The Otago Regional Council is reviewing its regional pest management plan, and has started with a region-wide survey asking which pests worry people most.
With nearly 400 individual pieces of feedback collected so far, rabbits, feral cats and pest conifers are topping the list, the council said.
The survey, which is on the council’s website, will be extended for a further month to capture as much feedback as possible before the next stage of the pest plan review, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
The online survey asks which pests worry people the most and where are they found.
Portfolio lead Cr Andrew Noone wanted those who thought of a pest they think should be in the top 10 to tell the council before May 29.
‘‘We have decided to extend the survey for an extra month to gather as much feedback as we can — this will go a long way towards shaping the draft plan as we move forward.’’
Once the council has gathered feedback, a draft plan will be developed and opened for submissions.
A regional pest management plan identifies pests in the region and sets goals to either keep certain pests out of Otago, get rid of them or to reduce them. Rules are made for people to follow.
Fifty-one species are managed under the council’s regional pest management plan.
The council will engage with iwi, key stakeholders, community and other affected parties to develop a proposal for a new plan.
This proposal will undergo a public notification process in early 2027 when everyone can read the proposed plan, and have their say on whether they think it is fair, equitable and able to meet its pest management objectives.
The process is expected to take 18 months, and the feedback received will funnel into the proposal for the new plan.
The council said the land occupier had the role of controlling pests on their property.
The role of the council was to educate people about the rules and undertake compliance activities under the plan if these were not being followed, to monitor and undertake surveillance of pest species, and to respond to an incursion of a pest species that the plan aimed to keep out of Otago. — Allied Media
Top 10 pests in Otago
1. Rabbits
2. Feral cats
3. Pest pines
4. Possums
5. Rats
6. Gorse
7. Feral pigs
8. Sycamore trees
9. Wasps
10. Canada geese
