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Pest Management Plan 2004
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PEST MANAGEMENT
PLAN
PLAN FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF WEEDS AND
PEST ANIMALS
JUNE 2004
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Pest Management Plan 2004
ISBN ((1-877232-22-X))
Photo Credits: Dave Hansford: Possum, Goat
Greater Wellington Regional Council: Darwin’s barberry
Further copies of this publication can be obtained from the Wellington City Council
by telephoning (04) 499 4444 or by writing to PO Box 2199, Wellington.
© Wellington City Council 2004. Except as authorised by the Copyright Act 1994, the
contents of this publication can be used freely with acknowledgement to Wellington
City Council. The Wellington City Council asserts the right to be identified as the
author of this work.
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CONTENTS
PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN .............................................................................5
VISION STATEMENT .....................................................................................5
GUIDING PRINCIPLES ...................................................................................6
RATIONALE ....................................................................................................6
1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................7
1.1
S
TRATEGIC
F
RAMEWORK
............................................................................7
1.2
T
ERMS
-
WHAT DO WE MEAN
.......................................................................8
1.3
S
TATUS OF
T
HIS
P
LAN
.................................................................................9
1.3.1
PEST MANAGEMENT IN WELLINGTON
.............................................9
1.3.2
WHY A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN IS NEEDED
...............................10
1.3.3
FUTURE REVIEW OF THIS PLAN
.....................................................13
2. WIDER FRAMEWORK ....................................................................................15
2.1
T
HE
N
EW
Z
EALAND
B
IODIVERSITY
S
TRATEGY
.........................................15
3. FUTURE TRENDS............................................................................................17
4. ISSUES...............................................................................................................19
4.1
P
REVENTING
N
EW
P
ESTS
...........................................................................19
4.2
M
ANAGING
P
ESTS
.....................................................................................19
4.2.1
IDENTIFYING PRIORITIES
..............................................................21
4.3
L
EGAL
R
ESPONSIBILITIES
- W
HAT
A
RE
T
HEY
? .........................................26
4.3.1 G
REATER
W
ELLINGTON
-
REGIONAL PEST MANAGEMENT
STRATEGY
(
RPMS
) ........................................................................27
4.3.2
PUBLIC HEALTH
............................................................................32
4.3.3
WILD ANIMAL CONTROL
...............................................................33
4.4
C
ONTROL
M
ETHODS
-
HOW TO CONTROL PESTS
........................................34
4.5
M
ONITORING
.............................................................................................37
4.6
R
ESEARCH
.................................................................................................38
4.7
C
OMMUNITY
A
WARENESS
/E
DUCATION
....................................................39
4.8
I
MPLEMENTATION
.....................................................................................41
5. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS .......................................................................43
5.1
P
REVENTING
, E
RADICATING OR
C
ONTAINING PESTS
.................................43
5.2
M
ANAGING
P
ESTS
.....................................................................................44
5.3
S
TATUTORY
O
BLIGATIONS
........................................................................46
5.4
M
ETHODS OF
C
ONTROLLING
P
ESTS
...........................................................49
5.5
C
OMMUNITY
E
DUCATION AND
P
ARTNERSHIPS
.........................................50
5.6
M
ONITORING
/R
ESEARCH
...........................................................................51
5.7
I
MPLEMENTATION
.....................................................................................52
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REFERENCE LIST.........................................................................................54
A
PPENDIX
I: G
LOSSARY
............................................................................................54
A
PPENDIX
II: P
RIORITY
R
ANKING
M
ETHODOLOGY
..................................................56
A
PPENDIX
III: L
EGISLATION
R
ELEVANT TO THE
M
ANAGEMENT OF
P
ESTS
.................57
A
PPENDIX
IV: K
EY
N
ATIVE
E
COSYSTEM
P
ESTS
(
RPMS
)..............................................58
A
PPENDIX
V: R
EFERENCE
L
IST
/R
ELATED READING
..................................................60
APPENDIX VI: PEST MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN………………...63
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PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN
This plan provides a blueprint for the city to control weeds and pest animals.
The vision of the plan can be shared by everyone. The policies and actions in it will be
applied by the Council in the management of its own land, and the Council will also
encourage others to adopt them. This partnership is needed to reduce the threats to our
natural heritage posed by weeds and pest animals, and help restore the nation’s
biodiversity.
The plan creates a framework for weed and pest animal control from which detailed
implementation plans can be prepared to deal with the full range of weeds and pest
animals present at specific sites, or more rarely, for specific weeds or pest animals on
a more widespread scale.
THE VISION
The city is free from the adverse impacts of weeds and pest animals, allowing the
maintenance, protection and restoration of a full range of the natural ecosystems that
support our indigenous biodiversity.
•
The ecosystems that are the most ecologically valuable, or contain the
greatest indigenous biodiversity, are identified and given priority in the
management and control of weeds and pest animals.
•
All weeds and pest animals that have significant adverse effects are
controlled, starting with those that have the greatest potential to cause
damage.
•
The role of iwi as kaitiaki, or guardians, of indigenous biodiversity is
recognised and valued, and local iwi are an integral part of programmes
to control and manage weeds and pest animals.
•
The community appreciates our indigenous biodiversity, and works in
partnership with the Council to control and manage weeds and pest
animals, and restore the city’s natural biodiversity.
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES
i
Controlling weeds and pest animals is essential to protecting
indigenous species and natural ecosystems.
ii
Preventing new weeds or pest animals from establishing is more
effective than eradicating or controlling them.
iii
Early integrated management of potential weeds and pest animals
minimises future costs – economic, environmental and social.
iv
A lack of detailed knowledge or understanding of a weed or pest
animal’s full potential for damage is not a reason to do nothing.
v
All weed and pest animal management activities must be
environmentally and socially sustainable and financially prudent.
RATIONALE
The plan starts from the premise that prevention is better than cure. In the event that
pests cannot be prevented from occurring, eradicating them while they are in small
numbers or limited in distribution is the next best option. If pests cannot be totally
eradicated, eradication in discrete areas may be appropriate, often combined with
containing them in specific areas and preventing them from spreading further. Finally,
where pests are established and widespread, the focus is on eradicating, containing or
restricting them to minimise their adverse impacts on areas with the greatest
biodiversity values.
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
The need to control weeds and pest animals in order to protect and enhance the city’s
natural environment is recognised consistently throughout the Council’s strategic and
planning documents.
The Council’s strategic policy document, Strategic directions 2001, identifies as a
key priority for the city “Enhancing Wellington’s harbour and natural environment”
and recognises the significant role that open space has for the city and its inhabitants
through the strategic outcomes:
Outcome 5.1 Biodiversity
The city hosts and protects a representative range of indigenous and
non-indigenous plants and animals in their natural communities and
habitats.
Outcome 5.2
Ecosystems
The City’s varied marine and land-based ecosystems are valued and,
where appropriate, protected and restored.
Outcome 5.4 Landscape and natural heritage
Features of Wellington’s landscape and natural environment with
special importance are recognised, and where appropriate, protected.
The Council’s open space strategy, Capital spaces – open space strategy for
Wellington, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, also refers to the need for the control of weeds
and pest animals in its guiding principles, of which the following are relevant to this
policy:
•
Enhancing natural succession
Areas of open space around Wellington will eventually revert from pasture to
gorse and scrub and then to secondary growth native forest without human
intervention. The Council believes that in areas where forest restoration is an
objective, human intervention will be required to approach the diversity of the
original forests. The Council will seek to control plant and pest animals and
to reintroduce later successional species such as rimu, miro, matai, rata, tawa,
kohekohe and hinau.
•
Better networks and corridors
The Council will seek to create ecological corridors and recreational networks
that maximise the value of open space, and promote the viability of natural
areas and flexible use and accessibility of recreational areas.
•
Protecting threatened species
The re-introduction of threatened native plant, bird, lizard, invertebrate and
fish species into Wellington requires the provision of adequate habitat and
control of predators. The Council will support the re-introduction of native
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species, and in particular, the creation of the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and
the establishment of a marine reserve on the South Coast.
Wellington wet and wild: bush and streams restoration plan expands on the
broadly expressed goals of restoration of a representative range of ecosystems and
habitats, to a wider vision of the extensive return of past vegetation and habitats across
the city.
The plan identifies key priorities that include:
•
protection of original remnant vegetation, especially sites identified as being
at risk from plant and pest animals, and the impacts of wind and sunlight
•
protection of at-risk secondary regeneration remnants isolated from wider
pasture reversion, or supporting at-risk remnant forest and other vegetation
•
protection of at-risk karaka groves
•
a focus on the Kaiwharawhara catchment including integrated management of
weeds and planting on roads, Council land and private land, and
comprehensive management of key remnant and secondary vegetation sites
•
developing a weed and pest animal management plan which looks at intensive
management of pests affecting key areas of native vegetation
•
whole stream management that recognises streams as complete ecosystems
that have a role in wider processes, the value of lost streams and the
importance of remnant upstream systems, and seeks to maintain and restore
them.
The Council’s Sustainable development strategy recognises “Biodiversity - actively
addressing threats to the maintenance and enhancement of indigenous biodiversity” as
a priority action area to strengthen the alignment between the Creative Wellington-
innovation capital strategy with the Sustainable Development strategy.
Management plans for significant areas identify priorities for weed and pest control.
•
Wellington town belt – the belt of open space surrounding the inner
city. A detailed vegetation implementation plan has been prepared
which identifies weed and pest animal control needs and proposes a
timetable and costings.
•
Outer green belt (cluster plan) – creating a continuous green belt
along the western ridges bounding the city.
•
South Coast – Council land above mean low water springs between
Point Dorset and Karori Stream.
•
Reserve cluster plans - management plans for groups of reserves
such as northern, eastern, incorporating reserves for which individual
management plans exist.
•
Botanic Garden and Otari-Wilton’s Bush - specific plans for
these specialist reserves.
1.2 TERMS - WHAT DO WE MEAN
Pests - For clarity the following distinctions are made in the naming of pests.
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Plants that are pests are referred to as weeds.
Animals that are pests are referred to as pest animals.
Weeds and pest animals together are referred to as pests.
Pests are defined using the Biosecurity Act 1993 definition as “organisms that are
capable of causing at some time a serious adverse and unintended effect on people
and/or the natural environment.”
Potentially, it could include disease-causing organisms. The rarity of such organisms
and the likelihood that a more widespread response to a disease outbreak would be
required mean that control programmes are more likely to be managed by other
agencies, with whom the Council would co-operate.
Open Space is the term used to describe the city’s outdoor spaces such as reserves,
the Wellington Town Belt, coastal reserves, outer green belt and other Council-owned
lands that have ecological, recreational, landscape and natural heritage values. It
includes unformed legal road to the extent consistent with traffic safety priorities.
Closely managed grassed or amenity areas such as parks, play areas and sports fields
and civic gardens are not dealt with in this policy.
Road Reserve. Many roads in Wellington are legally much wider than the actual
formed road. The unformed part of the legal road is often vegetated and this too must
be managed to control pests.
Biodiversity (biological diversity) describes the variety of all biological life – plants,
animals, fungi and micro-organisms – the genes they contain and the ecosystems on
land or in water where they live.
See Appendix I for the glossary.
1.3 STATUS OF THIS PLAN
1.3.1 PEST MANAGEMENT IN WELLINGTON
The Council is responsible for pest control on over 3,300 hectares of open space and
over 1,200 kilometres of legal road throughout the city.
The Council has for many years controlled a range of pests on its land in accordance
with its responsibilities under the National Pest Plant Accord, the Regional Pest
Management Strategy (RPMS) and other statutory responsibilities.
Primary focus in recent years has been the control of those species identified under the
RPMS as the responsibility of landowners, specifically old man’s beard, cathedral
bells, wild ginger and more recently banana passionfruit.
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Old man’s beard, in particular, has required significant resources as it is widespread
across the city and requires particular attention to ensure it is successfully eliminated.
Cathedral bells, wild ginger and banana passionfruit are much more localised in their
occurrence.
Possums have also been controlled in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional
Council, as part of the programme targeting key native ecosystems.
Other pest species, particularly pest animals, have been controlled in response to
increased numbers or specific needs. Goat control operations have occurred in
response to significantly increased numbers in the southwest of the city, and both
rabbits and rodents have been controlled in localised areas around the city.
Limited control of other weed species has been undertaken at some sites, often in
response to community wishes.
Amenity weeds
Amenity weeds are those that occur in such areas as sports fields, play areas, streets or
civic gardens and are not the subject of this policy except where they overlap with
legal requirements for control.
1.3.2 WHY A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN IS NEEDED
New Zealand’s flora and fauna have been evolving in isolation for the last 80 million
years. This isolation includes an absence of all but two species of land mammals, both
bats, and has resulted in a very high number of endemic species – species that are
found only in New Zealand. All 60 species of reptiles, all four frogs and both species
of bats, are endemic; 90% of insects and marine molluscs, 80% of vascular plants and
25% of all bird species are endemic. This level of endemism is of international
significance.
The isolation has also resulted in bird and invertebrate species filling the roles that are
filled by mammals elsewhere in the world, and coupled with diverse landscapes, has
created highly distinctive ecosystems.
This biological diversity - or biodiversity - is New Zealand’s heritage. It is an integral
part of our lives and our culture. If we do not look after it, it will be gone.
The major threats to New Zealand’s biodiversity are:
•
habitat loss
physical destruction of ecosystems through fire,
clearance, destruction, pollution, and degradation
through partial destruction
•
habitat fragmentation
dividing large ecosystems into disconnected smaller
parts, isolating populations and opening them up to
damaging edge effects
•
weeds
smothering or out-competing native species or
disrupting ecosystems
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•
pest animals
browsing on indigenous plants, destroying habitat,
predating wildlife, competing for resources.
Pests are one of the biggest threats to the survival of indigenous ecosystems and their
remaining flora and fauna.
Weeds
The impacts of weeds have until recently been largely underestimated. Weeds are now
considered as big a threat as pest animals. Because weed species are often weeds in
many countries, they contribute to a decrease in global biodiversity, reducing the
variation between regions.
Approximately 11 percent (2068 species) of all plants introduced to New Zealand
have become established in the wild. There are estimated to be another 24,700
introduced plant species present in New Zealand - in gardens, collections and on
farms - many of which could establish in the wild in the future.
About 75percent of all plants that become weeds are escapes from garden cultivation,
the other 25 percent being escapes from agriculture or accidental introductions.
Plants that become weeds usually have one or more of the following features:
•
rapid growth – climbers such as old man’s beard
•
quick maturation – boneseed flowers and produces seed within one year
•
large quantities of seed produced – Darwin’s barberry produces thousands of
seeds
•
long periods of seed viability – some species are viable for more than 15
years
•
effective seed dispersal mechanisms – wind and birds are very effective for
wide dispersal on land
•
wide environmental tolerance – some species will grow almost anywhere.
Weeds threaten our native plants in a range of ways. They can smother them, shade
them out, form dense mats that prevent seedlings establishing, and out-compete them
by taking up the same places in the environment. Other more long term effects include
isolating plant populations from each other thus reducing genetic variability, or inter-
breeding with indigenous species, for example ngaio and boobialla (Tasmanian
ngaio).
Not all weeds are introduced species. Indigenous species can become weeds, some
quite invasive. For example, karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), P. ralphii, and
Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) have been introduced to the Wellington area and
are becoming invasive in some locations such as the South Coast.
Weeds also threaten the survival of indigenous wildlife by altering habitat, reducing
food supplies and breeding sites, and affecting the way indigenous and introduced
animals behave.
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Habitats most at risk from weeds have features in common – plant species are often
low growing, the habitats are often small, narrow, disturbed, and close to towns.
Wetlands, coastal and duneland areas, alpine herb fields and tussock grasslands,
unusual areas such as geothermal fields and salt lakes, and lowland forests are all
seriously under threat.
Human activities such as drainage, burning, grazing, vegetation clearance and roading
provide a ready habitat for weeds to invade, whence they can spread into surrounding
areas.
Pest animals
New Zealand has a large number of introduced animal species. There are some 34
species of mammal, 14 of which are widespread. Some 40 species of bird, 20
freshwater fish, three frogs, one reptile, 31 marine invertebrates and over 2000
terrestrial invertebrates – insects, spiders, slugs, worms and snails - have also been
introduced.
A significant number of mammals have become pests, including rats, possums, goats,
pigs, deer, cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, hares, stoats, ferrets, weasels and hedgehogs.
Browsing or grazing animals consume large quantities of plant material, with
indigenous flora being poorly adapted to browsing by herbivores. Apart from the sheer
volume of vegetation eaten, the browsers have other effects. Some plants are more
palatable and are therefore browsed more heavily, resulting in changes to the structure
of the plant community. Young plants are often more palatable and so are eaten
preferentially, preventing regeneration. Over-grazing can result in the opening up of
the vegetative cover and compaction of soils, leading to slipping and erosion, creating
prime sites for weed invasion. Weeds are often less palatable to browsing animals and
can become dominant.
Possums are the biggest threat to both flora and fauna and are regarded as the number
one pest animal. They consume vast quantities of vegetation, and being choosy eaters,
feed on not only leaves but buds, flowers, and fruits, as well as ferns, bark and fungi.
Selective browsing of individual trees often results in the death of the tree, particularly
favoured species such as northern rata and kamahi. Possums also eat invertebrates,
snails, mice, small birds, chicks and eggs.
Rats also pose a big threat in forested areas, competing with birds for food and eating
eggs, chicks and adult birds, lizards, insects, other invertebrates and seedlings. Mice
also compete with birds for seed, altering the composition of indigenous plant
communities.
Mustelids (stoats, ferrets and weasels) are the most destructive of the predators.
Introduced to control rabbits, they found easy food in the ground- and hole-nesting
bird species including the yellowhead, parakeet and kaka. Stoats are the most difficult
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of the three to control as they are bait-shy, trap-wary, the most fertile and occupy a
diverse range of habitats.
Feral cats have similar impacts to mustelids. They prey on rabbits, other mammals and
introduced birds as well as many indigenous ground-nesting bird species. Domestic
cats have also been shown to have a greater impact on bird and skink populations than
was first thought.
Introduced birds compete with indigenous species for resources, some of them quite
aggressively. Magpies and mynahs have acquired reputations as aggressive, attacking
other birds and preventing them from nesting. Mallard ducks compete and commonly
breed with indigenous grey ducks. Sulphur-crested cockatoos and eastern rosellas may
compete for habitat with indigenous birds such as kaka and kakariki.
Pest fish species threaten our indigenous flora and fauna in waterways, lakes and
wetlands. Koi carp for example, uproot aquatic plants, reduce water quality and prey
on native fish and insects.
Management of pests has historically separated species from their habitats and plants
from animals. A more integrated approach is being developed which recognises the
interconnectedness of plants, animals and their environment and looks more widely at
how pests are managed.
1.3.3 FUTURE REVIEW OF THIS PLAN
This is the first pest management policy for Wellington City. The large area to be
managed, the high number of pest species to be controlled, and the constant risk of
new pest species establishing mean that pest control operations will need to continue
indefinitely. To ensure that it remains a relevant document, it will need to be kept up
to date through regular review, in whole or in parts according to need.
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2. WIDER FRAMEWORK
The city is part of a greater whole and needs to be seen in the context of the agencies
that have responsibilities for the Wellington region and the country as a whole.
The Greater Wellington Regional Council is legally required to manage pests
throughout the Wellington Region including Wellington City. The Wellington City
Council is responsible as a landowner for pests on Council-owned land, and works
very closely with Greater Wellington Regional Council to achieve complementary
programmes and create synergies by working together.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) also has responsibilities which cover the
Wellington City area, particularly in relation to the protection of indigenous plants and
animals. DOC faces similar issues in managing the conservation estate and has
experience and resources that can assist the Council in managing its open spaces.
Border control is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry who
are resourced for such duties.
2.1 THE NEW ZEALAND BIODIVERSITY
STRATEGY
In February 2000, DOC and the Ministry for the Environment published the New
Zealand Biodiversity Strategy in response to the state of decline of New Zealand’s
indigenous biodiversity. This decline was described in The state of New Zealand’s
environment report as the “most pervasive environmental issue”.
The strategy takes up the challenge to reverse the decline of New Zealand’s
indigenous biodiversity and identifies a number of issues relating to biodiversity on
land. These are:
•
protecting ecosystems and habitats
•
habitat fragmentation
•
weeds and pest animals
•
threatened species
•
information, awareness and priority setting.
The New Zealand biodiversity strategy identifies a strategy for New Zealand’s
biodiversity, a vision, goals and principles for managing New Zealand’s biodiversity,
action plans and strategic priorities, and implementation.
The four goals are:
•
enhance and enable community and individual action, responsibility and
benefits
•
uphold Treaty of Waitangi principles of partnership
•
halt the decline in New Zealand’s indigenous biodiversity
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Pest Management Plan 2004
•
conserve genetic resources of introduced species.
The strategy identifies invasive weeds and pest animals as posing the single greatest
threat to biodiversity on land, surpassing even habitat loss.
The New Zealand biodiversity strategy has as a key action to, “Develop and
implement strategies and plans, including national and regional pest management
strategies, to manage those plant and pest animals posing significant threats to
indigenous biodiversity.”
Pests are just one aspect in the development of the Council’s response to the New
Zealand biodiversity strategy. However, given the key role pests have in degrading the
environment, and the significant impact control programmes have in halting decline
and allowing recovery of indigenous species, pests are the subject of their own
detailed policy.
Reflecting the Council’s commitment to implementing the New Zealand biodiversity
strategy through its own policies and plans, the Pest management plan focuses on the
wider biodiversity implications of pest control. This approach results in plants and
animals being dealt with within the same policy, as a reflection of the complex inter-
relationships that exist within the environment as a whole.
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3. FUTURE TRENDS
What changes to the Wellington environment are likely to have an impact on the
management of weeds and animal pests?
Climate
Latest research indicates that climate change is not a question of if our environment
will become warmer, but by how much. We have to consider what the impacts will be,
both positive and negative. Change is anticipated to be gradual, giving time to plan
ahead.
While it is considered that the warming climate is unlikely to cause any rapid mass
extinction, it will allow the impact of those factors that have already caused the
decline in our natural heritage to become more pronounced.
Less rainfall and more drying winds are likely to have the greatest effect on
environments that are already subject to droughts. Forests on warm lowland sites are
more likely to be affected than forests on cooler sites. Fragmented forests and
environments on the country’s east coast are more likely to be affected.
Habitat loss and fragmentation, and the spread of weeds and pest animals will become
more significant. Seed sources will be lost and birds will be unable to survive through
loss of food and increased predation. Weeds will have more opportunities to invade
where indigenous species struggle and cannot compete. More extreme weather events
will contribute to catastrophic vegetation loss in the form of slips and washouts.
Denuded areas are prime sites for invasion by weeds.
Not all the impacts will be negative. Warmer temperatures may induce more frequent
fruiting in some of our indigenous species, with follow-on effects for those species of
wildlife that are dependent on that fruit or seed. But increased fruiting may also
benefit pest animal species too. Rats may have an increased food supply, but stoat and
cat numbers may also increase, putting additional pressure on indigenous wildlife.
Urban expansion
Urban expansion not only has the potential to destroy habitat and fragment what
remains, but it introduces the greatest source of weeds and some pest animals into
areas that have previously been only lightly affected.
Garden escapes and the dumping of garden waste in road reserve and open space areas
are probably the biggest source of weeds. Roads and railways are also prime sources
of infestation.
Domestic cats are brought in to previously low-cat or cat-free areas, with the potential
for new feral populations to establish. The impact of cats, both feral and domestic, is
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Pest Management Plan 2004
not widely understood, but recent studies indicate that domestic cats present a
significantly underestimated threat to wildlife.
Rats and mice are associated with human habitation and the ready availability of food
sources.
Land use
Land use can have a big positive or negative influence on pests. Land uses that disturb
or alter the environment have the potential to open up new areas to invasion by weeds.
Limiting the level and manner of disturbance and requiring such things as prompt
rehabilitation or replanting can minimise weed invasion. Alternatively, programmes
such as revegetation plantings can reduce the incidence of weeds on a long-term basis.
Erosion creates bare areas that are at risk of invasion by weed species. It also results in
the loss of valuable topsoil, causing a changed nutrient environment.
Fire
Fire is an ever-present risk for flora and fauna that have developed largely in its
absence. Recovery from fire is generally slow, the plants not commonly adapted to
rapid recovery as plants in fire prone regions such as Australia.
The clearance of much of the land around the city has allowed weed species such as
gorse to invade. Whilst providing an excellent nurse crop for young native plant
species, gorse presents a high level of fire risk and fires have occurred at Sinclair
Head, south of Makara beach and on the Wellington Town Belt above Government
House. However, Wellington has been relatively free of major fires in recent years,
allowing regeneration to make good progress and less fire-prone species to start to
dominate.
Many new areas added to the open space asset in recent years are in the early stages of
regeneration and will require protection from fire for many years. Prevention of fires
in open space areas is of considerable importance, and is the most effective way to
protect regenerating bush.
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4. ISSUES
This section looks at the issues associated with preventing the establishment of new
pests, managing those that are here, legal responsibilities, ways of controlling pests,
monitoring, research and community partnerships and education.
4.1 PREVENTING NEW PESTS
Biosecurity
Prevention is the most effective form of control.
The introduction of a new species into the country is dealt with by other organisations,
under the provisions of the Biosecurity Act and the Hazardous Substances and New
Organisms Act (HSNO). The legislation provides for rigorous procedures to assess the
impacts of new organisms and whether the organism should be introduced. It also
provides for measures to endeavour to prevent the accidental arrival of new organisms
into the country.
It is the accidental arrival of new organisms, particularly those that have the potential
to become pests in New Zealand, that poses a significant threat to New Zealand’s
biodiversity. Increased international trade and travel provide ready opportunities for
unwanted organisms and potential pests to arrive.
Biosecurity is the responsibility of other government authorities. However, the
presence of international shipping and an international airport create a level of risk for
the city. The city can play its part in preventing the establishment of unwanted
organisms through constant vigilance and reporting of any sightings of unusual or
unidentified organisms.
Prevention
The prevention of new pest species arriving within the city from elsewhere is of prime
importance. Changes in the climate and other environmental factors will influence the
likelihood of new pest species arriving and establishing. The other prime factor in new
pest establishment is the behaviour of people. Actions by individuals, whether
intentional or accidental, can result in new pest species arriving.
Co-operation and awareness are the keys to preventing new species establishing: co-
operation with other agencies with similar priorities such as adjacent territorial
authorities, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Landcare, Department of
Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Health and Ministry
for the Environment, and raising awareness amongst the wider community of the risks
and impacts, and what can be done to prevent new species establishing. This will build
on relationships the Council already has with a wide range of community groups,
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schools, clubs and organisations, as well as looking to raise awareness among the
wider public. Legal action will remain an option.
Eradication or containment
The best time to eradicate or contain a pest species that is already present is in its early
stages of infestation, when populations are small and localised. Control costs at this
point are relatively low. The more widespread and established a pest, the more
difficult and expensive it is to control.
Weed seed distribution patterns affect the level of threat. Weeds spread faster from
numerous, widely spread infestations than from single, large infestations. Seedlings
usually establish close to parent plants, so that removing outlying infestations reduces
spread more rapidly. Control of outlying infestation generally takes priority over large,
established infestations which can be controlled.
Weeds dispersed by wind or animals, particularly birds, are a much higher risk. The
seedlings establish far from parent plants, creating large numbers of small infestations.
Control of scattered individuals or small remote infestations, particularly of wind or
bird-spread species, is therefore a priority over large established infestations.
There are indications that the pattern of Darwin’s barberry spread mirrors closely the
increased regeneration and distribution of bush areas that provide habitat for birds.
Where there is no bush, the land is generally free from Darwin’s barberry despite
being quite close to large infestations.
This pattern of spread and correlation with regeneration will have significant
implications for control programmes.
Aquatic pest organisms have their own particular patterns of spread and will need
special attention.
Species-led programmes are particularly relevant in managing weeds and pest animals
in the early stages of establishment when numbers are low and/or distribution is
limited, when there is potential to minimise future control costs and environmental
impacts, and minimise damage to biodiversity. It is a proactive approach to
minimising future risk.
Species-led management must assess the potential impacts of a species, how fast and
how well it establishes and spreads, and how practical it is to eradicate, contain or
manage. Rapid response to a species is the optimum, but factors such as the size of
the infestation, ease of control, effectiveness of control methods, involvement of
others, and the need for supporting programmes will also have an influence.
Species-led programmes are generally larger than site-led programmes, and have been
interpreted here to include programmes to contain a species and prevent it from
establishing or re-establishing in non-infested non-priority areas.
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Programmes are limited mainly to Council-owned land and therefore cannot deal with
species-led programmes in their truest sense. Any species-led programmes will need
to consider the impact of pests on private or non Council-owned land.
In Wellington, the greatest sources of new weeds in open space are garden escapes
and dumping of garden waste. Nationally some 75 percent of land weeds and 50
percent of freshwater weeds originated in gardens or homes. Some will simply have
climbed over a fence; others will have been spread by birds. People, animals and
equipment can all carry seeds or small fragments from one area to another,
unintentionally helping the weeds to spread.
Regrettably, many weeds establish because old plants, trimmings or cuttings, root
fragments and seed heads have been dumped into open space instead of being
composted on site or taken to the landfill for composting.
Community attitudes to weeds and the willingness to take preventative action early are
a major factor in determining whether weeds become a significant problem. Some of
this action may need to be tightly focused, such as educating garden centres not to
stock plants which have the potential to become weeds, and may involve a range of
agencies.
Other action will need to more broadly focus on the community in the form of
education and awareness campaigns. These, too, may involve a range of agencies
working together.
Animals with the potential to become pests may also be introduced through accidental
escape from captivity or farms, or through the wilful release of animals for hunting
purposes, or for economic reasons.
Consideration also needs to be given to the potential flow-on effects of increasing our
biodiversity levels. Restoring indigenous vegetation and wildlife presents an
opportunity for pest animals to invade areas that they previously did not occupy
because of lack of habitat or food.
4.2 MANAGING PESTS
4.2.1 IDENTIFYING PRIORITIES
Rationale
The vision provides us with our two priorities.
•
All weeds and pest animals that have significant adverse effects are
controlled, starting with those that have the greatest capacity to cause
damage.
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•
The ecosystems that are most ecologically valuable and contain the
greatest biodiversity are identified and given priority in the
management and control of weeds and pest animals.
To protect areas of high biodiversity, four actions are needed:
(i)
identify and prioritise the sites that are threatened by pests
(ii)
identify and prioritise the pests
(iii)
develop implementation programmes
(iv)
implement the programmes.
Wellington City has over 3,300 hectares of open space including primary remnant
lowland forest, advanced secondary regrowth, coastal faces, sand dunes, streams, and
wetlands.
Some of that land contains ecosystems with high biodiversity values. Surrounding
those sites is land which has lower biodiversity values. For example, there still remain
small scattered remnants of the primary forest that once covered the Wellington
region. These are often surrounded by advanced secondary regrowth, where the forest
is recovering. Further out from these may be areas that have been more recently
cleared and so the regeneration is much younger.
There are also sites that contain high numbers of threatened species, in an
environment such as the South Coast that is highly sensitive to damage and under
considerable threat because of human activity.
Organisations such as Greater Wellington and DOC are responsible for the protection
of biodiversity values across the Wellington area as a whole. The Council’s focus is its
open space and road reserve. Taking the protection of biodiversity values as the key
driver, the focus of pest control is on specific sites and on protecting the values of
those sites. The sites may be whole sites such as a reserve, several sites in close
proximity and with similar values, or the sites might be part of a bigger site with areas
of lesser biodiversity value that are lower in priority for management, such as primary
remnant forest in a larger park.
The control programme for a site might include the site itself as well as buffer zones
around the site, sites of other sources of infestation or re-infestation such as seed
sources or colonies, or corridors for invasion. Some of these may be on land that is not
Council-owned.
The pests to be controlled within a site are those that have the potential to adversely
affect the biodiversity values of the site. These are generally widespread and known
pest species, but can also include species that may be localised in distribution but have
the potential to become significant in the future. A precautionary approach is used, as
prevention is better than cure.
Consideration must also be given to the impact of pest control on the environment and
the management required. Control of pests should not create opportunities for further
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and possibly worse pests. For example, when clearing ground cover weeds, provision
needs to be made to prevent reinvasion by replanting sites or ensuring that natural
regeneration will occur faster than invasion of the site by weeds.
As every site is different, each site will require its own specific programme of work.
Criteria for determining priorities
The criteria to be used for determining both site and species priorities are based on
those used by the Department of Conservation (Appendix II).
Other factors reflecting the biodiversity value of sites include:
•
Representativeness
coastal forest, scrub, herbfield
beach and dune systems
lowland wetlands
mature and regenerating lowland forest
lowland riverine systems
coastal and inland cliffs and talus
alluvial forests
•
Rarity
distribution of threatened species
uniqueness and vulnerability of naturally uncommon ecosystems
•
Naturalness
species diversity and abundance
structural diversity
functioning of natural processes
•
Distinctiveness
ecosystem type
ecosystem rarity
•
Size and shape
fragmentation
shape
size
•
Connectivity/linkages
gene pools
travel lanes/corridors
food sources
breeding and resting habitats
•
Sustainability
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predation of wildlife
browsing by introduced mammals
exotic plant invasion
destruction of seed
isolation of breeding populations
effects on natural processes including regeneration
Appendix II sets out the methodology for ranking sites. It scores each site on its
botanical and wildlife values, creates a biodiversity score, identifies the significant
weeds and pest animals that threaten the biodiversity values, and determines the
overall urgency for control of both weeds and pest animals.
Each site can then be prioritised according to:
•
ranking score
•
prevention or early control of new invasions by pest species
•
inter-relationships between pest animals and weeds –
pest animal priorities may result in several priority sites being
controlled in advance of weed control programmes
•
community diversity – protecting a range of community types
•
impact of non-pest threats – a site where only pests are a threat is
of higher priority than a site where biodiversity values are being
affected by other threats
and ensuring that each site programme is completed to ensure protection, before
moving to a new site.
Other influences on priorities
While biodiversity is the key driver, there are other factors that need to be considered
in determining final priorities and allocation of resources.
Community involvement in open space areas is an integral and valuable part of the
managing of the land. However, the establishment of community groups does not
always reflect the priority of the area in terms of ecological values and biodiversity.
The Council is committed to supporting such groups and their projects. It works with
groups to integrate them within the overall management of open space areas, and
ensures that the projects are sustainable. This may result in resources being applied to
open space in recognition of the community interest ahead of biodiversity values.
Biodiversity includes species that may not be indigenous to Wellington or to New
Zealand. There may be cultural or historic associations that make it desirable for
species and their habitats to be protected. The decision to allocate resources may differ
in priority from those set out below. For example, the karaka groves around the
Miramar Peninsula and South Coast have associations for local iwi, but karaka is not
naturally occurring in the Wellington region, and may be regarded as a weed in some
situations such as Otari-Wilton’s Bush.
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Non-native species can also provide valuable sources of food and roosting sites -
eucalyptus species provide valuable nectar for tuis around the city.
Implementation
Each site will require its own specific programme to control the pests identified
through the ranking process. Each site will be different and each programme will
reflect those differences.
Programmes will need to reflect the control techniques required for each identified
pest. Weed species may be able to be controlled at the same time. However, selected
species or specimens may need the attention of specialist operators - large trees will
need the attentions of arborists.
Other factors such as weather, financial and labour resources will affect how and
when programmes are carried out.
Buffer zones
Buffer zones are used to extend the level of protection given to priority sites, and
prevent or slow re-infestation. Such zones can be immediately adjacent to a priority
site that is part of a larger site such as a park, they can be the open space or road
reserve between several sites being managed together, or they can be road reserve
which is managed to control weed species that are significant to the priority site.
Additional weed and animal species may be included for control where they may not
yet be present in the priority site, but have the potential to become significant pests.
The size of the buffer zones is dependent on such factors as pest species present, their
means of spread, prevailing weather and wind direction, and routes of invasion.
The use of buffer zones for pest animal species has not been explored fully to date, as
the impacts of private land ownership and the mobility of pest animals makes it a
more difficult tool to use effectively. For many pest animal species, the co-operation
of the community is required. The management of domestic cats close to high-priority
areas is a prime target for buffer zone use through education, de-sexing and curfews.
Private land
Because weeds and pest animals are unaware of land titles and ownership, they occur
across private and public land.
Where the Council is intensively managing pests on land with significant biodiversity
values, it is essential to consider how the reinvasion of these sites from adjoining non-
Council land can best be managed.
Education of private land owners is useful but often of limited success and is generally
a long-term project. Intensive pest management often requires a short-term or rapid
response which has a higher chance of success.
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There are circumstances where control of pests on neighbouring land would help
prevent re-infestation of Council land and reduce the need for additional pest control.
Many of the pests it is important to control are not those that are covered by statutory
landowner responsibility and so cannot be required to be controlled. Education and
advocacy are necessary here.
In such circumstances it could be beneficial both from technical efficiency and
financial perspectives for the Council to undertake control of specific pests on private
land.
Landowner/occupier consent would have to be obtained to access the land. Indications
are that landowners are likely to react positively to the Council controlling pests on
their land at no direct cost to the landowner. Landowners/occupiers would be told why
the pest control was necessary and what benefits there would be.
4.3 LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES – WHAT ARE
THEY?
The following sections address only the legal requirements to control the pests
identified. Additional control may be required to protect specific sites, and this will be
identified in the individual site pest management plans.
National
There are a number of legislative provisions that affect pest control by the Council.
The main provisions are outlined below.
Biosecurity Act 1993
provides for “… the exclusion, eradication and effective
management of pests and unwanted organisms.”
Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983, section 65
provides for the identification of noxious fish species.
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act)
provides for the management, or prevention, of the harmful
effects of hazardous substances “in order to protect the
environment and the health and safety of people and
communities.”
Of primary importance are:
•
the safe-guarding of the life-supporting capacity of
air, water, soil and ecosystems
•
the maintenance and enhancement of the capacity of
people and communities to provide for their own
economic, social and cultural well-being and for the
reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations.
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Resource Management Act 1991
has as its purpose the sustainable management of natural
resources in a manner that “ enables people and communities
to provide for their social, economic and cultural wellbeing
and for their health and safety while
•
sustaining the potential of natural and physical
resources …
•
safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air,
water, soil and ecosystems; and
•
avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse
effects of activities on the environment.”
The Act is given effect through the preparation and
application of Regional Policy Statements, Regional Plans
and District Plans.
Reserves Act 1977
provides for the management and administration of reserves
and in particular, “Ensuring as far as possible, the survival of
all indigenous species of flora and fauna, both rare and
commonplace, in their natural communities and habitats, and
the preservation of representative samples of all classes of
natural ecosystems and landscape which in the aggregate
originally gave New Zealand its own recognisable
character…”
Wild Animal Control Act 1963 provides for the control of harmful species of
introduced wild animals.
Other relevant legislation is listed in Appendix III.
4.3.1 GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL PEST
MANAGEMENT STRATEGY (RPMS)
Under the Biosecurity Act, regional councils may prepare a Regional Pest
Management Strategy to address the control of pests in their region. The strategy is
reviewed every five years.
Under the operative Greater Wellington RPMS, Wellington City Council is
responsible for the following on council land:
total control (eradication) of
•
wild ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum, H. flavescens)
•
cathedral bells (Cobaea scandens)
•
banana passionfruit (Passiflora mollissima, P. mixta)
control of
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•
old man’s beard (Clematis vitalba) within 10 metres of the
boundary where there has been a complaint by an adjoining
land owner, whose land is clear or being cleared of old
man’s beard
•
gorse (Ulex europaeus) within 10 metres of the boundary
where there has been a complaint by an adjoining land
owner, whose land is clear or being cleared of gorse
•
ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) within 50 metres of the
boundary where there has been a complaint by an adjoining
land owner, whose land is clear or being cleared of ragwort
•
variegated thistle (Silybum marianum) within 20 metres of
their boundary where there has been a complaint by an
adjoining land owner, whose land is clear or being cleared of
variegated thistle.
and provides for the control of
•
possums ( Trichosurus vulpecula) as part of the Key Native
Ecosystem Management programme
•
rooks (Corvus frugilegus) as a containment pest
•
feral rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus cuniculus) as a
suppression pest
•
magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) as a site-led pest.
The Greater Wellington Key Native Ecosystem (KNE) programme is designed to
protect and enhance native flora and fauna at selected sites throughout the region.
Areas are selected to represent a range of indigenous biodiversity in the region and are
prioritised primarily on ecological criteria. Management focus is on the site rather than
individual species.
The objective of the programme is to achieve a measurable improvement in the
ecological health and diversity of Key Native Ecosystems using a range of suitable
indicators. This will be achieved through a range of means including
-
reviewing the way priorities are set based on ecological processes
-
managing KNEs on a holistic basis
-
adding new areas
-
implementing integrated pest management plans for all KNEs
-
ensuring legal protection
-
undertaking pest control directly
-
re-establishing locally extinct native species
-
monitoring site recovery
-
involving community groups
-
seeking funding from territorial local authorities where KNEs are on
their land
-
using and supporting biological control agents
-
managing external pressures
-
promoting organisms that assist in pest control
-
providing education and advice to the public.
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The RPMS provides rules to enable the programme to be carried out, including
prohibiting interference with materials or equipment, prohibiting the dumping of plant
waste material, prohibiting stock from being allowed into an area, and prohibiting the
lighting of fires.
Beyond the species individually identified within the RPMS are additional species for
inclusion in the KNE programme (see Appendix IV).
Old man’s beard
The previous RPMS had a specific programme for the Wellington City area which
required the total control of old man’s beard.
The Council has invested a lot of time and resources in controlling old man’s beard in
the past. While Greater Wellington Regional Council have moved from total control to
10 metre boundary control on complaint, for Wellington City Council to adopt a
programme of boundary control only jeopardises the gains that have been made so far.
Old man’s beard is able to revert to its previous levels of infestation quickly if control
does not continue. Significant gains have been made in both open space and on road
reserve in controlling old man’s beard. Therefore, it seems prudent to continue control
operations on open space and road reserve to capitalise on those gains.
Old man’s beard is unlikely ever to be eradicated within the Wellington area as seed is
thought to be viable for more than 15 years. By continuing to control old man’s beard
through destroying plants prior to seeding, the infestation will be reduced to levels that
allow it to be managed as part of general weed control programmes.
Gorse
Gorse has been actively managed city-wide. Management has focused on boundary
control following complaint by adjoining owners, either because of fire risk or
because of weed spread.
Within the last two years a pro-active approach to the management of gorse has been
adopted. A boundary is cleared of gorse for two successive seasons. Adjoining owners
are supplied with low-fire-risk plants from the Council nursery to plant and maintain
in the cleared area to prevent regrowth of gorse. While this approach has been adopted
only in the last two years, it is proving popular with residents and is an effective
method of preventing regrowth and reducing fire risk.
It is anticipated that the programme will pay for itself. Because gorse will continue to
reinvade from surrounding areas, boundary control of gorse may be never-ending
unless alternative vegetation is introduced. Rather than using grass along boundaries,
which would require maintenance and still present a fire risk in late summer, it is
considered better to invest in revegetating the site with native vegetation. This limits
ongoing maintenance costs and provides for a better environment for the neighbour
and the community generally.
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There is the added advantage for many residents that revegetation will prevent access
along boundaries by intruders. Some residents have found that once their boundaries
have been cleared of gorse, they have been burgled for the first time, as the cleared
area provides burglars with a discreet exit route.
Gorse is now widely recognised as valuable for its ability to act as a nurse crop,
enhancing the survival of native species, and restricting the ability of weed species to
establish. Therefore, gorse will not generally be regarded as a weed, and will be
eradicated only as part of a specific programme.
Possums
Possums are probably the worst pest animal present in New Zealand. They destroy or
damage native forest, eat the flowers and seeds that provide food for native birds, as
well as preying on native animals, particularly eggs and young birds. Possums also
damage crops, commercial forestry and gardens, and spread bovine tuberculosis to
deer and cattle.
Wellington City Council works in partnership with the Greater Wellington Regional
Council possum programme. The programme identifies areas throughout the city that
will be targeted each year, based on Greater Wellington’s Key Native Ecosystem
Management programme. The Council contributes half the cost of the work
undertaken on Council land in the programme.
The possum programme involves monitoring an area before control operations to
assess animal numbers. An intensive eradication programme using poison appropriate
to the location is undertaken over a year. Possum numbers are monitored following
completion of the programme to establish its success. Bait stations are maintained for
a further period of three years to maintain the population at low numbers, although
this period may be increased
The RPMS notes that Greater Wellington intends to expand and intensify control
programmes in the future. Such an expansion would provide the Council with an
opportunity to identify any additional areas that should be targeted for possum control.
Miramar peninsula has been a particular target since 2003/2004, with the intention that
the entire peninsula will become possum-free. The possibility exists for large parts of
the city to become possum-free.
Rooks
Rooks are primarily located in the Wairarapa and are not currently known within
Wellington city. The RPMS requires landowners to notify Greater Wellington of any
rookeries on their land.
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Rabbits
Rabbits were introduced to New Zealand in the 1840s to establish a meat and fur
industry, but later became a serious agricultural pest. They affect agricultural
production, and threaten biodiversity values by eating native plants, contributing to
unpalatable weed species becoming established and to erosion through grazing and
burrowing. They also help to maintain populations of pests such as ferrets and feral
cats.
Rabbits prefer drier grassland areas and are found in greatest numbers on the drier
coastal areas of Miramar. They also favour dune systems where they threaten rare
plant species such as pingao (Desmoschoenus spiralis) and shrubby tororaro
(Muehlenbeckia astonii).
Numbers are thought to have decreased since the introduction of RHD (Rabbit
Haemorrhagic Disease), although the full impact of the disease on rabbit populations
over a long period is still not fully known, particularly in urban areas.
Greater Wellington will undertake control of rabbits on riverbanks, esplanades and
similar public commons. Wellington City Council as landowner is responsible for
maintaining rabbit numbers at or below level 5 of the Modified McLean Scale as
specified in the RPMS. Level 5 of the Modified McLean scale is, “Sign very frequent
with faecal heaps less than 5m apart in pockets. Rabbits spreading.”
Rabbit control is sometimes undertaken to protect revegetation plantings or city
amenities such as sports fields.
Magpies
The operative RPMS provides for Greater Wellington to undertake control of magpies
following a complaint. Greater Wellington will provide advice, education and
assistance to landowners wanting to undertake magpie control.
Greater Wellington has been participating in research to assess the impacts of magpies
on native bird species. Indications from recent research are that magpies affect the
visibility of birds such as tui and kereru, but the native species are otherwise
unaffected.
Key native ecosystem management
The KNE programme is paralleled closely by this pest management policy but being
regionally focused is less specific than the Wellington City programme.
Under the RPMS, Greater Wellington will undertake control of pests identified in the
management plan for each KNE and a financial partnership will be sought where the
KNE is on Council land.
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Areas that are identified as regionally significant KNEs will also be significant within
the local Wellington City area. It is therefore important that the management
responsibilities of Greater Wellington and Wellington City Council are co-ordinated
to avoid duplication or conflicting activities.
Management plans for KNE areas should be prepared in consultation with Greater
Wellington, and close liaison maintained in operations.
Climbing Asparagus/Snakefeather
Climbing Asparagus/Snakefeather (Asparagus scandens) was included in the Council
weed control programme in the expectation that it, too, would require total control in
the new RPMS. However, it was not included in the plan finally adopted.
The inclusion of Climbing Asparagus/Snakefeather in the Total Control species
programme will need to be reviewed to determine if its distribution is sufficiently
localised to justify its being controlled, or whether it should be dealt with as part of the
priority site programme.
4.3.2
PUBLIC HEALTH
Rats and mice
Rat and mouse control are the responsibility of the landowner. Rodent control
operations may be required for public health reasons rather than in accordance with
the priorities set for the protection of biodiversity values. Council Environmental
Health Officers may require the control of rats where they are a nuisance, and the
taking of all necessary steps to get rid of them.
Rats and mice often move closer to houses in cooler weather or into areas in response
to readily available sources of food. Open space areas often provide prime residential
territory for rats and mice. However, often they become a problem to people only
when they are attracted by such things as alternative accommodation, and good
sources of food. Accommodation can include old newspapers, boxes, rags, and other
materials in basements, piles of bricks, timber, rubble, garden waste, or non-rodent
proof compost bins. Rats usually stay within 40 metres of their nests.
The dumping of garden waste or household rubbish into open space and road reserve
areas encourages rodents. Similarly, the feeding of birds in gardens and in open space
such as beaches or parks also encourages rodents. Much of the city’s coast provides
good habitat for rodents, in particular rats, and well-meaning acts of feeding birds with
leftover food often provide a bonanza for rats. Rats take far more of the food left for
birds than most people realise.
4.3.3
WILD ANIMAL CONTROL
Deer and goats, not suitably identified and farmed behind fences, and pigs not being
herded or domestic or not behind fences, are deemed to be wild animals under the
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Wild Animal Control Act 1977. It is unlawful to release any wild animal without the
Minister of Conservation’s approval, and it is unlawful to hunt wild animals without
the express approval of the land owner. A fine of up to $50,000 may be imposed for
releasing wild animals.
Goat farming is a controlled activity under section 15.2.2 of the District Plan, as a
means of ensuring goats do not escape and to provide for a method of owner
identification.
Goats
Goats are extremely adaptable animals with broad dietary preferences. Their ability to
stand on their hind legs and reach up into trees gives them the potential to destroy the
understorey of native forests. Their grazing habits often lead to erosion and can
seriously limit the biodiversity of forests through destruction of habitat, prevention of
regeneration and altering the species balance to favour unpalatable species.
Goats are most prevalent in the south-western and northern areas of the city where
animals tend to move in and out of open space land from adjoining rural land, as
boundary fencing is often not goat-proof, is in poor repair or non-existent. Small
populations of goats have been observed elsewhere around the city, their mobility
making them difficult to pinpoint.
While goat numbers can be controlled through the use of hunters assisted by specially
trained dogs, it is expensive and often not as effective because of the animals’ ability
to move off Council owned land onto private land and then return. For control
programmes to be most effective, the co-operation of adjoining landowners is needed.
Landowners need to be reminded of their obligations under the Act and the District
Plan to suitably identify their animals and to have goat-proof fencing, if they wish to
retain them. This would allow those landowners in an area who wish to eradicate
goats from their land to do so.
For the Council, goats in open space areas present a considerable threat to the
biodiversity values, either directly through grazing and destruction, or through their
proximity to and ability to access areas important for biodiversity values.
Deer
Deer prefer broad-leaved hardwood tree species, typically sub-canopy species and
some ferns. The continued presence of deer will result in the replacement of preferred
species with a smaller number of less palatable species. Dieback can occur, and where
possums are also present die-back can be more immediate and severe as possums kill
trees and deer prevent their regeneration.
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Deer are a known carrier of bovine tuberculosis and present an animal health risk to
adjoining farms.
Fallow deer have been sighted on open space land to the south west of the city.
Indications are that they have been unlawfully introduced, possibly by recreational
hunters keen to establish a game hunting resource close to the city.
There have been anecdotal reports of other species of deer in the same south-western
area of the city.
In assessing control programme priorities, consideration will be given to the principle
that early eradication of small populations is desirable, as this is the most effective
time in terms of resources and likelihood of success to undertake control operations.
Pigs
Feral pigs are pests primarily because of the damage they cause to forest habitats in
searching for food. Their omnivorous dietary preferences make them consumers of
plant matter, seeds, fruits and insects, small animals, eggs, dead animals and much
else that may be edible. Their habit of rooting for tubers or rhizomes destroys
surrounding vegetation and opens up sites for weeds to invade.
Pig sign has been reported recently in open space to the south-west of the city. It is not
clear whether these are survivors of previous populations, have entered the area from
adjacent farm land, or have been introduced by recreational hunters
4.4 CONTROL METHODS - HOW TO CONTROL
PESTS
•
A variety of control methods are available including biological, physical and
chemical, or control through changed management practices.
Biological control
Biological control is the use of parasites, predators and pathogens to permanently
lower the incidence of a target species. Predominantly, biological control is used
against weeds and involves the use of insects or fungi. Complete eradication is not the
intention or the control agent will die out, rather the target species is reduced to a
permanently low level.
Weed species that have had a biological agent introduced and established include:
alligator weed
broom
Californian thistle
gorse
hawkweeds
heather
Mexican devil
mist flower
nodding thistle
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old man’s beard
piripiri (agent not established)
ragwort
Scotch thistle
St John’s wort.
Others being investigated include:
boneseed
banana passionfruit
Chilean needle grass
nassella tussock
climbing asparagus
wild ginger
woolly nightshade
moth plant
pampas grass
privet
variegated thistle
wilding pines
lagarosiphon
buddleia
blue morning glory.
barberry
blackberry
Several major pest animals in New Zealand are the result of failed attempts to use
predators to control other pest animals, such as the introduction of stoats, ferrets and
weasels to control rabbits, and the introduction of carp to control water weeds. More
recently, the RHD virus was introduced unlawfully and widely used as a biocide
against rabbits. Observations to date suggest that the disease is more effective if left to
move naturally in the population and supported by other control methods. Used as a
biocide it appears to be variable in its effectiveness and liable to create a resistant
population.
There are risks associated with biological control. Determining and introducing a bio-
control agent is a very costly and time-consuming exercise, with no guarantee of
success. Reducing one species may have little ecological benefit if another species
fills the vacated ecological niche, particularly if the new species is a worse pest.
Despite testing before release, there is still the risk that the bio-control agent will have
adverse effects on indigenous species.
The benefits of successful biological control can be high. The need for conventional,
often chemical, control can be substantially reduced, sometimes to nil. Successes are
permanent and highly cost effective, as well as being highly specific.
Biological control is often best as part of integrated pest-management programmes.
The city is already the recipient of bio-control agents introduced nationally, such as
ragwort flea beetle and cinnabar moth. There have been various releases of biological
agents for the control of old man’s beard in Wellington City.
Physical barriers
For goats, pigs, deer and livestock such as sheep and cattle, stock-proof fencing is one
of the most effective means of excluding these animals. It can, however, be expensive
to erect and maintain. In particular, deer- and goat-proof fencing is expensive,
particularly where fences are long.
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The Fencing Act requires both owners to contribute a half share to a boundary fence
of the type specified in the Act.
Where exclusion of stock is required, the principle of fencing stock into their owner’s
property will generally be applied, rather than fencing to exclude stock. Owners of
livestock are responsible for ensuring their stock does not stray. The Council
recognises its obligations as landowner to ensure that stock cannot stray from Council-
owned land that is being grazed.
Trapping
Trapping is an effective method of control for some animal pest species. Any trap
systems used will meet the recognised standards for humaneness and meet animal
welfare standards.
Drainage
Aquatic pests occur in both standing and flowing water, from streams and rivers, to
lakes and wetlands. Control methods are often specific and require specialist attention.
Options can include drainage of an area to either kill or allow efficient removal of a
pest.
Herbicide and pesticide control
While other methods of control are preferred (e.g. physical), herbicides and pesticides
may be the most effective, least environmentally damaging and/or most humane
method of controlling a given pest.
Reduction in the use of sprays is achieved by the use of topical applications such as
gel or paste.
Council has a range of policies, guidelines and procedures for chemical use. These
include:
•
No-Spray Register – a list of properties where the occupier does not want
sprays used on adjacent road reserve and weed control is undertaken by the
occupiers themselves
•
Certification of Council staff and contractors - those working with
agrichemicals must be appropriately certified
•
Approved list of agrichemicals – Council-approved list of agrichemicals that
can be used around the city.
4.5 MONITORING
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The cost of monitoring means that the choice of what is monitored and how needs to
be carefully considered.
Monitoring outcomes
Monitoring has tended to focus on measuring aspects of operational performance,
such as numbers of possums killed. What such figures do not tell us is how well the
wider strategic outcomes of the city such as “enhancing the range of native habitats
for plants and animals”, are being achieved. For example, a possum eradication
programme may remove all possums, but if it allows rats to increase substantially the
overall improvement in the environment may be far less than expected.
With the shift to outcome-based strategies, new ways have had to be developed to
measure effectiveness.
The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has been developing criteria for its
Environmental Performance Indicator (EPI) programme, which measures the health of
our environment.
The Council has developed indicators to measure the strategic outcomes set within the
Natural Environment Key Achievement Area of the city’s Strategic Plan:
5.1 Biodiversity
the city environment hosts and protects a representative
range of indigenous and non-indigenous plants and animals
in their natural communities and habitats
5.2 Ecosystems
the city’s varied marine and land-based ecosystems are
valued and where appropriate, protected and restored.
Baseline monitoring has been started for the following indicators:
•
the distribution and relative abundance of native forest bird species
•
the structure and composition of forest and coastal plant communities
•
the extent of vegetation cover classes in natural areas managed by Wellington
City Council
•
the condition of forest vegetation sensitive to possum browse.
An additional indicator is to be established to monitor the relative abundance and
distribution of weeds in open space areas.
The continued monitoring programme for these indicators includes:
•
The distribution and relative abundance of native forest bird species
Counts carried out twice a year in spring and autumn at the same time of year
and day and in the same weather conditions as previously experienced
•
The structure and composition of forest and coastal plant communities
Re-measurement of seedling and sapling layers within plots every three to
five years with a complete survey every 10 years. Additional plots to be
established in some vegetation classes under-represented
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•
The extent of vegetation cover classes in natural areas managed by
Wellington City Council
Already being monitored by Greater Wellington Regional Council in some
reserves. Future monitoring on an annual basis is being co-ordinated with
Greater Wellington
•
The condition of forest vegetation sensitive to possum browse
Mapping of vegetation will be repeated every 10 years
•
The relative abundance and distribution of weeds in reserves (proposed)
Yet to be determined.
Monitoring performance
Part of monitoring is checking on performance.
Regular audits need to be done to check that stated performance targets of control
programmes and operational policies are met, to ensure sound financial management
and use of resources.
Site or pest-specific monitoring
Many other agencies and organisations, particularly those with national or regional
responsibilities, do long-term monitoring of major weeds and pest animals. For
example, Greater Wellington Regional Council monitors possum numbers as part of
the possum-control programme, and also monitors other pest animals such as rats and
mustelids in the Wellington City area.
While there may be occasions where there is a clear need and benefit associated with
site or pest - specific monitoring, this needs to be considered in terms of the guiding
principles. In particular, the need for early prevention, eradication, containment or
control of pests, or lack of knowledge are not sufficient reasons to fail to act.
4.6 RESEARCH
There are still vast gaps in understanding the biological processes associated with
weeds and pest animals, their ecology, control methods, interrelationships and
impacts. Agencies such as Greater Wellington Regional Council, DOC and Landcare
have responsibilities for research in fields that are relevant to the management of pests
on the Council’s open space.
There are three strands of research into pest management:
•
literature search
•
practical trials and experience
•
innovative research.
Literature
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With pest control research being given increasing priority by institutions and large
landowners, there is a constant flow of new information becoming available. Some of
the information is directly relevant to Wellington City and some of indirect relevance,
looking at principles and theory. Sources include both New Zealand and overseas
material. Keeping up to date on research will assist in ensuring pest-control planning
and implementation are in accordance with the latest information available.
Practical trials and experience
Because of the size and nature of the land resource under its control, the Council has a
valuable resource which can be made available for study by others or can be used by
its own staff for research and investigation.
As hands-on manager of open space, the Council has the potential to do research into
pests that are particularly significant locally, particularly weed control. For example,
the Council could undertake research into Darwin’s barberry control and management,
because of the large area of Council land infested with it.
Because the mix of environment and pests is specific to Wellington, there is constant
learning by the Council’s staff and contractors, leading to continual improvement of
management strategies and control techniques. Encouragement of an open learning
style leads to sharing of useful information in the field.
The Council’s field staff and contractors are the people who are in the field. With
appropriate support and training they are the frontline in the early identification of
new pest species and the subtle changes that come about early in changes in pest
levels.
Innovative research
Innovative and specific research tends to be expensive and generally beyond the
Council’s resources. The Council can most effectively work with research
organisations to identify areas of study that have direct and practical application to
open space pest management.
4.7 COMMUNITY AWARENESS/EDUCATION
People are the key ingredient in change. Individually and collectively, their decisions
and actions are critical in conserving and enhancing our biodiversity.
The whole community must become involved in the control of pests. Management of
pests on Council open space land cannot be undertaken in isolation. Pests do not
respect boundaries and often invade from outside open space areas. An example of
this is the very high proportion of weeds in open space that are garden escapes.
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While there are parts of the community that are well informed about the risks pests
pose to our biodiversity, there are still large sections of the community who are either
unaware or who simply don’t care.
Any programme of pest control on open space must be supported by a longer-term
strategy of community education and raising of awareness.
Community awareness programmes need to be designed to ensure that they reach their
target audiences. Joint programmes with other agencies and organisations can offer
economies of scale and avoid the duplication of resources.
Community partnerships
Iwi
The Council recognises the importance of the mana whenua relationship and has
formal memoranda of understanding with Wellington Tenths Trust and Ngati Toa
Rangatira.
Under the memoranda of understanding each party recognises the authority of the
other to exercise their responsibilities – kawanatanga (governance) by the Wellington
City Council and rangatiratanga (customary authority) and kaitiakitanga
(guardianship) by tangata whenua.
Actions taken under this plan will reflect these principles and are intended to provide
opportunities for discussion and to develop partnerships. At the time of writing the
memoranda of understanding are under review.
“Wai 262” claim.
This claim to the Waitangi Tribunal, lodged in 1991, includes ownership and use of
indigenous flora and fauna, their genetic resources, related knowledge and intellectual
property rights, and their management and conservation. Although the Waitangi
Tribunal granted the claim urgency, the hearing of the claim and its determination has
yet to be completed.
Community groups
Council works in partnership with a wide variety of community groups which have
interests in open space around the city. These range from local residents, “Friends”
groups and the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary Trust, to long term environmental
programmes in schools.
Community groups are encouraged to take an active interest in local open space areas.
Groups do however need to have a high level of ongoing commitment from members
to ensure that the groups will be able to complete projects that they initiate, even
though individuals may come and go.
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While there are limitations in respect of the work such groups can do as a result of
health and safety issues, the members are of great assistance. Familiarity with and
frequency in visiting sites mean that up-to-date information can be passed back to the
Council’s operational staff. This becomes increasingly important in the control of
pests where early identification of infestations greatly assists control.
As many of the members of such groups are local residents, their awareness of pest
control issues is communicated to the owners of surrounding properties, and assists in
the prevention of gardens plants escaping and with other pest control on private land.
In addition to the more formal groups, there are an increasing number of organisations
whose members are willing to participate in open space-related projects around the
city on an occasional basis. This includes community service days for businesses,
community work skills programmes, schools and social organisations. Such groups
are often involved in the revegetation planting programme.
Other agencies
Partnerships with other land-management agencies such as Greater Wellington
Regional Council, other territorial local authorities, and DOC allow information
sharing and the opportunity to work jointly in areas of common interest.
There is also a need to develop greater relationships with agencies such as Transit
New Zealand and Tranz Rail whose land holdings throughout the city are substantial.
Their land holdings provide a substantial reservoir and corridor for pests.
Such agencies should be encouraged to adopt similar programmes for pest control to
those in place for the surrounding environment, as part of their commitment to good
corporate citizenship and environmental reporting.
4.8 IMPLEMENTATION
Implementation plan
The adoption of this pest management plan is the first of the two stages needed to
make the new focus for the control of pests a reality. The second stage is the
implementation plan which develops operational practices to prevent the arrival of
new pests, eradicate or prevent newly arrived or existing pests from spreading, and
which identifies and prioritises the ecologically important sites throughout the city.
The implementation plan is appended to this document (see Appendix VI).
The implementation plan clarifies the costs associated with control programmes and
sites, and identifies areas where funding adjustments, including increases, may be
required. Options for differing levels of service will be proposed and their funding
impacts examined. The balance between control levels, available financial resources
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and public expectations will also be examined. The implementation plan allows the
community to know when specific sites are likely to be addressed, so that their
expectations can be managed effectively.
Each priority site identified in the implementation plan will have an individual pest
management plan which will include the species or ecosystems present that make the
site valuable, identify the pests that need to be controlled and develop a programme to
undertake the control.
In determining the control operations to be undertaken, the need to further manage the
site will be taken into consideration. Clearance of large areas of weeds will require
that the cleared land be managed to prevent re-infestation.
Species such as Darwin’s barberry that need to be prevented from spreading further
are identified and will have specific operational programmes developed.
Buffer zones are identified reflecting the needs of the site and the pests to be managed.
For example, an urban buffer zone may extend to the top of the nearest ridge-top or
catchment. In rural or urban fringe open space, buffer zones may extend much further
to cater for a wide ranging mobile pest such as goats.
Private land may be included within the buffer zone where it would be beneficial to
the priority site for the Council to undertake pest control, or for landowners to work
with the Council to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Impacts of implementation
The change in the focus of pest control from specific species to priority sites may have
some flow-on effects that will require time and education for the community to accept.
By directing existing resources into priority areas, non-priority areas will receive less
attention. This could result in a perception of increased weeds in low priority sites that
are currently actively managed. Some of the likely priority areas are less visible to the
public, and the removal of pest species may not be immediately obvious.
Consequently, it will be important to educate the public about why some sites appear
to have less attention, and to highlight the work being done in priority sites.
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5. O
BJECTIVES AND
A
CTIONS
5.1 PREVENTING, ERADICATING OR
CONTAINING PESTS
O
BJECTIVES
1.
Prevent, eradicate or contain new pest species as early as possible.
2.
Eradicate or control pests even though the full details of their impacts may
not be known.
3.
Eradicate pests, potential pests or isolated populations of pests while
populations are small and localised, following the principles used to establish
work priorities.
A
CTIONS
Biosecurity
•
Maintain a high level of vigilance and reporting by council officers of any
unidentified or unusual organisms.
•
Provide assistance to biosecurity officers as required, in the event of any
biosecurity breach.
Explanation
Council officers’ work puts them in less frequented areas of open space where new
organisms might establish undetected. As the city has a port and an international
airport, the possibility of new organisms arriving undetected exists.
Preventing Infestations by Pests New to the City
•
Develop programmes to raise the awareness of community groups,
landowning agencies and the wider population of the threats posed by new
organisms, and what actions can be taken to reduce these threats, as part of
wider education programmes.
•
Work with other agencies to develop joint programmes to raise community
awareness of the threat posed by new organisms.
Explanation
Preventing pests established elsewhere in the country from arriving in the city is the
most effective form of management. Human activities are a significant cause of
infestations in new areas. Education of the public to raise awareness of the risks and to
promote sound practices will help reduce the likelihood of new organisms arriving.
Because of the distances new pests can travel, particularly along roads and rail
corridors, the co-operation of the controlling agencies will be sought. Joint
programmes with other agencies with similar responsibilities and interests will also be
pursued.
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Early Identification, Eradication and Containment
•
Identify emerging pest problems through regular forums of Council staff,
other agencies, weed and pest animal control contractors and members of the
community to pass on observations.
•
Discuss personal observations of species that may be becoming a problem,
set timetables for control action and identify the need for any research or
monitoring.
•
Eradicate if possible or otherwise contain new pests.
•
Eradicate if possible or otherwise contain new pest species while the
infestation is small and/or isolated.
•
Eradicate if possible or otherwise contain established pest species to prevent
spread into new areas.
Explanation
Early identification of new pests requires the assistance of a range of people
throughout the community, particularly as the city has a large area of open space to
manage, much of it expansive and some remote. Gathering a range of people together
allows a wider picture to be established, and assists in clarifying the true significance
of new pests.
There is often little information available about new pests, particularly on their impact
on a new environment. Rather than waiting to find out the extent of the impacts, these
pests should be controlled pro-actively.
Taking action when a population is small gives a greater likelihood of successfully
eradicating the pest and is most effective financially. Using natural or man made
barriers such as roads can allow larger populations of pests to be eradicated over a
greater area. Eradicating outlying populations is also an efficient method of preventing
the spread of pests.
Preventing established pests from spreading into new areas can also be an effective
form of control, for example, preventing Darwin’s barberry from spreading into new
areas of the city.
5.2 MANAGING PESTS
O
BJECTIVES
1.
Develop a methodology to determine which areas and which pests are
priorities for control programmes
2.
Give highest priority to the prevention, control and management of pests that
pose greatest threats to areas of greatest biodiversity values.
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A
CTIONS
Identifying Priority Sites
•
Prepare a methodology that allows sites to be ranked on the basis of the
values they contain, the level of threat present from weeds and pest animals
and the need for urgency in the control of weeds and/or pest animals.
•
Assess sites and list them in order of priority.
•
Prepare pest management programmes for each site and implement as
resources allow each site to be dealt with.
•
Review the site priority list each year.
Explanation
Sites with high biodiversity values are those with the most to lose through the adverse
impacts of weeds and pest animals. A system of assessing sites has been devised in
Appendix II. Once priority sites have been identified using this methodology,
individual pest management plans can be prepared to address the specific needs of
each site and implementation can be started.
The list of sites will need to be reviewed each year to reflect progress with pest control
and to allow for any changed circumstances that may arise.
Buffer Zones
•
Create buffer zones around priority sites to protect the control work that has
been done.
Explanation
A buffer zone is an area clear of the pests that may spread back into the priority area
and re-infest it. The size of the buffer is dependent on the characteristics of the pests
and factors such as topography, climate, dispersal by birds, and prevailing wind.
Private Land
•
Undertake pest control on private land where this is of significant benefit to
priority sites on Council open space.
•
Establish a set of procedures to ensure that pest control on private land is
warranted.
Explanation
Occasionally, it may be beneficial to remove pests on private land adjacent to or in the
buffer zone around a priority site, such as a seed source. Because the benefit is
primarily to the priority site, this work would be done at no cost to the private
landowner. Landowner consent to the work would be required.
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5.3 STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS
The following sections deal only with the legal requirements to control the pests
identified. Additional control may be required to protect specific sites, and this will be
identified in the individual site pest management plans.
O
BJECTIVES
1.
Meet all statutory requirements relating to weed and pest animal management
on Council owned or controlled land using Council staff or contractors as
needed.
A
CTION
Cathedral bells, banana passionfruit, wild ginger
•
Eradicate all known plants on open space and road reserve.
•
Maintain a programme of checking known sites to eradicate any new plants.
Explanation
Control operations will search for these weeds so that plants are destroyed before
flowering, and will revisit sites to remove any seedlings that may establish later.
Ragwort and variegated thistle
•
Control these species on request.
Explanation
These species are primarily agricultural weeds, and will be dealt with as required.
Old man’s beard
•
Control old man’s beard on all the Council’s open space and road reserve
land so that no plants are allowed to seed.
•
Report to Greater Wellington Regional Council all occurrences of old man’s
beard within 10 metres beyond the boundary of any open space or road
reserve.
•
Review, annually progress in controlling old man’s beard to determine if the
level of control is sustainable.
Explanation
Old man’s beard has been the subject of considerable control work in the past.
Although old man’s beard is now on boundary control under the RPMS, the Council
will continue controlling old man’s beard on all its land to reduce its occurrence to a
level that does not pose a significant threat to the environment.
Gorse
•
Control gorse along boundaries on request.
•
Provide plants for adjoining owners to plant and maintain, where boundary
control of gorse has been done.
Explanation
Replanting boundaries cleared of gorse will reduce the need for future clearance and
reduce fire risk.
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Possums
• Continue working in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council
to control possums on Council land.
• Identify additional areas that would benefit from possum control, either in
conjunction with Greater Wellington Regional Council or as part of a
Wellington City Council programme.
• Create possum free zones within the city.
Explanation
Possums are probably the most serious pest animal present in New Zealand and are
controlled by Greater Wellington Regional Council as part of the Key Native
Ecosystem programme. The success of the current programme means that expansion
of the programme can be considered, with the intention of establishing widespread
possum-free zones in the city.
Rooks
•
Notify Greater Wellington of any rookeries be discovered on Council land.
Explanation
Periodically solitary rookeries of less than 10 rooks have been located and destroyed
in the Ohariu district..
Rabbits
•
Control of rabbits to maintain populations below that specified in the RPMS.
Explanation
Rabbit populations are generally localised and can be controlled by early intervention.
Magpies
•
Report all occurrences of aggressive magpies to Greater Wellington for
control.
Explanation
Research indicates that magpies are not a direct threat to birds. A close watch will be
kept on research results to assess whether changes are needed to the management of
magpies.
Key Native Ecosystems
•
Liaise with Greater Wellington in the preparation of management plans and
pest management plans for KNEs, exploring the possibility of joint plans
where appropriate.
•
Use the list of species identified for Key Native Ecosystem Management as a
guide to species that may need control in areas identified as priorities for pest
control.
Explanation
Parallels between the KNE programme and the directions of this plan provide
opportunities to work closely with Greater Wellington Regional Council. The species
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listed for inclusion in the KNE programme are those most likely to be significant in
areas identified through this plan as priorities for pest control.
Climbing Asparagus/Snakefeather
•
Review the effectiveness of the Climbing Asparagus/Snakefeather control to
date and determine if specific control continues to be appropriate.
Explanation
Climbing Asparagus/Snakefeather may be more widespread than first thought, making
it no longer appropriate to control it as part of an early eradication programme.
Public Health
•
Undertake rodent control operations in accordance with any request from
Council Environmental Health officers.
•
Deal with other factors which may be contributing to rodent numbers.
Explanation
Rodent control will be done on request. Because rodents are often a symptom of a
wider problem, the root cause of high rodent numbers or rodent visibility such as
household rubbish dumping or garden waste, will be determined and either dealt with
directly or passed to the appropriate agency for action.
Goats
•
Investigate, promote and if necessary initiate group landowner goat
eradication and control programmes for areas of significant biodiversity
values, in particular the south-western area of the city.
•
Remind adjacent landowners of their obligations regarding goats under the
Wild Animal Control Act 1977 and under section 15.2.2 of the District Plan
and take enforcement action if appropriate.
•
Take legal action against any person/s found to have deliberately released
goats onto open space land.
Explanation
Goats are a serious threat in some parts of the city. Controlling them is made more
difficult by their ability to move from property to property. Those landowners who
wish to keep goats and farm them, need to be reminded of their obligations to identify
the animals and prevent the animals from escaping from their property. This is
preferable to individual landowners who wish to keep their land goat-free having to
fence their properties to keep out goats.
Those landowners and agencies that wish to eradicate goats from their properties can
then combine forces to gain maximum effectiveness from control operations.
Deer
•
Investigate, promote and if necessary initiate group landowner deer
eradication and control programmes for areas of significant biodiversity
values, in particular the south-western area of the city.
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•
Remind adjacent landowners of their obligations regarding deer under the
Wild Animal Control Act 1977, and pursue enforcement action if appropriate.
•
Pursue legal action against any person/s found to have deliberately released
deer onto open space land.
Explanation
Those landowners and agencies that wish to eradicate deer from their properties can
combine forces to gain maximum effectiveness from eradication and control
operations.
The deliberate release of deer into open space presents a threat to biodiversity values
found there. The damage that deer can cause and the costs associated with eradicating
them mean that preventing their release is a priority.
Pigs
•
Investigate, promote and if necessary initiate group landowner pig
eradication and control programmes for areas of significant biodiversity
values, in particular the south-western area of the city.
•
Remind adjacent landowners of their obligations regarding pigs under the
Wild Animal Control Act 1977and pursue enforcement action if appropriate.
•
Pursue legal action against any person/s found to have deliberately released
pigs onto open space land.
Explanation
Those landowners and agencies that wish to eradicate pigs from their properties can
combine forces to gain maximum effectiveness from eradication and control
operations.
The deliberate release of pigs into open space presents a threat to biodiversity values
found there. The damage that pigs can cause and the costs associated with eradicating
them mean that preventing their release is a priority.
5.4 METHODS OF CONTROLLING PESTS
O
BJECTIVES
1.
Manage all pest control in a manner which avoids or minimises adverse
effects on the environment, health, safety, public safety and cultural values.
A
CTIONS
•
Minimise the use of chemicals used to control pests consistent with Council
policies and the need for effective and humane treatment of pests.
•
Regularly review the No Spray Register to ensure that it is up to date.
•
Ensure all personnel undertaking pest control programmes receive
appropriate training and are suitably qualified.
•
Co-operate with and assist agencies responsible for the introduction of
biological controls for pests.
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•
Require adjoining landowners to keep all boundary fence stock-proof, where
stock may be located on adjacent land.
Explanation
The range of options available for the control of pests continues to change and expand.
New techniques are being developed as research and development solves pest
problems. It is important for the most appropriate solution to be chosen, having regard
to the policies of the Council for the protection of the environment, health and safety,
and cultural values.
Biological control offers considerable benefits, but is expensive to develop. As a
likely beneficiary, the Council will assist where possible the agencies involved
Livestock should be prevented from accessing open space unless specifically required
as a management tool. Stock-proof fences are the most effective and efficient means
of doing this. The Council as adjoining owner may be required to contribute a half
share of fencing costs.
5.5 COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND
PARTNERSHIPS
O
BJECTIVES
1.
Develop community awareness and education programmes.
2.
Develop community partnership programmes to assist in the management of
weeds and pest animals.
3.
Recognise the cultural values associated with open space throughout the city
and the need to manage weeds and pest animals to protect and enhance these
values.
Education and Awareness
A
CTIONS
•
Develop community awareness programmes to:
o explain the change in focus of pest control for the city
o highlight the threats to biodiversity that pests present
o show how people’s actions contribute to the pest problems
o encourage community support for pest control programmes
o promote practical actions that the community can take to help
prevent or control pests
o show where the city’s priorities for biodiversity protection include
working with other agencies, organisations and groups and utilising
the resources that they have available.
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51
Explanation
The change in focus will result in changes to some of the areas that are currently being
managed to control pests. The community needs to know why the programme has
changed and what the changes will look like.
The support of the community is a key ingredient in the success of pest control
programmes. It is important that the whole community understand the need for pest
control programmes and where possible, assist in the process.
Community Partnerships
Iwi
A
CTIONS
•
Liaise with iwi in the preparation of individual pest management plans.
Explanation
Liaison with iwi in the preparation of individual site pest management plans will
provide for a working partnership in the management of pests, and ensure that sites
that have significance to local iwi are managed appropriately.
Community Groups
A
CTIONS
•
Work with community groups to protect the biodiversity values within the
city.
•
Consult community groups with known interests in a site or pest, in the
preparation of individual pest management plans.
Explanation
Recognition of the need to protect biodiversity values and a desire to assist the
regeneration process and beautify local open space have resulted in an increasing
number of community groups becoming involved in protection and restoration of open
space. Pest control is an essential part of that process and the Council provides
assistance to groups, while encouraging them to take responsibility for the range of
actions needed to undertake such projects.
5.6 MONITORING / RESEARCH
O
BJECTIVES
1.
Establish and maintain monitoring programmes to measure changes in
biodiversity of priority areas.
2.
Establish monitoring programmes to determine the effectiveness of weed and
pest animal management programmes being used.
A
CTIONS
•
Maintain the biodiversity monitoring programme using the four indicators
identified.
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Pest Management Plan 2004
•
Develop a programme to monitor the abundance and distribution of weeds in
open space as a matter of priority.
•
Regularly audit all pest control operations to ensure that the work is
performed to the required standard and in accordance with all relevant
policies and requirements.
•
Undertake literature searches on a regular basis to ensure that the latest
information is available to managers and programme operators.
•
Identify specific research that can usefully be done and will have a practical
application to the management of pests on Council open space.
•
Assist other agencies with research and share research results.
Explanation
Monitoring is focused on measuring how well biodiversity and ecosystem strategic
outcomes are achieved, of which pest control is an integral part. Audits provide a
measure of how well the operators are performing to ensure standards are maintained
and financial performance criteria met.
Much research of relevance to pest control on open space is being done by other
agencies. The results need to be readily available so that staff and those managing
pests are aware of the latest findings and can apply them to best effect.
Specific pests of particular interest to the Council, such as Darwin’s barberry, can be
targeted by other agencies on the Council’s behalf or by the Council itself.
5.7 IMPLEMENTATION
O
BJECTIVES
1.
Following the adoption of the Pest Management Plan, initiate work on the
implementation plan (see Appendix VI) to:
prevent new pests arriving
eradicate or contain pests or limited populations
prevent the spread of pests into new areas
identify and prioritise ecologically important sites.
2.
Submit the completed implementation plan to committee for approval.
A
CTIONS
Implementation Plan
•
Consult with community groups and those with known interest and/or
expertise in specific sites and/or pests
•
Identify operational programmes to
o prevent new pests establishing
o identify pests that should be prevented from spreading
o prioritise sites.
•
Prepare individual pest management plans for each priority site that
address all significant weeds and pest animals present
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Pest Management Plan 2004
53
identify how eradication, containment or control will be
carried out
identify any revegetation or other work required following
weed or pest animal control operations.
•
Identify options and service levels and the additional resources required to
implement each option.
•
Identify public expectations for service levels.
•
Submit the completed implementation plan to the committee for approval.
Explanation
The Draft Pest Management Plan was the first stage in developing pest management
for the city. The second stage was preparing the implementation plan for approval,
detailing how the Draft Pest Management Plan will be put into effect. These have been
collated into the final Pest Management Plan.
The implementation plan considers options for the level of control to be achieved and
the speed with which weed and pest animals can be controlled. Increased service
levels will increase demands for financial resources or create a corresponding decrease
in service levels. Public expectations about the level of weed and pest control that will
be achieved need to be determined and managed.
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Pest Management Plan 2004
APPENDICES
APPENDIX I
GLOSSARY
Biodiversity: the variety of all biological life – plants, animals, fungi, and micro-
organisms – the genes they contain and the ecosystems on land or in water where they
live.
Biosecurity: the protection of people and natural resources, including biodiversity,
from unwanted organisms capable of causing harm.
Environmental Performance Indicators (EPI) Programme: a Ministry for the
Environment-led programme to develop and use indicators to measure and report on
environmental condition.
Ecosystem: an interacting system of living and non-living parts such as sunlight, air,
water, minerals and nutrients.
Feral species: a domesticated species that has become wild.
Habitat: the place or type of area in which an organism naturally occurs.
Indigenous species: a plant or animal species which occurs naturally in New Zealand.
Introduced species: a plant or animal that has been brought to New Zealand by
humans, either accidentally or by design.
Invasive species: a weed or pest animal that can adversely affect indigenous species
and ecosystems by altering genetic variation within species, or affecting the survival
of species, or the quality or sustainability of natural communities. In New Zealand,
invasive weeds and pest animals are almost always species that have been introduced
to the country.
Invertebrate: an animal without a backbone or spinal column.
Iwi: Maori tribal grouping.
Monitoring: the act of measuring change in the state, number or presence of
characteristics of something.
Open space: the city’s outdoor spaces, such as reserves, the Wellington Town Belt,
coastal reserves, outer green belt and other Council-owned lands that have ecological,
recreational, landscape and natural heritage values.
Pests: organisms that are capable of causing, at some time, a serious adverse and
unintended effect on people and/or the environment.
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55
Restoration: the active intervention and management of degraded biotic
communities, landforms and landscapes in order to restore biological character,
ecological and physical processes and their cultural and visual qualities.
Species: a group of organisms capable of inter-breeding freely with each other but
not with another species.
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Pest Management Plan 2004
APPENDIX II PRIORITY RANKING
METHODOLOGY
The Department of Conservation’s Strategic Plan for Managing Invasive Weeds
(S.J.Owen 1998) will be adapted to fit the needs of Wellington City.
The plan provides detailed methodologies for prioritising site-led and wed-led
programmes. An assessment of the wildlife values of a site is included in the site-led
programme.
The plan also includes criteria for evaluating the feasibility of eradication and
containment, criteria to determine the feasibility of a weed-led programme, a method
of ranking weed–led and site-led programmes.
Site-led programmes include:
•
the programmes’ total ranking score, based on botanical or wildlife
values and the urgency of control.
•
the need to prevent or stop invasions at an early stage
•
ensuring programmes are complementary
•
the need to integrate control, and consider other threats
•
ensuring management of the programme adequately protects the
values of the sites before starting new programmes
Species led programmes include:
•
evaluating the feasibility of a species-led programme (according to
defined criteria which may be adapted for Wellington City)
•
assessing a species’ weediness or pestiferousness
•
assessing the practicalities of control.
Consideration will also be given to existing work that has already identified priority
sites and priority species. For example, the Wet and Wild: Bush and Streams
Restoration Plan identifies city-wide priorities for bush and stream protection. Much
of this work is based on the survey by Park G. 1999; An Inventory of the Surviving
Traces of the Primary Forest of Wellington City. Also to be considered are studies
relating to the coastal, and other distinctive environments.
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57
APPENDIX III LEGISLATION RELEVANT TO THE
MANAGEMENT OF WEEDS AND
PEST ANIMALS
Biosecurity Act 1993
Conservation Act 1987
Reserves Act 1977
Local Government Act 2003
Resource Management Act 1991
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
Pesticides Act 1979
Health Act 1956
Animal Welfare Act 1999
Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989
Fisheries Acts 1983, 1996
Wild Animal Control Act 1977
Wildlife Act 1953
Native Plants Protection Act 1934
Rating Powers Act 1988
Privacy Act 1993
Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997
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Pest Management Plan 2004
APPENDIX IV KEY NATIVE ECOSYSTEM PESTS –
REGIONAL PEST MANAGEMENT
STRATEGY
Argentine ant
(Linepithema humile)
Brown bullhead catfish
(Ameiurensis nebulosis)
European hedgehog
(Erinaceus europaeus occidentalis)
Feral cat
(Felis catus)
Feral goat
(Capra hircus)
Feral pig
(Sus scrofa)
Ferret
(Mustela furo)
Goldfish
(Carassius auratus)
Hare
(Lepus europaeus occidentalis)
House mouse
(Mus musculus)
Koi carp
(Cyprinus carpio)
Mosquito fish
(Gambusia affinis)
Norway rat
(Rattus norvegicus)
Possum
(Trichosurus vulpecula)
Rudd
(Scardinius erythropthalmus)
Ship rat
(Rattus rattus)
Stoat
(Mustela erminea)
Sulphur crested cockatoo
(Cacatua galerita)
Tench
(Tinca tinca)
Wasp
(Vulpecula germanica; Vulpecula vulgaris)
Weasel
(Mustela nivalis)
African club moss
(Selaginella kraussiana)
Artillery plant
(Galeobdolon luteum)
Barberry
(Berberis glaucocarpa)
Blackberry
(Rubus fruiticosus)
Blue morning glory
(Ipomoea indica)
Boxthorn
(Lycium ferocissimum)
Broom
(Cytisus scoparius)
Brush wattle
(Paraserianthes lophantha)
Buddleia
(Buddleja davidii)
Cape honey flower
(Melianthus major)
Cape ivy
(Senecio angulatus)
Chilean flame creeper
(Tropaceolum speciosum)
Chinese and tree privet
(Ligustrum sinense; L. lucidum)
Climbing dock
(Rumex sagittatus)
Great bindweed
(Calystegia silvatica)
Cotoneaster
(Cotoneaster franchetii, C. horizontalis)
Darwin’s barberry
(Berberis darwinii)
Egeria
(Egeria densa)
Elaeagnus
(Elaeagnus x reflexa)
German ivy
(Senecio mikanioides)
Gunnera
(Gunnera tinctoria)
Hawthorn
(Crataegus monogyna)
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59
Himalayan honeysuckle
(Leycesteria formosa)
Japanese honeysuckle
(Lonicera japonica)
Lagarosiphon
(Lagarosiphon major)
Marram grass
(Ammophila arenaria)
Mexican daisy
(Erigeron karvinskianus)
Mile-a-minute
(Dipogon lignosus)
Pampas grass
(Cortaderia jubata, C. selloana)
Parrot’s feather
(Myriophyllum aquaticum)
Periwinkle
(Vinca major)
Plectranthus
(Plectranthus ciliatus)
Purple ragwort
(Senecio glastifolius)
Spanish heath
(Erica lusitanica)
Stinking iris
(Iris foetidissima)
Sycamore
(Acer pseudoplatanus)
Velvet groundsel
(Senecio petasitis)
Wandering jew
(Tradescantia fluminensis)
Wild onion
(Allium triquetrum)
Wilding conifers
(Larix decidua; var)
Wilding pines
(Pinus spp.)
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Pest Management Plan 2004
APPENDIX V REFERENCE LIST/RELATED
READING
Auckland City Council, 1998: Weed Management Policy. Auckland City Council,
Auckland.
Barker, G. M.; Watts, C. Management of the Invasive Alien Snail Cantareus asperses
on Conservation Land. DOC Internal Series 21. Department of Conservation,
Wellington.
Boffa Miskell, 2002: Wellington Ecodomain Delineation. Wellington City Council,
Wellington.
Boffa Miskell, 2003: Restoration Strategy (Draft In Preparation) for Wellington City
Council. Wellington City Council, Wellington.
Booth, K.L.; Driver, B.L.;Espiner, S.R.; Kappelle, R.J. 2002: Managing Public
Conservation Lands by the Beneficial Outcomes Approach with Emphasis on
Social Outcomes. DOC Science Internal Series 52. Department of
Conservation, Wellington.
Cash, B.; Gaze, P. 1999: Restoration of Moutuara Island – Queen Charlotte Sound.
Department of Conservation, Wellington.
Department of Conservation and the Ministry for the Environment, February 2000:
The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy. “Our Chance to Turn the Tide.”
Department of Conservation 2002: New Zealand Threat Classification System lists.
Threatened Species Occasional Publication 23. Department of Conservation,
Wellington.
Department of Conservation: What Can We Do About Ferrets? Public Discussion
Document Department of Conservation , Wellington.
Fraser, K. W. 2000: Status and Conservation Role of Recreational Hunting on
Conservation Land. Science for Conservation Department of Conservation
Wellington.
Froude, V. A. 2002: Biological Control Options for Invasive Weeds of New Zealand
Protected Areas. Science for Conservation 199. Department of Conservation,
Wellington.
Greater Wellington, 2002: Greater Wellington Regional Peat Management Strategy
2002 – 2022. Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington.
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Pest Management Plan 2004
61
Greater Wellington Regional Council 2003: Rodent Monitoring in the Key Native
Ecosystems.
Harrison-Grierson, October 1998: Scientific Study of Vehicle Impacts on Wellington
South Coast. A report for Wellington City Council.
McAlpine K.; Sawyer, J. 2003: Pest Plant Atlas: Wellington Conservancy excluding
the Chatham Islands. Vol.2. Wellington Conservancy, Department of
Conservation, Wellington.
McGuinness, C. A. 2001: The Conservation Requirements of New Zealand’s
Nationally Threatened Invertebrates. Threatened Species Occasional
Publication 20. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
Milne, R.; Sawyer, J.2002: Coastal Foredune Vegetation in Wellington Conservancy.
Department of Conservation, Wellington.
Ministry for the Environment. 1998: Environmental Performance Indicators.
Summary of Proposed Indicators for Terrestrial and Freshwater Biodiversity.
Ministry for the Environment, Wellington.
Ministry for the Environment. 2002: Climate Change Impacts on New Zealand.
Ministry for the Environment, Wellington.
Mitcalfe, B. J.; Horne, J. C. 1992: Some indigenous plant communities of the
Wellington south-west peninsula .A report presented to the Department of
Conservation.
Mitcalfe, B. J.; Horne, J. C, 1999: A report on the Natural, Historical and Recreational
Values of the Former Farm of Brian Kilmister. A report for Wellington City
Council.
Mitcalfe, B. J.; Horne, J. C B. 2003: A botanical survey of the indigenous forest
remnants in Wellington Botanic Garden, Glenmore Street, Wellington. A
report for Friends of Wellington Botanic Gardens.
Mitcalfe, B. J.; Horne, J. C. 2003: Botanical survey of Tapu Te Ranga Island, Island
Bay, Wellington. A report for Wellington City Council.
New Zealand Conservation Authority, 1997: Maori Customary Use of Native Birds,
Plants and Other Traditional Materials. Interim Report and Discussion Paper.
New Zealand Conservation Authority, Wellington.
Owen, S. J. 1998: Department of Conservation Strategic Plan for Managing Invasive
Weeds. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
Park, G. 1999: An Inventory of the Surviving Traces of the Primary Forest of
Wellington City. Wellington City Council, Wellington.
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Pest Management Plan 2004
Wellington City Council, 1995: Land-use Management Guidelines to Heal the
Wellington South Coast.
Wellington City Council, 1996: Otari Native Botanic Garden Management Plan 1996.
Wellington City Council, 1997: Our City Our Future – Strategy for the Future of
Wellington.
Wellington City Council, 1998: Capital Spaces – Open Spaces Strategy for
Wellington Te Whanganui-a-tara.
Wellington City Council, 2001: Strategic Directions 2001.
Wellington City Council, September 2002: South Coast Management Plan – to protect
and enhance the coastal character of Wellington’s South Coast.
Wellington City Council, 2002: Wet and Wild – Bush and Streams Restoration Plan.
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63
APPENDIX VI PEST MANAGEMENT
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN FOR THE
MANAGEMENT OF WEEDS AND PEST ANIMALS
June 2005
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Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
CONTENTS
1. TEN YEAR WORK PRORAMME.....................................................................3
1.1 PEST ANIMALS
G
OATS
, D
EER
, P
IGS
.....................................................................................3
R
ABBITS
/H
ARES
..........................................................................................7
R
ODENTS
.....................................................................................................8
M
USTELIDS
..................................................................................................8
F
ERAL
C
ATS
................................................................................................9
P
OSSUMS
...................................................................................................11
1.2 WEEDS
SUPPRESSION PESTS
...................................................................................13
OLD MAN
'
S BEARD
............................................................................14
SNAKEFEATHER
/
CLIMBING ASPARAGUS
.........................................16
EMERGING WEEDS
............................................................................17
GORSE
..............................................................................................18
RAGWORT
/
VARIEGATED THISTLE
..................................................19
DARWIN
'
S BARBERRY
.................................................................................20
KNE (P
RIORITY
) S
ITES
.............................................................................22
REVEGETATIOM
.........................................................................................26
AMENITY WEED CONTROL
..........................................................................27
1.3 EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS ...................................30
1.4 MONITORING.............................................................................................31
2. RANKING FOR PEST CONTROL IN KNE (PRIORITY) SITES ...............33
2.1
RANKING METHODOLOGY
..........................................................................33
2.2
RANKINGS FOR WEED AND PEST ANIMAL CONTROL
-
FEBRUARY
2005......39
Page 65
1. TEN YEAR WORK PROGRAMME
1.1
PEST ANIMALS
GOATS, DEER, PIGS
Goals
Long term
Wellington Peninsula south of the Motorway pest goat, deer, pig- free; north of motorway, WCC land pest goat/deer / pig free.
Medium term
Land owners adjacent to WCC land participate in goat /deer / pig control operations to create effective buffer zone, or have goat proof fencing and all goats tagged.
Short term
Pest goats eradicated on WCC land / controlled to levels equivalent to current Possum RTC levels.
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Te Kopahau
/Carey's Gully /
Owhiro Quarry
/ South Coast
Clearance of
animals from
entire Te
Kopahau
block. Clear
Te Kopahau,
Carey's Gully,
and Wellington
Natural
Heritage
Trust's Long
Gully bush
block.
Helicopter
shooting, with
ground based
follow up may
be an option.
Ground based
follow up of
previous
season's
control
programme.
All animals
eradicated.
Note
indications of
animals re-
invading from
adjacent land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals
that were
missed or re-
invaded from
adjoining land.
Programme to
continue until
effective buffer
zone is
established
and
maintained.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Programme to
continue until
effective buffer
zone is
established and
maintained.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals
that were
missed or re-
invaded from
adjoining land.
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
65
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66
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
Makara Peak /
Wright's Hill /
Long Gully
Bush
Helicopter
shooting of
goats and
deer, followed
up by ground
based
shooting to
include pigs.
Follow-up
control and
eradication of
any animals
that were
missed or re-
invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Programme to
continue until
effective buffer
zone is
established and
maintained.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Programme to
continue until
effective buffer
zone is
established and
maintained.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals that
were missed or
re-invaded from
adjoining land.
Annual
inspection and
eradication of
any animals
that were
missed or re-
invaded from
adjoining land.
Kilmister /
Chartwell /
Outer Green
Belt
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats,
deer or pigs on
an annual
basis until an
effective buffer
zone excludes
re-invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis
until an
effective buffer
zone excludes
re-invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats,
deer or pigs on
an annual
basis until an
effective buffer
zone excludes
re-invasion.
Horokiwi /
Grenada Nth/
Seton Nossiter
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats,
deer or pigs on
an annual
basis until an
effective buffer
zone excludes
re-invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis
until an
effective buffer
zone excludes
re-invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats, deer
or pigs on an
annual basis until
an effective
buffer zone
excludes re-
invasion.
Inspection and
eradication of
any goats,
deer or pigs on
an annual
basis until an
effective buffer
zone excludes
re-invasion.
Ngauranga
Include in
ongoing
control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Include in
ongoing
control
operations for
Horokiwi etc.
Page 67
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
67
Buffer Zones
Control of
goats, deer
and pigs on
land adjoining
land cleared
previously.
Buffers to be
of sufficient
dimensions as
to reduce the
likelihood of
re-invasion to
low levels.
Commence
discussions
with adjoining
owners as
buffers will
most likely be
on private land
and will
generally
require similar
levels of
control input
from the
landowner.
May also
include
education or
enforcement of
Wild Animals
Control Act.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
and multi-agency
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
and multi-agency
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
and multi-agency
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
and multi-agency
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
and multi-agency
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
and multi-agency
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of
wide scale
landowner and
multi-agency
programmes.
Page 68
68
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
Monitoring
Survey areas
to be
controlled to
estimate
animal
numbers.
Establish
monitor points
to track
subsequent
vegetation,
bird and fauna
changes.
Continue
monitoring of
completed
sites,
including
buffer zones.
Monitor
annual
inspection
results to
determine
effectiveness
of control
operations.
Survey areas to
be controlled to
estimate animal
numbers.
Establish
monitor points to
track
subsequent
vegetation, bird
and fauna
changes.
Continue
monitoring of
completed sites,
including buffer
zones.
Monitor annual
inspection
results to
determine
effectiveness of
control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey
points,
including
buffer zones.
Monitor
annual
inspection
results to
determine
effectiveness
of control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey points,
including buffer
zones.
Monitor annual
inspection results
to determine
effectiveness of
control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey points,
including buffer
zones.
Monitor annual
inspection results
to determine
effectiveness of
control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey points,
including buffer
zones.
Monitor annual
inspection results
to determine
effectiveness of
control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey points,
including buffer
zones.
Monitor annual
inspection results
to determine
effectiveness of
control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey points,
including buffer
zones.
Monitor annual
inspection results
to determine
effectiveness of
control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey points,
including buffer
zones.
Monitor annual
inspection results
to determine
effectiveness of
control
operations.
Continue
monitoring of
established
survey points,
including
buffer zones.
Monitor annual
inspection
results to
determine
effectiveness
of control
operations.
Page 69
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
69
RABBITS / HARES
Goals
Long term
Control rabbits/hares in buffer zones around priority sites
Medium Term
Control rabbits/hares in priority sites
Short Term
Control rabbits/hares to meet RPMS requirements
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Miramar
Eastern
Walkway.
Follow up
control
programme at
Ian Galloway.
Follow-up
control at Ian
Galloway
and Eastern
W/w
Control of
rabbits/hares
at
revegetation
sites
Follow-up control
at Ian Galloway
and Eastern
W/w.
Control of
rabbits/hares at
revegetation
sites.
Follow-up
previously
controlled sites.
Control areas of
reveg. Other
sites as
identified.
Follow-up
previously
controlled sites.
Control areas of
reveg. Other
sites as
identified.
Follow-up
previously
controlled sites.
Control areas of
reveg. Other
sites as
identified.
Follow-up
previously
controlled sites.
Control areas of
reveg. Other
sites as
identified.
Follow-up
previously
controlled sites.
Control areas of
reveg. Other
sites as
identified.
Follow-up
previously
controlled sites.
Control areas of
reveg. Other
sites as
identified.
Follow-up
previously
controlled
sites. Control
areas of reveg.
Other sites as
identified.
Page 70
70
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
RODENTS
Goals
Long Term
Control rodents in buffer zones established around priority sites
Medium Term
Eradicate rodents in priority sites
Short Term
Control rodents for public health
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Public Health
Rat control as
required.
Rat control
as required.
Rat control as
required.
Rat control as
required.
Rat control as
required.
Rat control as
required.
Rat control as
required.
Rat control as
required.
Rat control as
required.
Rat control as
required.
Site specific
rodent control
for biodiversity
protection
Sites as
identified by
monitoring
(see
mustelids).
Sites as
identified by
monitoring
(see
mustelids).
Sites as identified
by monitoring
(see mustelids).
Sites as identified
by monitoring
(see mustelids).
Sites as identified
by monitoring
(see mustelids).
Sites as identified
by monitoring
(see mustelids).
Sites as identified
by monitoring
(see mustelids).
Sites as identified
by monitoring
(see mustelids).
Sites as identified
by monitoring
(see mustelids).
Sites as
identified by
monitoring
(see
mustelids).
MUSTELIDS
Goal
Long Term
Establish buffer zones around priority areas where mustelids are controlled
Medium Term
Control mustelids in areas identified as requiring control
Short Term
Establish a mustelid free buffer zone around the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Karori Wildlife
Sanctuary
environs
Continued
control.
Priority Sites
Control of
mustelids in
areas
identified by
monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas identified
by monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas identified
by monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas identified
by monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas identified
by monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas identified
by monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas identified
by monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas identified
by monitoring.
Control of
mustelids in
areas
identified by
monitoring.
Page 71
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
71
FERAL CATS
Goals
Long Term
Eradicate feral cats and limit recruitment to feral populations. Develop controlled cat or cat free buffer zones around specific priority areas
Medium Term
Eradicate localised feral cat populations
Short Term
Establish the locations and extent of feral cat populations
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Priority sites /
WCC land
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies on
WCC land.
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies on
WCC land.
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies on
WCC land.
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies on
WCC land.
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies on
WCC land.
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies on
WCC land.
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies on
WCC land.
Control on
priority sites /
feral colonies
on WCC land.
Monitoring
Monitoring of
feral cat
numbers at
priority sites.
Monitoring of
feral cat
numbers at
priority sites.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness of
methods, and
subsequent
fauna changes.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness of
methods, and
subsequent
fauna changes.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness of
methods, and
subsequent
fauna changes.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness of
methods, and
subsequent
fauna changes.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness of
methods, and
subsequent
fauna changes.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness of
methods, and
subsequent
fauna changes.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness of
methods, and
subsequent
fauna changes.
Monitoring of
priority sites.
Post-control to
monitor
effectiveness
of methods,
and
subsequent
fauna
changes.
Page 72
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Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
MONITORING
Goals
Long Term
Monitor changes in biodiversity attributable to pest control work
Medium Term
Monitor control prorammes to ensure control is carried out effectively
Short Term
Monitor sites to determine extent of pest populations
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Mustelids,
Rodents,
Hedgehogs
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid,
rodent and
hedgehog
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites
to determine
mustelid,
rodent and
hedgehog
numbers,
and control
needs.
Monitoring
post-control,
to determine
efficiency of
control, need
for further
control and
impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid, rodent
and hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid, rodent
and hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid, rodent
and hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid, rodent
and hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid, rodent
and hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid, rodent
and hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid, rodent
and hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine
mustelid,
rodent and
hedgehog
numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring
post-control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need
for further
control and
impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Cats
Monitoring of
priority sites'
feral cat
numbers and
the need for
control.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers, and
control needs.
Monitoring post-
control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need for
further control
and impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Monitoring of
priority sites to
determine feral
cat numbers,
and control
needs.
Monitoring
post-control, to
determine
efficiency of
control, need
for further
control and
impacts of
reduced pest
numbers.
Page 73
POSSUMS
Goals
Long term:
Possum free city east of outer green belt, working towards a possum-free Wellington city.
Medium term:
Possums controlled in all city area
Short Term:
Possums controlled in all priority areas, covenants and open space
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Te Kopahau
/Sthn Landfill,
Horokiwi,
Grenada Nth,
Woodburn
Drive
Initial control
operation
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
73
Page 74
74
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
Small isolated
reserves not
controlled
previously /
covenanted
areas
Initial control -
southern half of
city, including
covenanted
areas.
Initial control
- northern
half of the
city including
covenanted
areas.
Covenanted
areas.
Covenanted
areas.
Covenanted
areas.
Covenanted
areas
Covenanted
areas
Covenanted
areas
Covenanted
areas
Previously
Controlled
Sites
Continuing
control
following initial
knockdown
Continuing
control following
initial knockdown
Continuing
control
following
initial
knockdown
Continuing
control following
initial knockdown
Continuing
control following
initial knockdown
Continuing
control following
initial knockdown
Continuing
control following
initial knockdown
Continuing
control following
initial knockdown
Continuing
control following
initial knockdown
Continuing
control
following initial
knockdown
Buffer Zones
Control of
possums on land
adjoining land
cleared
previously.
Buffers to be of
sufficient
dimensions as to
reduce the
likelihood of re-
invasion to low
levels. Buffers
will most likely
be on private
land and will
generally require
similar levels of
control input
from the
landowner.
May also
include
education.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of wide
scale landowner
programmes.
Once buffer
zones are
established,
resources may
be used in
support of
wide scale
landowner
programmes.
Page 75
Pest Management Implementation Plan 2005
75
1.2 WEEDS
Supression Pests
Cathedral Bells, Wild Ginger, Banana Passionfruit
Goals
Long Term
Prevent flowering/seed set of all plants across the city
Medium Term
Eradicate all known plants on open space, covenants or buffer zone properties each year
Short Term
Prevent flowering/seed set of all plants on WCC, covenant or buffer zone properties
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
All open space and
road reserve
Treat to eradicate
all new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously treated:
cathedral bells - 3
monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells -
3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells -
3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells -
3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells -
3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells -
3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells
- 3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells
- 3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral bells
- 3 monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit –
annually.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated:
cathedral
bells - 3
monthly
wild ginger,
banana
passionfruit
annually.
Monitoring
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control for
effectiveness of
operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control for
effectiveness of
operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control for
effectiveness of
operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control for
effectiveness of
operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control for
effectiveness of
operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control for
effectiveness of
operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control
for
effectiveness
of operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control
for
effectiveness
of operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control
for
effectiveness
of operational
techniques.
Monitor site
numbers and
location.
Audit control
for
effectiveness
of
operational
techniques.
Page 76
OLD MAN'S BEARD
Goals
Long Term
Prevent flowering/seed set of all plants across the city
Medium Term
Eradicate all known plants on open space, covenants or buffer zone properties each year
Short term
Prevent flowering/seed set of all plants on WCC, covenant or buffer zone properties
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
20008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
All open space and
road reserve
Treat to eradicate
all new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously treated,
re-treat if
necessary, and
search and
destroy any
seedlings in the
vicinity.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated, re-treat
if necessary,
and search and
destroy any
seedlings in the
vicinity.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.
Inspect sites
previously
treated, re-treat
if necessary,
and search and
destroy any
seedlings in the
vicinity.
Treat to
eradicate all
new
occurrences.