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Tēnā koutou,
It has been a while, so straight into this update:
- Operations round up
- Explainer: Management Units, deferred maintenance, transition planning
- Congratulations to award finalists and milestone makers
- Community magic continues
- Perspectives: Wilding control as part of responsible forestry management
- Special deal on a Silky saw thanks to the Wilding Pine Network
- 2024 Conference - short survey please tell us your thoughts
From Sherman's desk
Thanks to all our contractors, and the many volunteers, who worked hard over summer and those who are out on chilly autumn mornings lately!
This year we are seeing some significant milestones reached. Several sites and entire management units (MUs) are moving out of initial control into the maintenance phase, and a pilot transitioning a cleared area back to landowners is underway.
Sherman Smith, National Programme Manager
Mackenzie District Council’s removal of around 35 hectares of Pinus contorta near Pukaki is another solid step in rolling back this core infestation and a key source of ongoing seed spread in the Mackenzie Basin. And in the top of the South, Tasman District Council has secured support from an international owner of production forests for wilding control at Mount Richmond.
All these examples of progress tell a great story for potential partners we are talking to about support for the Programme. We now have eight years of results backing up what many of us knew when the strategy was released in 2015 - that we can successfully contain wilding conifers by working together; that landscapes can be protected; and that a long term focus is needed. A huge thank you to everyone who is working so hard to make this shared vision a reality.
Looking ahead to the next financial year, work is underway to shape up the control work plans. Our operations team, council partners and the WCIS team at LINZ are busy gathering and crunching data, to make sure our available resources are targeted to deliver the greatest effect possible. We'll share the plan in a future update once finalised.
Team updates
At the end of February we farewelled Lynn McIlveen our Programme Manager extraordinaire, at least for a while. Lynn has played a huge role behind the scenes at Biosecurity New Zealand, wrangling our Programme team members from across five locations into a tight unit, leading on essential planning and reporting, and handling the unexpected, like our Covid-19 response framework. Lynn has answered the call back to her home and family in Scotland, and our very best wishes and thanks go with her.
Simon Heddle-Baker, our business analyst, expert in turning data into compelling information, improving processes and leading on future funding-related work, is on extended leave.
Sarah Vernon has had a career change and taking some time to add motherhood to her endless abilities! We look forward to her return and it can't come soon enough.
The remaining team is rallying to fill some large gaps while continuing to support our partners and keep this important work moving.
Operations Update Summer/Autumn 2024
Control operations were in full swing across the country through the summer period.
Even more so than usual, fire risk management has been a key focus this year given FENZ predictions of extreme fire risk conditions. With his knack for predicting the future, Operations Lead Alan Tinnelly saw the opportunity for a video to help upskill teams in fire risk management, and it is still worth a look for anyone considering control work as a crew member, volunteer, or on your own land.
Te Ika-a-Māui North Island operations
In Northland, removal of pines from dunelands along Great Exhibition Bay in the Te Hiku MU continued, and control work at the Pukenamu QE II Trust site in the Rawhiti MU is on track to be completed this year to enter a maintenance phase. In the Central North Island aerial control programmes got underway in the Tongariro and Kaimanawa MUs. In Waikato, control work in the Coromandel and Rangitaiki MUs is scheduled to start in autumn.
Te Wai Pounamu South Island operations
In Marlborough, operations advanced in the Sounds, Waihopai and Molesworth MUs. Of note is the removal of wilding seed source trees in shelter belts at Red Gate and Tarndale in Molesworth - a significant step in preventing re-invasion of the core of the MU.
In Tasman, progress was good despite weather interruptions and a complicated site – the intended Aerial Foliar Spray Application (AFSA) area to address a Douglas fir stand reduced from 200 ha down to 70 ha in this year, to protect waterways.
Canterbury ground control and aerial operations continued, focused in the Mackenzie Basin. Plans to remove seed source trees at the St James Homestead just outside Hanmer Springs are also progressing well.
In Otago, aerial and ground control was all go across the Whakatipu Basin and Central Otago.
In Southland, aerial and ground control is underway in the Mid Dome and Flagstaff MUs, with work in the Takitimu MU due to begin in autumn.
Explainer: Operations Planning 101
Active MUs, Prioritisation, Deferred Maintenance, Transition Planning... what's it all mean?
Management Units (MUs)
For the purposes of prioritising, planning and coordinating wilding control operations nationally, the Programme has divided the country into geographic areas known as Management Units (MUs). Each MU may have multiple Operational Areas within it - where the wildings are.
Prioritisation of funding for control work includes looking at individual Operational Areas and whole MUs. To date the Programme has funded control work in 40 MUs, plus funding for specific community-led projects in another 9 MUs. There is a set of agreed criteria for prioritising control work.
Active MUs
In the December update we shared a high-level map of all the current active MUs, and those where we are able to deliver government-funded control work during this 2023/24 financial year (which ends in June), whether that is initial control, or maintenance control.
Maintenance
As we’ve said earlier, this year is largely focused on maintenance work - that is, follow-up control in areas where initial control work has been undertaken previously through the Programme. Maintenance is about removing any new emerging seedlings before they cone and controlling any remaining coning wildings. This will generally happen in three-yearly phases, for at least two or three cycles until seeds in the soil have been exhausted.
Deferred maintenance
In areas where maintenance is due, but cannot yet be carried out through the Programme’s current funding, we refer to this as deferred maintenance. These areas are still a priority for the Programme and will be included in the next annual prioritisation and planning process.
Transition planning process
The Programme's approach is to support wilding control work, including maintenance rounds, until the level of ongoing maintenance needed is reasonable for the landholder to start to take responsibility for. It is envisaged that a process of Transition planning can start, for an entire MU or part of an MU, once the level of re-infestation is manageable, and maintenance costs are reasonable. The process involves the council and the landholder(s) working together and considering a range of factors, which will be different in each MU and situation.
The first transition starting point is in sight. ECan has a pilot of the transition planning process underway with landholders in part of the Godley MU, with a draft process guidance developed by the Programme as a reference. This pilot process will inform how the guidance can be refined before it is trialled in other MUs. Starting this is a huge milestone for all involved.
Partner Perspectives: Forestry and wilding management
In the December update we mentioned the new National environmental standards for commercial forestry (details on MFE website) which is intended to help prevent new forest plantings from creating a wilding problem.
As partners in the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme, Biosecurity New Zealand and NZ Forest Owners Association agree that wilding management is part of responsible forest management. It can be tricky, especially for wilding-warriors, to see the (beneficial, well-managed) forest for the (wilding) trees, so together and with input from Te Uru Rākau - NZ Forest Service, we explain some of the picture in a new item on the news & stories page at wildingpines.nz. It looks at the forestry industry’s roles in wilding management, different types of forestry, and the past and new rules designed to limit wilding spread. There are links to more information and contacts for questions.
2024 Biosecurity Awards:
Congratulations Dr Brian Richardson
At the Awards event on 9 April, Biosecurity Minister Hon Andrew Hoggard announced Dr Brian Richardson as the winner of this year’s Minister’s Biosecurity Award. This recognises an individual, group or organisation that has contributed at least 10 years of continuous and outstanding service to biosecurity in New Zealand. The National Programme has directly benefited from Brian's expertise in pesticide application, as he helped develop our good practice guidelines for effective aerial spraying of wilding conifers.
Read more about the finalists and winners
Dr Brian Richardson (left) with Biosecurity Minister Hon Andrew Hoggard at the Awards
Community-led wilding conifer groups play a huge role in protecting New Zealand, especially ecologically and culturally significant sites, from the impacts of wildings. The National Wilding Conifer Control Programme has provided targeted funding to more than 30 successful community and Iwi-led projects around the country.
In many of these cases, controlling wildings was one component of a wider focus on environmental restoration of special places. The projects that received funding were selected for meeting a range of criteria including: the significance of the sites being protected; their ability to manage the work effectively and safely; mana whenua and community support for the work; and that future control needs could be met. Twelve projects were funded in the last round in 2021, and completed by 2023.
We got in touch with them to evaluate how effective this support was. Despite some projects being affected by cyclone Gabrielle and other disruptions, all projects reached agreed milestones, and the funding received helped achieve their goals to protect key sites. Some groups have successfully found ongoing funding to expand their wilding control work.
Some of these projects are captured in Videos at wildingpines.nz. Here are some other recent highlights shared with us:
Sweet song of success for Kaharoa Kōkako
The Kaharoa Kokako Trust was funded in 2021 to support their efforts for the protection and survival of kōkako and other indigenous flora and fauna in the Kaharoa Conservation Area north of Rotorua. They have shared with us this story of their project. As usual with wilding control it was not an easy job, but they have succeeded in removing wildings from 22 ha of precious regenerating indigenous forest habitat.
Biosecurity Awards finalists: Tākaka Hill Biodiversity Group Trust
Congratulations to Charmaine and the smart and hard-working team at Tākaka Hill Biodiversity Group Trust (pictured below at the Tākaka Hill lookout). Their work Restoring and Protecting Tākaka Hill Ecosystems was a finalist for the BioHeritage Challenge Community Award in the 2024 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards. This wilding control work is making a difference in several areas amongst the unique biodiversity of 'the hill' including along the SH6 roadside - the only road access to the western part of the Tasman District. Great to see recognition of this work to protect your special patch of NZ.
Milestone moment for Whakatipu Wilding Control Group: Shotover Management Unit officially enters "maintenance" stage This means the last seed sources have been removed from this MU. Congratulations to the WCG and partners - DOC, Otago Regional Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council, and contractors.
The young and the tireless – 1000+ hours with Wilding Free Mackenzie
Wilding Free Mackenzie are known for organising epic volunteer events. The Trust put students from Mackenzie College in Fairlie to work on the loppers in November, and shared some great photos from the day with us - that story here
Over six days in November, 140 volunteers put in approximately 1050 hours of wilding conifer control. Volunteers were able to hitch a ride on aerial transport used by contractors, to attend to their respective ‘adopt a plots’. Contractors were on hand to fell any trees which could not be easily done with hand tools.
Volunteers go the hard yards against wilding pines in South Marlborough
The hardy and dedicated volunteers with the South Marlborough Landscape Restoration Trust take their work seriously. Focused on restoring and protecting the iconic landscapes and biodiversity of South Marlborough, wilding control is a big part of the job.
Trust Coordinator Ket Bradshaw recently cycled 1500 km of the South Island, to raise awareness of the legacy wilding infestation over 52,000 hectares of the Branch Leatham Conservation Area. The Trust's Facebook reels cover some of the conversations she had with interesting people along the way.
Ket is not the only one going the extra kilometres... over summer, the Trust's Community Volunteers also trekked almost as far upwards, 1482m to the Blowhard on the Raglan Range, drilling and filling (shout out for donation of drills from Constellation Brands); and a 19-strong Back Country Volunteer crew camped out to tackle wildings in the Lost Valley.
Pictured above from the top: Summer volunteers with SMLRT up the Blowhard; and in the Lost Valley in South Marlborough; Ket on wheels.
Hawke's Bay locals vs contorta: Group joins DOC to protect Kaweka Forest lakes
The twin lakes, Rotoroa and Rototuna, and their surrounds are a particularly beautiful and sensitive part of the Kaweka Forest Park. The 98-hectare area hosts more than 280 native plant species, including several that are uncommon and nationally significant. The Hawke's Bay Wilding Pine Community Group formed in 2021 to removing wildings from the Kaweka Lakes block, aiming to clear Pinus contorta (and some radiata and Douglas-fir) from this site completely. This support's DOC’s wider effort to control the spread of wildings within 'the Kawekas' as it's known locally, and to shield the neighbouring Ruahine Ranges. Read more...
Sharp deal on saws
The Wilding Pine Network has partnered with Silky Saws to get you a 10% discount on a saw for wilding control! See the autumn 2024 WPN newsletter or just use the code WILDPINE10 at SilkyStore.co.nz.
To say thanks, send a photo with your new saw in action to jo@wildingpinenetwork.org.nz.
Conference: 16-18 Oct
Your input please
In case you missed the survey from the Wilding Pine Network, please take two minutes to have your say in the early stages of planning for this year's conference. Note revised dates: 16-18 October 2024, Taupō.
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