Wild conifer trees are running rife in Southland with fears some areas could be overtaken in the next 30 years.
The region was now at a “tipping point” as trees spread aggressively through high country, farmland and conservation areas, councillors have been warned.
These grizzly details were captured in an Environment Southland report presented to council earlier today, which one elected member described as “sobering”.
A species of concern was the Douglas fir, which was wreaking havoc for a number of reasons, including the distance its seed could travel, a tolerance to the climate, and commercial popularity.
Its spread was accelerating at a rate that current investment and control could not keep up with, the report said.
“Without further intervention, vast areas of Northern Southland could be overtaken within 30 years, resulting in irreversible environmental and economic loss.”
Productive land, native ecosystems and landscapes were all at risk because of rapidly spreading conifers — especially Douglas fir, the report said. It noted that Southland risked passing a “point of no return” under its current response.
Meanwhile, costs rose by 30% every year removal was delayed, and the $24.6 million spent on the problem since 2016 could end up going to waste without follow-up work.
Councillor Eric Roy said the battle was being lost, and called for immediate action such as limiting where trees could be planted.
“This is one of the most sobering reports I’ve read in some time,” he said.
Council chairperson Nicol Horrell said there had been conversations with Government ministers who were aware of the problem.
The Government had committed “quite a bit” of money as part if its shovel-ready projects, but it would all be wasted if control work couldn’t keep up, he said.
Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust covers an area of more than 68,000 hectares in northern Southland, and was one such example of a group struggling under reduced budgets. The trust aims to control wilding pines from the Mid Dome area before handing over the control of any wilding re-growth to landowners.
Last year, it expressed concern that all of its work was at risk and called on the council to increase its funding after 18 years of stagnancy.
A series of recommended steps was included in the council report, such as clarifying roles and responsibilities, securing long-term funding, and supporting landowners and community action.
Wilding conifers were invasive weeds that threatened to permanently alter New Zealand’s landscapes, the DOC website stated.
When conifer cones matured, they opened to release masses of wind-blown seeds which could travel kilometres, according to DOC.
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