wilding conifer

File:Wilding pines, Canterbury, New Zealand.jpg region.]]

Wilding conifers, also known as wilding pines, are invasive trees in the high country of New Zealand. Millions of dollars are spent on controlling their spread.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-16|title=Wilding pines: Eternal vigilance needed, even with $100 million investment|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/123056827/wilding-pines-eternal-vigilance-needed-even-with-100-million-investment|access-date=2021-03-09|website=Stuff}}

In the South Island they threaten 210,000 hectares of public land administered by the Department of Conservation. They are also present on privately owned land and other public land such as roadsides. The wilding conifers are considered to be a threat to biodiversity, farm productivity and to landscape values. Since they often invade tussock grasslands – which are characterised by low-lying vegetation that is considered to be a natural environment – the tall trees become a prominent and unwanted feature.

Species

File:Wilding conifers in the Jollie River valley.jpg. The trees have almost completely blanketed the flanks of the lower section of the valley.]]

There are ten main species that have become wildings:Wilding conifers – New Zealand history and research background, a presentation by Nick Ledgard at the "Managing wilding conifers in New Zealand – present and future" workshop (2003)

Bishop pine (Pinus muricata)
Corsican pine (Pinus nigra)
Dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo)
Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta)
Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster)
Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
Radiata pine (Monterey pine, Pinus radiata)
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga species)
European larch (Larix decidua)

The various species dominate in different areas of New Zealand. Radiata pine (Pinus radiata) is used for 90% of the plantation forests in New Zealand{{cite web|url=http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/statistics-and-forecasts/sonzaf/archive/sonzaf-2007.pdf|title=Situation and outlook for New Zealand agriculture and forestry|publisher=NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry|year=2007|access-date=2010-10-19}} and some of the wilding conifer is a result of these forests.

Control measures

Without any control measures, wilding conifers will spread over an increasing area with economic and environmental consequences. As well as volunteers organised by environmental groups, regional councils and the Department of Conservation invest in wild conifer removal.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

A South Island Wilding Conifer Management Group was formed in 2006 and obtained funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Sustainable Farming Fund.{{cite web|url=http://www.wildingconifers.org.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9&Itemid=2|title=The Project |publisher=South Island Wilding Conifer Management Group|access-date=2009-01-17}}

Mechanical removal by hand pulling seedlings, and the use of brush cutters and chainsaws are common control methods. Spray trials are also being carried out. In 2004 a spraying operation by the Department of Conservation at Mid Dome in the Southland region caused spray drift onto surrounding areas including the towns of Athol and Kingston.{{cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/conservation/threats-and-impacts/weeds/mid-dome-report.pdf|title=A review of herbicide drift at Athol and surrounding area|last=Wallace|first=Euan|date=2004-04-23|publisher=Agro-Research Enterprises|access-date=2009-04-18}}

By region

File:Wilding conifers NZ map.svg

Pest management is administered by regional councils. There are sixteen different regions in New Zealand and wilding conifers only occur in a few of these regions, predominantly in the South Island. The Department of Conservation manages wilding conifers on public land under its jurisdiction.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

=Canterbury=

In its 2005 Pest Management Strategy the Canterbury Regional Council (Ecan) has the objective of eradicating all self-sown wilding conifers in ecologically sensitive areas in its jurisdiction. To do this a range of measures are used, including carrying out wilding conifer control operations, encouraging reporting of the presence of wilding conifers, encouraging the removal of seed sources and advocating changes to the district plans of the territorial authorities to prevent or control the planting of inappropriate conifers.{{cite book|author=Canterbury Regional Council|title=Canterbury Regional Pest Management Strategy (2005)|publisher=Canterbury Regional Council|location=Christchurch, New Zealand|date=June 2005|isbn=1-86937-563-7| url=http://www.ecan.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/7078AB75-8C26-4EAA-B076-B97F4743CF42/0/CanterburyRegionalPestManagementStrategyweb.pdf| access-date=2008-09-06}}

=Hawke's Bay=

Wilding conifers infest the Kaweka Forest Park.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

=Marlborough=

Pinus contorta infests the south Marlborough area and is classed as a "Containment Control Pest", which are pests that are managed to prevent spreading to new areas. Other wilding species exist in Marlborough but Lodgepole Pine is the focus for pest management.{{cite web|url=http://www.marlborough.govt.nz/enviromonitoring/biosecurity.cfm |title=2007 Regional Pest Management Strategy |year=2007 |publisher=Marlborough District Council |access-date=2009-01-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206013629/http://www.marlborough.govt.nz/enviromonitoring/biosecurity.cfm |archive-date=6 December 2008 }}

=Otago=

Pinus contorta is a pest plant listed in the Otago Regional Council Pest Management Strategy for Otago.{{cite web|url=http://www.orc.govt.nz/Documents/ContentDocuments/publications/pest_strategy/Oct_2009/04g_Pest%20Plants%20-%20Contorta%20Pine.pdf |title=Pest Management Strategy for Otago |publisher=Otago Regional Council |access-date=14 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522105706/http://www.orc.govt.nz/Documents/ContentDocuments/publications/pest_strategy/Oct_2009/04g_Pest%20Plants%20-%20Contorta%20Pine.pdf |archive-date=22 May 2010 }}

=Southland=

A major area of wilding conifer spread is in the Mid Dome Area in the Southland region. The Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust was set up in 2006{{cite web|url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/mid+dome+wilding+trees+charitable+trust+%E2%80%93+inaugural+meeting|title=Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust – inaugural meeting|last=Parker|first=David|date=16 August 2006|publisher=New Zealand Government|access-date=14 January 2011}} and in 2008 the government allocated $54,000 from the Biodiversity Funds to control wildings on about {{convert|1000|ha}} in the area.{{cite web|url=http://feeds.beehive.govt.nz/release/mid+dome+project+receives+biodiversity+funding|title=Mid Dome project receives biodiversity funding|date=19 October 2008|publisher=New Zealand Government|access-date=14 January 2011}}

References

External links

[http://doc.govt.nz/conservation/threats-and-impacts/weeds/common-weeds-in-new-zealand/wilding-pines/ Wilding pines] at the Department of Conservation
[http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/conservation/threats-and-impacts/weeds/south-island-wilding-conifer-strategy/ South Island Wilding Conifer Strategy (2001)], Department of Conservation
[http://www.wildingconifers.org.nz/index.php South Island Wilding Conifer Management Group]
[http://ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/local-projects-community-groups/Pages/wilding-conifers.aspx Wilding Conifers in Canterbury] at Environment Canterbury
[http://www.qldc.govt.nz/portals/qldc/Our%20Projects/Wilding%20Pine%20Strategy/Wilding%20Strategy%202008%20Final.pdf Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Strategy] at the Queenstown Lakes District Council
[http://www.welra.org.nz/ Waimakariri Ecological and Landscape Restoration Alliance]

Category:Invasive plant species in New Zealand

Category:Conifers

Category:Environmental issues with forests

Category:Forest pathology