More than a quarter of Aotearoa New Zealand is at risk of being smothered by wilding pines - including ancient native landscapes, unique biodiversity and productive soils for high value sustainable land use. 

Wilding pines (the more accurate term is wilding conifers) refers to the self-seeding of several species of conifer - including firs, larches and pines - that spread widely and grow faster than natives. The worst is Pinus contorta, an unwanted organism in New Zealand.

In the right place, planted and well-managed conifers offer shelter and opportunities for recreation and income. Wildings are a pest infesting farmland, native ecosystems and sensitive water catchments. 

The National Wilding Conifer Control Programme is a collaboration of partners working hard to prevent the spread.