18 October 2023

Kia ora koutou, greetings from Queenstown, where I have just shared some good news with everyone here at the 2023 Wilding Pine Conference.

I wanted to share this with you too, as part of our valued wilding control community: 

Adding to our baseline funding for the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme this year, a one-off allocation has been approved for $7 million through the Department of Conservation (DOC), to boost control operations in high priority areas for maintenance control.

Working together works

As always the collaborative efforts of partners has been the key to success. At the centre was DOC’s commitment to protecting public conservation land and neighbouring land for the benefit of all New Zealanders and visitors to our unique places.

A big thanks goes to everyone at DOC, our council partners, fund managers, project managers and the team here at Biosecurity New Zealand and Toitū te Whenua LINZ, for all your efforts on detailed planning and analysis work earlier this year, to build a clear picture of the required maintenance work. Having that information on hand for  all MUs and operational areas, right down to site level, proved indispensable in helping inform this decision - so that hard work really paid off! 

What this means for the Programme this year

The one-off allocation of Conservation funding significantly increases the maintenance control that we can deliver this year, building on the funding already committed. It will help us maintain the gains we’ve made thus far and protect biodiversity and conservation values.  To me this is also an endorsement of this Programme’s proven ability to deliver on the national strategy, and  the way everyone connected to it works together.

Control operations 2023/24

The map below shows the 36 Management Units (MUs) where the Programme will deliver operations this year – all are high priority sites for maintenance control to prevent regeneration where control has already started.

The DOC funding will be allocated across 24 of these MUs, mostly in the South Island and also parts of the Central North Island, focused on some key areas where infestations  threaten land with high conservation values if not maintained. 

This includes areas like the Mackenzie Basin where the land is highly vulnerable to spread, where thirsty wildings reduce ground water for irrigation and hydroelectricity generation, and where the risk of wildfires is high, as we’ve already seen this year.

Conversations are still ongoing with other partners and potential partners, as we explore all opportunities to support the goal of containing and eradicating wilding conifers.

Meanwhile work also continues in our other workstreams under the National Strategy to improve wilding management - science and good practice; mapping of infestations; policy and strategy; and education and awareness.

If you are looking for information such as our Wilding species Quick ID Guide, Alternative Planting Guide or videos that illustrate the importance of controlling wildings for communities and Iwi around the country, visit wildingpines.nz.

Sherman

Manager, National Wilding Conifer Control Programme
Biosecurity New Zealand