Council biosecurity team leader Robert Win said reporting of priority pests was vital for preventing the spread of new and unwanted species before they became established.
"Priority pests are a significant environmental concern that have either not yet established, or not widely established and have the potential to cause substantial harm, such as moth plant or the freshwater gold clam."
Mr Win said the council had developed a new online form that could be accessed from any mobile device, making reporting suspected sightings of pests quick, accurate and straightforward.
"This form has been designed to capture information about priority pests in Otago.
He said the form — available via the ORC website or by searching online — collected pest sighting details, precise location data and other information for the biosecurity team to investigate.
People could still use the council’s phone number (0800 474-082) to report pests, but the emphasis would now be on "promoting citizen science" by using the form.
"The benefits of using the form directly include information being passed on in a timelier manner, providing more accurate pest descriptions and location data as well as less double-handling of information by council staff.
"Citizen science is a valuable way the public can help protect our region’s environment.
"Otago is home to many threatened and taonga species. We can help to protect these and the region’s wider indigenous biodiversity if we all work together, especially if biosecurity staff have timely information on pest sightings and exact locations."
