Environment Canterbury decided on March 15 on its biosecurity rulebook. It then had to allow 15 working days for appeals to be lodged with the Environment Court by anyone who made submissions on the proposed plan.
Wild Russell lupin has been included as a pest that must be controlled. There are also rules for planting the lupin species.
Feral goats on Banks Peninsula have become designated as pests, with rules for identifying and constraining them.
An extra rule for controlling wilding conifer has been added, to address the impact from planted conifers. It supported the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries, Department of Conservation, Land Information New Zealand, ECan, and landowners, plus other publicly funded schemes.
Provisions for nassella tussock and Chilean needle grass were updated.
''Pest threat management is an important part of the sustainable management of natural resources,'' ECan councillor Peter Skelton said.
''Recent serious incursions such as velvetleaf and Mycoplasma bovis, plus the concerning prospect of the marmorated stink bug, have raised the profile of biosecurity risk nationally.''
During the last 20 years, Canterbury pest management has focused mainly on pests affecting production land, such as broom, gorse, rabbits, Bennett's wallaby and nassella tussock.
''We committed significant resources to this approach,'' ProfSkelton said.
''It was recognised that some legacy pests may need a different application of control and funding, but not losing the gains we've made.''
ECan wanted to prevent existing pests from proliferating while boosting efforts to stop new ones becoming established.
''This approach will help us become more resilient, with pests managed for both production land and biodiversity protection purposes,'' Prof Skelton said.
The plan was aligned with neighbouring regions' to help prevent new pests arriving.
''This presents an opportunity for more proactive initiatives. Environment Canterbury will have a leadership role, particularly in the early stages of pest infestation, with extra emphasis on advice, education and working with the community.''
