Colin Day says wildling conifer control in the Wakatipu
needs a big boost. Photo by Jude Gillies.
Control of wildling conifers in the Wakatipu is going
backwards, a consultant warned the Queenstown Lakes Community
Services committee at its monthly meeting on Tuesday.
Go-Green consultant Colin Day told the committee that the
problem of wildling pines in the district needed $1 million
to make a "big hit" in one year to arrest their spread, which
had become noticeably worse in the past 25 years.
Mr Day compared images of the Wakatipu landscape in the 1980s
and the present to show how the trees had invaded land.
Areas such as Queenstown Hill and Bowen Peak were obvious
examples where conifers had colonised the bare land, he said.
The issue was addressed in the draft Wakatipu wildling
conifer strategy, an update of the previous one presented to
the committee, and outlined a strategy of control through
until 2012.
After questions from Cr Cath Gilmour as to why the owner of
Coronet Peak Station was not forced to comply with
requirements to control wildling conifers, and a call from
her and other councillors for greater input from Otago
Regional Council on pest management, the committee accepted
the draft strategy to be put out for public comment.
Wakatipu wildling conifer strategy key points
• The first Wakatipu wildling conifer strategy covered the
period 2004-07.
• The latest draft Wakatipu wildling conifer strategy covers
the period 2008-12.
• Objectives are:
1. To meet the local communities' desire to see wildling
conifers controlled.
2. Clarify the wildling control responsibilities of QLDC,
other administering agencies, landowners/managers and the
general public.
3. Determine a strategically scheduled and cost-effective
control programme.
4. Promote awareness and education relative to wildling
issues.
5. To improve support for a wildling control programme.
• The 2004-08 strategy was reviewed to determine the success
of the programme and prioritise future work as outlined in
the latest strategy.
• On average $111,000 was spent annually on control between
2004 and 2008. The new draft strategy recommends budgeting
$120,000 per annum for wildling conifer control for 2009
onwards.
• Priority areas for the next four years are Gooseberry and
Horse Gullies, Coronet Slopes, Ben Lomond ridge, Bowen Peak,
Wedge Peak, Upper Bushy Creek and Queenstown Hill.
• Buy-in by landowners and other administrators was essential
for ongoing success, although complete eradication was not
possible.
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