Congratulations to the WCG and partners - DOC, Otago Regional Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council, and contractors.
Skippers 2024, decaying wildings
Skippers in 2010 under a dark green wilding blanket
The team was tested at every turn in the final yards... not long after the last few 100-year-old coning trees were removed, young bright green wilding Douglas fir seedlings were spotted, amongst the recovering beech forest, on the edge of an area of Skippers Canyon that was boom sprayed ten years ago. These are now included in maintenance plans to catch them before they cone. Spray resistant trees were drilled and filled early this year. Job done… Until more were found, hiding in tricky locations, around the Pipeline bridge and under a cliff face!
Not to be beaten, the partners found a way: A skilled helicopter pilot with a spray lance managed to spot spray the coning wildings beneath the bridge; and abseiling arborists with ropes will tackle those under the cliff face before they cone.
More details and fascinating facts at Whakatipuwilding.co.nz and Facebook/whakatipuWCG.