Otago Regional Council (ORC) chair Gretchen Robertson has welcomed the government’s announcement that it has allocated an additional $7M to wilding pines programmes.

Gretchen said Otago had the most wilding prone land in the country, with about 8.4 percent of Otago’s land area (295,830 hectares) affected by wilding pines.

About 70 percent of Otago is assessed as “very highly vulnerable” to future infestation.

“Control of wilding pines is important in Otago,” Gretchen said. 

ORC chair Gretchen Robertson said the council has a strong case for funding from an additional $7M for wilding pine management announced by the Ministry for Primary Industries. PHOTO: Supplied

“Wilding pines cause problems for biodiversity, water yield, fire risk, primary production and landscape value.”

The additional national funding was announced by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) at the Wilding Pines Conference, held in Queenstown. 

It is not yet known how the $7M, which will come from the Department of Conservation budgets, will be allocated across different regions. 

MPI did say the prioritisation for funding considerations will include most-spread prone species; vulnerability of surrounding land; area/cost ratio; and “additional considerations”.

“We’re hopeful for good regional allocation to Otago,” Gretchen said. “We have a strong case for investment”.

Wilding pines are introduced conifer trees which have self-seeded and are growing where they are not wanted. 

Unlike commercial forests, wilding conifers are weeds and pose a serious and increasing pest issue in New Zealand.