What landowners need to know

Managing (and preventing) wildings on your land

 

All trees that produce seed can spread. Where and how much that spread occurs, the impacts it has, and what needs to be done about it, will vary. Since you’re here on this page you probably know that wilding conifers are a problem that New Zealand spends millions of dollars a year on, but here’s where to find out more - What's the problem? If you’re a land holder with exotic conifers on your land, whether they were planted with a purpose or self-sown wildings, help protect your place and surrounding land from unwanted spread by managing exotic conifers well.

• Know how to control wildings on your land

  The cheapest and easiest time to control wildings is before they cone. It pays to control any wildings on your place early and remove their seed sources, if possible. If left under-managed, then over time, scattered wildings can turn into a forest and the costs of control escalate rapidly.

   

  Once wildings are removed, monitoring and ongoing management is needed for between three to 15 years.

  This is because conifer seeds remain viable in the soil for up to six years, and any new seedlings need to be removed before they produce cones to prevent further seed spread.

  The usual method is to control seedlings and outlying trees first, and work back to the original seed source.

  Some re-infestations are hand weeded, while in other situations ongoing management can be achieved by mob-grazing and fertilising to encourage grasses that compete with wildings. Work with neighbours to control wilding conifers that have spread across property boundaries.

  For more go to “methods of control”

• Thinking about planting trees?
  • Plan carefully before planting on your land, whether for shelter, amenity, or commercial purposes
    
    
  • Select carefully which exotic conifers you plant and where. Avoid species that are known to be highly spreading in your region (usually certain pine, fir, larch species)
    
    
  • Your regional council will be glad to advise you on the right trees for your place. See our general guide as a starter to help.
    
    
  • Before planting any commercial forest, the wilding conifer spread risk calculator must be used to ensure you are not planting a high spread risk. There are other rules to know.
    
    
  • If you have chosen to plant anything that could spread onto neighbouring land, have a plan to regularly look out for and remove wildings before they become an expensive problem.
    
    
  • Removing any wilding conifer saplings before they develop seed cones (usually between four and ten years). See the information above about managing and preventing spread of seedlings
    
    
  • Join community efforts to prevent spread and control wildings in your area. Your council or the Wilding Pine Network can connect you with local groups or help you start one.
• Know the pest plant rules in your local Regional Pest Management Plan

  Most Regional Pest Management Plans have rules for holders of land with existing trees, especially where wilding conifers are listed as pest species. These are separate to the rules for planting.

  Often known as ‘good neighbour rules’, in general the rules require land holders to control pest plants. That mean it’s the landowner’s responsibility to remove these plants from their property and prevent them from spreading into neighbouring properties.

  For more Contact your regional council or visit their website to find out more about your local rules.

• Worried about trees spreading onto your land?

  Firstly, talk with your neighbour. Agreeing an approach with them is always the best solution.

  If the tree species aren’t listed as a pest plant for your area, working with your neighbour is especially important.

  If the tree species are listed as pest plants for your area, and you can’t agree a solution with your neighbour, you may need to contact your regional council for help. They have the ability to require your neighbour to contribute to the removal of wilding conifers / wilding pines from your land.

  If your neighbour is a commercial grower and a member of the New Zealand Forest Owners Association, or New Zealand Farm Forestry Association, it’s also worth contacting them.

• Identifying wilding conifer species: how and why

  As with most plants, different species do better, and are more or less prone to spreading, in different regions, because of New Zealand’s many different landscapes and micro climates.

  An important exception to this is Pinus contorta also known as Lodgepole pine, which is an unwanted organism throughout New Zealand and must not be allowed to spread. It cannot be planted, transported or sold (even as Christmas trees or firewood) without a permit.

  Useful resources

  The Wilding Conifer Quick ID Guide is a free resource to help determine which species are on your land. Download it or request free hard copies from wilding.pines@mpi.govt.nz.