Tēnā koutou,
Welcome to our quarterly newsletter where we bring you the latest news and updates from the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme (NWCCP). Thanks to all our fantastic contributors.
Programme Highlights
The countdown to the holiday season has well and truly begun. As some of us look forward to a well-deserved break, spare a thought for our crews and volunteers out keeping up the mahi over summer to get rid of those pesky wildings threatening our most vulnerable landscapes. Online advertising will run over the summer break in key areas to educate the public about control work. We want to thank all of you for your continued commitment and enthusiasm. Remember to be safe out there. We’ll be back next year with more news, updates and stories.
A word from Sherman Smith, NWCCP Programme Manager
The past year has been another outstanding success for this collaborative Programme. Beneath the impressive numbers and stories below, we’ve shared the privilege of creating more than a thousand jobs for people affected by the disruptions of the pandemic since 2020. Looking ahead into 2023, a new year always brings change, challenge and opportunity. We are already planning for how we can navigate some of the challenges for next year, and this has had the positive benefit of increasing our focus on some exciting opportunities as well. Whatever comes, the war on wildings is far from over and our strategy, to contain and eradicate wilding infestations by 2030, gives us a shared, clear focus. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners on how we continue the amazing progress towards this aim. In the meantime, we wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.
The Whakatipu Wilding Conifer Group, winners of the BioHeritage Challenge community award
Sherman Smith and Randall Milne from NWCCP with Graeme Henderson from Eagle Technology
Wildings get recognition at the 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards
The annual NZ Biosecurity Awards honour those who go above and beyond in protecting New Zealand from pests and diseases. With credit to all our partners, the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme won the Eagle Technology Government Award for demonstrating successful integration between key parties to protect New Zealand from wilding pines. The Whakatipu Wilding Conifer Group were also announced winners under the BioHeritage Challenge Community Award category, for demonstrating biosecurity leadership by establishing and maintaining longstanding partnerships to protect Queenstown's iconic landscapes. The Ruawāhia Mt Tarawera Wilding Pine Project received well deserved recognition as finalist under the NZ Biosecurity Māori Award for demonstrating successful collaboration between the Ruawāhia 2B Trust, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and central government, to protect Ruawāhia Mt Tarawera from wilding pines.
Protecting Aotea Great Barrier from Wilding pines
Community partnership funding from the National Programme is enabling Motairehe Marae to protect their own piece of paradise from the effects of wilding pines. Since receiving a portion of the $2 million fund made available for community led projects in 2021, a priority for the group has been to remove wildings to allow native plants to regenerate in an area devastated by wildfires in 2013. “The Kaitoke Dunes area consisted mainly of wilding conifers and native species like Pohutukawa and Manuka/Kanuka. After the huge fire in 2013, only a few large wilding pines and Pohutukawa survived.” says Josh Reed, Motairehe Ltd, Project Manager. “Fast forward to 2021 and wilding pines are clearly at the top of the regeneration food chain!” Wilding pines grow rapidly in Aotea’s sub-tropical climate. Once they get a foothold, they can populate an entire area quickly, leaving little room for native growth. “It is disappointing walking through the bush and seeing little pockets where wilding pines have set up camp among the native vegetation. I can understand needing a shelter belt or timber for houses but like with many introduced species, they need to be kept in check. And we are happy to do the mahi.” says Josh. Since 1 July 2021, Motairehe Marae has carried out control activities on approximately 143 hectares of vulnerable land. That's equivalent to the size of around 200 soccer fields!
The team held a Whakapai (blessing) to mark the start of the Aotea wildings control project in 2021
Crew member, Joel Benseman ready for mahi
Watch a video about how COWCCG is working to preserve the unique Central Otago landscapes
Preserving Central Otago for future generations
The Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group (COWCCG) in partnership with DOC and Otago Regional Council, is working hard to preserve the unique landscapes of Central Otago for generations to come. "For each wilding tree that you see right now in our Otago landscape, in 10 year's time there will be a thousand in its place" says Phil Murray, COWCCG project manager.
Bay of Plenty Regional council staff ascend Mt Tarawera
Earlier this month, more than 25 staff from across three Regional Bay of Plenty Council (BOPRC) offices geared up to ascend Mt Tarawera to pull wilding pines from the Wahanga Dome. Pre-Covid, this was a yearly event for the land management and biosecurity teams who for the past 12 years have worked with iwi to help control the spread of this invasive pest plant. This was the first time BOPRC had been on the maunga in two years, and everyone felt the significance of being back on sacred soil. Ngāti Rangitihi kaumatua, Ken Raureti took the team through a journey of the historical, ecological and cultural significance of the maunga, closing out with a karakia and a hongi before they started the hike up to the dome. With approval from Ruawāhia 2B trustees, the trip was led by Shane Hona who is the BOPRC project manager for the community partnership project that controls wilding pines on Mt Tarawera. “The vegetation on Mt Tarawera is unique because it is a volcanic landscape and sub-alpine. There are very rare plant and animals that live up here” says Shane. “The MPI funding has made a massive difference. It has allowed us to scale up and provide employment for Ngāti Rangitihi iwi members to work on the maunga.” The team had minimal pines to pull on the day, meaning the mahi done to date, is working well. “It was very heartening to see that the number of pine seedlings in the area we covered have reduced dramatically from 4-5 years ago. This shows that with a concerted, ongoing effort, we can get on top of this pest issue. However, the job isn’t done yet, so we need to keep our foot on the throat, so to speak!” says Shane. Read more about the Ruawāhia Mt Tarawera Wilding Pine Project here.
Arriving at the crater rim, the BOPRC team were welcomed on the maunga by Ngāti Rangitihi kaumatua, Ken Raureti
Connecting with farmers at National Agricultural Fieldays
Protecting Aotearoa from wilding pines was one of the major themes of the MPI stand at this year’s event held at Mystery creek, Hamilton from 30 November to 3 December. Our display stand and videos presented the message to the thousands of visitors passing through the main pavilion. Some of the younger audience (or young at heart) walked away wearing temporary tattoos of some of the native animals you are all helping to protect – like the skink shown here.
The wildings display at the 2022 Fieldays held at Mystery Creek, Hamilton
Wilding free Mackenzie protecting rare species
Wilding Free Mackenzie Trust (WFM) and a team of volunteers recently removed young contorta pine, larch and Douglas fir from 18 hectares of the Ohau Moraine Wetland Complex in South Canterbury. As with many of our most unique landscapes, dense wilding infestations can contribute to the drying of wetlands and riparian areas, forcing out many of the native species that live there. “It is estimated that less than 10% of naturally occurring wetlands remain in NZ. They are an incredibly vulnerable and largely under protected ecological asset in the New Zealand landscape” says WFM co-ordinator, Haeleigh Turner. “This particular wetland is home to a number of rare and threatened species including the Bignose galaxias which is a rare type of fish found only in the Mackenzie Basin. The work that our volunteers do is extremely valuable!” The Trust will continue running volunteer events in March and April next year. Visit the Wilding Free Mackenzie Facebook page for more information.
Protecting iconic landscapes from the spread of wildings
Extensive wilding control efforts by Environment Canterbury Regional Council (ECan) have transformed the Flock Hill Station landscape by removing seed-pumping wildings. This huge undertaking is all to protect nearby jewels, like Arthur’s Pass National Park and Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands Park, from wilding spread. Critical maintenance work will continue here to prevent re-invasion and catch growth from any viable seeds still in the ground. Ka pai ECan whānau!
Summer digital campaign
Summer is the busy time for the Programme with crews around the country working hard to protect our vulnerable landscapes from the spread of wilding pines. Our campaign to educate the public about this work will run again over the summer break too. Click on the banner images to preview our animated ads with their unique North Island and South Island imagery.
National Operations Update
We are almost at the halfway mark for the 2022/2023 financial period. Here is a snapshot of what we’ve achieved so far.
Between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022:
Health and Safety Update
In October, the Programme together with Ecan, hosted a forum in Twizel for South Island contractors working in wilding control. The purpose of the full day forum was to connect with the people doing the hard mahi on the ground (and air), share advice and experiences and talk about the challenges and benefits of this work. Discussions included skills and training, worker wellbeing, social license from communities, future planning, and what has been achieved since the start of the National Programme in 2016. Haeleigh Turner was our roving reporter at the forum, and you can read her summary report on our website. A North Island forum will take place in the new year, and we hope our North Island contractors will take up the opportunity to share their views with us.
Phil Williams from Competenz talking about training opportunities at the contractor's forum held in Twizel
Good Practice Guides for contractors and volunteers
The Programme has a strong focus on safety and continuous improvement. You can find links to the new and updated Good Practice Guide (GPG) below.
- The updated Drill and fill good practice guide and Drill and Fill how to video
- The new Cut stump good practice guide and Cut stump how to video
Watch a video introducing Drill and Fill best practice
Digital resources and engagement advice
We have digital resources like videos, graphics, and promotional material available on the wildingpines.nz website. We encourage you to use these to communicate the wildings issue with your local communities – or prompt friends and family to spot wildings while enjoying the outdoors.
Contact us
If you have stories to share, questions or suggestions on what you would like to see in these newsletters, or on the website, please contact us on wilding.pines@mpi.govt.nz
