE’s report on weeds in native ecosystems
Date: 16th November 2021
The Wilding Pine Network endorses the PCE’s report on weeds titled “Space invaders: A review of how New Zealand manages weeds that threaten native ecosystems”. Weeds are a significant threat to Aotearoa’s native ecosystems and more action is needed to reduce the extent of weeds and prevent future invasions.
Wilding conifers have been fortunate to receive a boost in funding in recent years amounting to $137 million allocated from central government. This funding has enabled great progress to be made controlling wilding conifers. Between 2016-2021, the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme, with its partners, searched and controlled wilding infestations across over 2 million hectares of New Zealand. In 2020-21, the Programme controlled 817,000 hectares as well as surveyed 269,000 hectares to build knowledge of infestations and vulnerable landscapes.
Wilding conifers invading a rare geothermal ecosystem in the Waikato.
However, the funding for this management reduces substantially after this financial year, threatening the gains we’ve made to reduce the extent of wilding conifers. Ongoing removal of infestations and three-yearly cycles of maintenance control, to remove seedlings, are required to lock in the benefits and enable transition to local management. Under current funding beyond 2024, up to half of the area controlled by the Programme to date would receive no further control or maintenance work, resulting in reinfestation and further spread.
If investment is not boosted now, infestations not yet treated will continue to intensify, increasing control costs as well as impacts. Additionally, the Programme has built up a specialist and well-trained workforce, creating 1036 full-time and part-time jobs, particularly in the regions. If funding decreases, we will lose this workforce capability and people will lose jobs.
Richard Bowman, chair of the Wilding Pine network, says, “The PCE’s report highlights the value of acting early to control weeds as well as the need for a collective approach. Many community groups are involved in wilding control across the country, and they play a hugely important role in protecting our native ecosystems. However, every year we wait to control wildings in an area, the cost of control increases by 30%. We need sustained funding to intervene and protect our unique native ecosystems.”
Volunteers tackling a rogue wilding conifer.
The Wilding Pine Network is an independent advocacy and advisory group which supports the management of wilding conifer infestations in Aotearoa New Zealand via advocacy, advice and action. We provide advice to community groups involved in wilding management and share information to translate latest science into operations and policy.
For more information, please contact Rowan Sprague at rowan@nzwildingconifergroup.org / 027 833 6398.
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