Wildings conifers on Little Valley-Galloway boundary. Photo / Supplied
Wildings conifers on Little Valley-Galloway boundary. Photo / Supplied
Locals and visitors alike can now enjoy more of Central Otago's stunning natural landscape, thanks to the combined efforts of farmers, local communities and agencies taking on a prolific pest invader.
A national programme to control wilding conifers - considered our 'most significant weed problem'- is ramping up across different parts of the country over the summer months.
It's led by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), with support from Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), the Department of Conservation, (DOC) the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and local government, community groups and committed locals.
Among them is Alexandra farmer Andrew Preston, his neighbours and members of the Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group (COWCCG), who are on a mission to deal to the serious established pest.
"The problem is that it's iconic landscapes that are being ruined by these trees, and things will get exponentially worse if we don't work together to deal with the problem," says Andrew, a Crown pastoral lease-holder on the 11,275ha Galloway Station, part of which borders the Otago Rail Trail, a major tourism drawcard.
"When we started out, I was probably the same as everyone else," he says. "I could see the trees had spread a wee bit, but then every time I'd fly to Christchurch I noticed how quickly they'd spread ...that's when I thought 'sh... we better do something about it'. "
Thanks to Andrew's tireless control efforts over 10 years, only a handful of wildings remain on the property. Fellow LINZ leaseholders Lindon and Jenny Sanders on neighbouring Little Valley Station and adjacent lessees on Matangi Station are about to get underway with control operations to support the programme.
Lindon Sanders with wilding drilled and filled on Little Valley Station. Photo / Supplied
"As they spread, Wildings threaten productive farmland, drain water resources, take over natural ecosystems and increase fire risk - as well as severely alter our iconic landscapes" says LINZ Biosecurity Manager Dave Mole.
"Left unchecked, it's estimated that 20% of New Zealand will have been invaded by unwanted wildings within 20 years - which is why the ongoing efforts of committed individuals like Andrew, with support from communities and other agencies is the key to success."
Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group Project Manager, Phil Murray, works with landowners, councils, LINZ, MPI, DOC and others to coordinate local efforts.
"Wildings go against the natural character of the land," he says. "That's why is important everyone gets on board to understand the threat they pose to our productive grazing land and our landscapes, water values and native ecosystems. There's no better time than now to take action."
That's echoed by artist and group member Grahame Sydney, who is passionate about preserving the unique natural landscape of Central Otago that features in many of his works.
"With wildings things can happen quickly if we don't do anything - and is the way Central Otago could look if we do nothing," he says. "But we don't want it to look like other parts of New Zealand."
Nationally, Wildings already affect over 2 million ha of New Zealand, and before the national control programme, were increasing at a rate of about 5% every year - equivalent to about 90,000ha or nine high country farms annually.
"For farmers and other landowners, wilding conifers make it more expensive, time-consuming and difficult to develop and protect the land," says MPI Wilding Conifer Programme Manager, Sherman Smith.
"That's why choosing to plant the right tree in the right place, and controlling the spread of existing wilding seedlings and trees is critical to helping us win the fight. But we cannot do it alone."
In Central Otago, efforts are focused on the Lammermoor Management Unit, a 258,000ha wedge lying roughly between Dunedin and Queenstown - one of 19 priority areas nationally that are being targeted by committed locals and agencies.
This includes around 15,000ha in and around Alexandra, which is being targeted with felling and helicopter control operations, which will shortly begin in earnest.
Up to $11m nationally has been spent each year on control, with funding from central and local government and communities. A further $16m was committed by Government in May 2016 over four years for the first stage of the programme.
