auckland regional pest management plan...
TRANSCRIPT
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 1
October 2015
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan Review Discussion document
Feedback must be received by 27 November 2015
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 3
Table of contents
He Mihi ....................................................................................................................... 4
1 Kupu whakataki Introduction ................................................................................ 5
2 Ngā tūnga me ngā kawenga Roles and responsibilities ....................................... 7
3 Take tupu orotā Pest plant issues ...................................................................... 15
4 Take kararehe orotā Pest animal issues ............................................................ 21
5 Te ngaki tipua orotā i te Moana o Tikapa /Te Moananui ā Toi Pest management
in the Hauraki Gulf ............................................................................................. 24
6 Tipua taimoana orotā Marine pests................................................................... 28
7 Ngā mahi ngaki tipua ā-hapori ā muri ake nei The future of community pest
control ................................................................................................................ 29
8 Te whakarite mahere hōu Preparing the new plan............................................. 30
9 Tuku korero ō whakaaro Have your say on Pest Management in Auckland ...... 31
Rārangi Kupu Glossary ........................................................................................... 32
Āpitihanga tuatahi: Ngā tupu orotā i te wā nei Appendix one: Current plant pests .. 35
Āpitihanga tuarua: Ngā kararehe orotā i te wā nei Appendix two: Current animal
pests .................................................................................................................. 42
Āpitihanga tuatoru: Ngā mahi rangahau koiora i te wā nei Appendix three: Current
research organisms ........................................................................................... 44
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan consultation questions: ........................ 46
Cover: (left to right) gorse, a dead kauri crown, rat, argentine ant (credit Richard Toft,
Entcol), feral goat.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 4 | Discussion document
He Mihi
Tuia ki te rangi
Tuia ki te whenua
Tuia ki te moana
Tuia te here tangata
Ka rongo te pō ka rongo te ao.
Bind the domain of the upper realm
Bind the domain of the land, Bind the domain of the ocean
Bind the tapestry of life
which affirms our connection
to the natural world and to one another
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 5
1 Kupu whakataki
Introduction
Pests are invasive plants, animals or other organisms that can have adverse effects
on our environment, economy and health. Controlling pests has many benefits. Pest
management helps protect our native plants, animals and ecosystems. The
productivity of our primary sector (farming, forestry, horticulture, fishing and
aquaculture) relies on effective pest management. Pest management protects wāhi
tapu and taonga, restores the mauri of whenua and wai māori, and enhances the
well-being of local communities. It also contributes to the amenity of our
environment, and maintaining our health. Successful pest management is holistic in
nature and recognises the interconnectedness of people and the environment.
Everyone benefits from pest management and all have a part to play - individuals,
tangata whenua, community groups, industry, local government and central
government. Pests do not respect property, rohe or regional boundaries so a
coordinated effort is required for their effective management.
Auckland Council has a leadership responsibility for pest management in the region
under the Biosecurity Act 1993. In accordance with this act the council produces a
regional pest management plan.
This discussion document starts the review of the regional pest management plan for
Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland. The current plan was created in 2007, and since then
a lot has changed. We’re seeking your feedback on the matters discussed below,
and your comment on any other pest management issues you want to raise. It is
your chance to have your say.
He orotā tonu ētahi tupu otaota, kararehe me ētahi atu koiora e raru ai tō tātou taiao,
tokonga oranga, hauora hoki. He maha tonu ngā painga o te aukati orotā. He mea e
taea ai te tiaki i ā tātou tupu taketake, kararehe me ōna rauiringa taiao. Ko te
whaihua o ngā umanga matua (ahuwhenua, ngahere, tupu huawhenua, hī ika, ahu
kaimoana) me tōtika tonu te aukati i ngā raru tipua orotā. Ko te ngaki tipua orotā
tētahi o ngā here o te noho kaitiaki a te hunga manawhenua. Ko tāna, he tiaki i ngā
wāhi tapu me ana taonga, he whakaora anō i te mauri o te whenua me te wai māori,
e pai ake ai te hā ora o te haukāinga. E whaipānga hoki ki te pai o te taiao e nohoa
nei e tātou, e ora tonu ai tātou. Ko te hua ko ngā mahi ngaki tipua orotā he tāpapa
hora nui tōna āhua, me tōna aro atu ki te hononga tūturu i waenga i te tangata me te
taiao.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 6 | Discussion document
Ka whai painga te katoa i ngā mahi ngaki tipua orotā, arā hei mahi tonu mā tēnā me
tēnā o tātou - takitahi mai, tangata whenua, tira hapori, wāhi mahi, mana kaunihera,
kāwanatanga atu. Kāhore he whakaaro nei o te tipua orotā ki te rawa, takiwā,
whenua ā-rohe rānei, nō reira me honohono tonu ngā mahi e whai hua ai ngā
whakahaere.
He herenga kei runga i te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau ki te arataki i ngā mahi
ngaki tipua orotā i raro i te Ture Tiaki i te Ao Koiora 1993. I raro i te maru o taua ture
ka whakairihia e te kaunihera he mahere ā-rohe hei ngaki tipua orotā.
Ko tā tēnei puka takinga kōrero te tīmatanga o te aromātai i te mahere ngaki tipua
orotā mō Tāmaki Makarau. I hanga te mahere e mau nei i te tau 2007, he nui tonu
ngā mea kua rerekē noa ake. Kei te kimi mātou i ō koutou whakaaro mō ngā take e
whai ake i raro iho nei, me ētahi atu take ngaki tipua orotā e hiahia ana koe ki te toko
ake. Koinei te wāhi e āhei ai tō whakapuaki kōrero.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 7
2 Ngā tūnga me ngā kawenga
Roles and responsibilities
2.1 Individual residents
The majority of pest management is carried out by individuals on land they own or
occupy, from rural residents controlling rabbits, through to city-dwellers deploying rat
traps. Gardeners may decide to keep their privet hedge trimmed so that it doesn’t
flower or plant a native nῑkau instead of an exotic palm. Many people undertake
integrated pest management on their land as part of an ecological restoration project
(see the box story on the Paradise Alley project). Auckland Council biosecurity staff
support people to carry out their own pest management by providing advice on what
species should be controlled, and how best to do this. Residents also play a valuable
role in reporting new sightings of pests, allowing the council or the Ministry for
Primary Industries (MPI) to take appropriate action.
The Paradise Alley project
Gail and Warwick Stent moved to Pāremoremo
over 15 years ago and started a battle to
control the wild ginger, morning glory, jasmine
and other pest plants that were smothering the
native bush that covers half their property.
Work they dubbed the ‘Paradise Alley’ project.
At first the process was frustrating with lots of
effort for little gain and weeds returning with a
vengeance. “It all started feeling like a rather
hopeless task because we did not have the
manpower or expertise to make a real and
lasting difference,” explains Warwick.
The pair contacted Auckland Council, and Mary Stewart, Senior Biosecurity Advisor
for the North Shore area, paid them a visit. “Mary helped immediately with advice on
which pest plants we should prioritise for control and which herbicides to use,” says
Warwick. “She saw the sense in my request to work alongside someone with
expertise so that we could learn by doing.”
Mary also offered advice on preparing an application for Environmental Initiatives
funding and suggested that the Stents work with a specialist weed control contractor.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 8 | Discussion document
Working alongside the contractor, they quickly learned how to effectively deal with
weeds and use herbicides on their property in a precise and targeted way.
The outcome has been a heartening recovery and regeneration of the native bush.
Less control work is required each year as native seedlings take over the area and
fewer weeds establish.
Gael and Warwick are also controlling rats as part of their restoration work. They
have noticed an increase in native birds and are motivated by a vision of being part
of the North-West Wildlink corridor for birds flying between the Hauraki Gulf islands
and the Waitākere Ranges.
Mary has kept in touch with the Stents and continues to provide advice via email and
the occasional visit. Through the local newspaper, Warwick now shares his
newfound pest management knowledge with the Pāremoremo community. “I see it
as a way of paying back the help we have received,” he says.
2.2 Māori
Ko te noho kaitiaki mō tō rātou rohe he tikanga motuhake ake nā ngā mana whenua
o Tāmaki Makaurau. I te ao Māori, he whanaungatanga kei waenga i ngā mea katoa
- ngā tāngata, tupu taketake, tipua orotā me te taiao whānui tonu. He wāhanga noa
iho te ngaki tipua orotā nō te tirohanga whānui a te ao, e hua ai he painga ā-taiao, ā-
iwi anō hoki. Ko tā te ngaki tipua orotā he whakapai ake i te mauri o te whenua me te
wai māori, me te oranga o te hā ora o te mana whenua me ōna haukāinga. Kia puta
ai ngā hua ki te rohe me mātua mahi tahi rawa tātou. Ahakoa he maha ngā iwi me
ngā rōpū e tautoko ana i ngā mahi ngaki tipua orotā i roto me waho atu i te rohe o
Tāmaki Makaurau, kāhore he aronga atu o te tipua orotā ki te iwi me ōna rohenga
whenua rānei. E hiahia ana te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau ki te mahi i te taha o
ngā mana whenua o te rohe, Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) me ērā atu rōpū hei whakarahi
ake i ngā mahi ngaki tipua orotā puta noa i ōnā rohe whakahaere.
He whānui tonu ngā mahi ngaki tipua orotā ngātahi ā ngā kaitiaki me te kaunihera,
tae atu ki te aromātai i te wai māori, te mate urutā e patu nei i te kauri me te oranga
o ngā ngahere. Ko tā te kaunihera he takitaki, he tautoko i ngā mana whenua i roto i
ā rātou mahi ngaki tipua orotā i runga i ō rātou whenua. Nāwai rā e piki haere ana
ēnei mahi mā roto i te whakarahi ake i ngā papamahi kia hua ai ngā painga ā-iwi, ā-
taiao anō hoki. I raro i ētahi tikanga ka kawea e ngā mana whenua me te kaunihera
ā rātou mahi ngaki tipua orotā i runga whakaaetanga tūturu, whakahaere ngātahinga
rānei. He tauira o tēnei ko te Mana Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau, i
whakatūria hei tiaki i ngā maunga (puia hū) i muri i ngā whakatau Tiriti o Waitangi.
Kei te tupu tonu ngā mahi ohaoha me ngā rawa whaihua ā ngā mana whenua pērā i
te mahi ngahere, hī ika me te ahuwhenua. He taonga nui tonu ēnei mō te oranga ā-
iwi, ohaohanga noa rānei, e tika ana kia āraia i te tipua orotā. Ko tā te kaunihera he
āwhina me te takitaki i ngā mana whenua ki te kimi rongoa mō ngā whiu a te tipua
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 9
orotā. He papa mātauranga motuhake tō te Māori (he mea tuku iho e pā ana ki tāna
tirohanga whānui ki te ao) me āna
ake tikanga whakahaere. Kei te kitea ēnei i roto i ngā tikanga ārai mō te ao taonga
koiora mai, whai rawa atu hoki. Ko tā te kaunihera he mahi tahi me ngā mana
whenua kia toka ai te mātauranga Māori me ā rātou tikanga hei puna taki kōrero e
whai hua ai ngā hōtaka ngaki tipua orotā o te rohe.
The mana whenua of Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland have an important and unique
role as kaitiaki of their rohe. In te ao Māori everything has a relationship – people,
native species, pests and the wider environment. Pest management is just one part
of a holistic, integrated world view, yielding both environmental and social outcomes.
Pest management can contribute to enhancing the mauri of the whenua and wai
māori, the protection of wāhi tapu and taonga, and the oranga of mana whenua and
local communities. To achieve these outcomes for the rohe, all must work together.
While there are many iwi and other organisations that contribute to pest
management within and outside of Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland, pests do not have
boundaries. Auckland Council wants to work alongside mana whenua as well as the
Department of Conservation (DOC) and other organisations to enhance pest
management across organisational boundaries.
Kaitiaki are involved in a diverse range of pest management activities including
monitoring of wai māori, kauri dieback disease, and the health of te ngahere as part
of animal pest control. The council provides advice and support for mana whenua
undertaking pest control on their whenua. Increasingly this is taking the form of
capacity-building, with the potential to support improved social and environmental
outcomes. In some situations mana whenua and the council undertake pest
management together as part of formal partnership and co-management
agreements. An example of this is the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau
Authority, which is set up to manage the region’s maunga (volcanic cones) following
Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi settlements. Mana whenua o Tāmaki
Makaurau have increasing economic interests and ownership of primary production
assets such as forestry, fishing and farming. These assets and resources are
important for social and economic well-being but require protection from pests. The
council can assist and advise mana whenua with regards to solutions for economic
pest threats. Māori have a distinct knowledge base, mātauranga Māori (the body of
knowledge originating from Māori ancestors, including the Māori world view and
perspectives) and tikanga whakahaere (management approaches). These are
reflected in mana whenua priorities for biosecurity protection of taonga species and
resources. The council collaborates with mana whenua to ensure mātauranga Māori
me o rātou tikanga are recognised as important sources of knowledge and
information that add value to the region’s pest management programmes.
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2.3 Community organisations
Around 800 community groups undertake pest management across Tāmaki
Makaurau - Auckland. Their efforts cover more than 85,000ha of land and range in
size from a single trap line within an urban local park to large-scale conservation
projects such as Tāwharanui and Shakespear open sanctuaries. Community pest
control has achieved outstanding successes in ecological restoration across the
region. One example is Ark in the Park in the Waitākere Ranges. Ark in the Park has
protected over 3000ha of native forest on public and private land from mammalian
predators for more than 10 years, allowing the reintroduction of native species such
as kōkako, pōpokatea (whitehead) and toutouwai (North Island robin). Auckland
Council supports community pest control activities through the provision of traps,
bait, technical advice and training.
Pōpokatea (whitehead) being released in Ark in the Park.
Photo: Ark in the Park
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 11
2.4 Industry
Pest management is a core activity for primary industry, from farmers controlling
ragwort on their own land, to the sector-wide plan by the kiwifruit industry to manage
the bacterial disease Psa-V (see the box story on Psa-V). Effective pest control also
minimises the cost to others of from weed species spreading to neighbouring
properties. Transport operators have a particular role in preventing the spread of
pests both on machinery and along road or rail corridors. The council supports
industry with advice on pest control and can help facilitate any regional pest or
pathway management plans industry may want to produce.
Tackling kiwifruit vine disease in the Auckland region
Kiwifruit vine disease is caused by a harmful bacterium commonly known as Psa-V.
This plant pathogen was first detected in New Zealand (Bay of Plenty) in 2010 and
has had a major financial impact on the kiwifruit industry. The organisation Kiwifruit
Vine Health Inc (KVH) was established by growers to lead the New Zealand kiwifruit
industry response to Psa-V. KVH now has an interest in managing all biosecurity
threats to kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.).
By 2012, Psa-V was established in kiwifruit orchards in the Franklin area of
Auckland. Approximately 7 per cent of New Zealand’s kiwifruit crop (earning
approximately $100 million per year in revenue) is grown in Tāmaki Makaurau -
Auckland and a biosecurity partnership between the kiwifruit industry (Auckland
growers, KVH) and the council was formed to control the disease in the region.
“Auckland Council has been very
helpful in assisting with the
identification and removal of
abandoned orchards,” says John
Mather from KVH, “also by assisting
with the costs of wild kiwifruit control
and surveillance for kiwifruit plants
and symptoms of Psa-V sold in plant
retail outlets such as garden centres
when undertaking inspections as
part of the National Pest Plant Accord.” John adds: “This cooperation between
industry and regional government has been invaluable in ensuring that Psa-V is
contained and that the kiwifruit industry remains viable. These actions have been
successful in that Psa-V is not yet established in the northwest Auckland kiwifruit
growing region.”
KVH and the council jointly funded the control of a sizeable wild kiwifruit infestation
at Pohuehue, north of the city (see before and after control photos). Wild kiwifruit and
abandoned orchards present a biosecurity threat to the kiwifruit industry in that they
Pre-control with wildling kiwifruit
Photo: John Mather Kiwifruit Vine health
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 12 | Discussion document
may harbour pests, including Psa-V, and continue to produce fruit which birds
consume. This spreads seed and results in further wild (or naturalised) vines. Wild
kiwifruit is a fast-growing and invasive vine, which reduces the biodiversity value of
native forest and the production value of exotic forest.
Wilding kiwifruit is declared a pest
plant within the current regional pest
management plan for Tāmaki
Makaurau - Auckland, but control is
only required within high
conservation value areas. To
prevent wilding kiwifruit becoming
an unwanted inoculum source of
kiwifruit vine disease, it has been
suggested that the council declares
wild kiwifruit (i.e. any naturalised Actinidia spp.) a pest, which is required to be
controlled at any identified wild kiwifruit site within the Auckland region.
2.5 Central government
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is the government agency charged with
national leadership in pest management. The ministry is responsible for:
• administering the Biosecurity Act 1993 and the National Policy Direction
for Pest Management 2015
• keeping pests out of Aotearoa - New Zealand through border control
• responding to incursions of new-to-New Zealand pests
• coordinating programmes to control certain ‘national interest’ pests, for
example kauri dieback and some aquatic weeds.
DOC is responsible for managing pests on conservation land. In Tāmaki Makaurau -
Auckland, the council collaborates with DOC on many joint pest control programmes
such as the management of feral deer and the protection of the Hauraki Gulf islands.
2.6 Auckland Council
Auckland Council has regional leadership and regulatory functions for pest
management under the Biosecurity Act 1993. The council also has pest control
responsibilities as a landowner. In carrying out these activities the council is
committed to meeting its responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of
Waitangi and broader legal obligations to Māori.
The council’s regional leadership functions include:
Photo: John Mather Kiwifruit Vine health
Post-control free of wilding kiwifruit pre-control
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 13
• promoting public support of pest management
• facilitating communication and cooperation among those involved in pest
management
• providing education and technical support for pest control
• researching pests and control methods
• facilitating the development of regional pest management plans by others.
The council’s responsibilities are at a regional level and do not include national
border control. However, the council assists MPI in responding to new-to-New
Zealand incursions within the region, such as with the recent Queensland fruit fly
response.
The council also collaborates with a range of parties on national programmes as they
relate to the region. An example of this is the national kauri dieback control
programme where the council works with mana whenua, MPI, DOC and the
Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regional councils.
As a landowner, the council controls pests on land it administers such as parks and
roads. It also carries out direct control on some less common pests of high potential
threat on both public and private land. Many local board plans have also included
pest management activities in their outcomes and initiatives.
The council has a regulatory function to set and enforce rules. The current Auckland
Regional Pest Management Plan 2007-20121 provides a statutory as well as a
strategic framework for pest management in Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland. It
contains pest management programmes with rules preventing the sale, distribution,
propagation and breeding of some species. It requires landowners to control some
pests and keep others in secure containment. It also contains stronger rules for
particular areas of the region, for example the Waitākere Ranges and the Hauraki
Gulf.
As part of the review of the regional pest management plan, the management
programme for each pest will need to align with the programmes specified in the new
National Policy Direction for Pest Management 2015. Table 1 lists those new pest
management programmes and the relevant objective for each.
1 This document was previously termed the Auckland Regional Pest Management Strategy 2007-2012. The
reforms to the Biosecurity Act in 2012 renamed this document replacing the term “Strategy” with “Plan”.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 14 | Discussion document
Table 1: New programmes that must be used in regional pest management plans.
Pest Management
Programme
The intermediate outcome specified in the National Policy
Direction
Exclusion
Programme
Prevent the establishment of a pest that is present in New
Zealand but not yet established in an area.
Eradication
Programme
To reduce the infestation level of the pest to zero levels in an
area in the short to medium term.
Progressive
Containment
Programme
To contain or reduce the geographic distribution of the pest to
an area over time.
Sustained Control
Programme
To provide for the ongoing control of the pest to reduce its
impacts on values and its spread to other properties.
Site-led Pest
Programme
A pest that is capable of causing damage to a place is
excluded or eradicated from that place, or is contained,
reduced or controlled within the place to an extent that
protects the values of that place.
Think about:
How could the council best carry out its regional leadership functions?
What pests and control methods should the council be investigating?
How could the council support your pest management activities?
See feedback question 1
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 15
3 Take tupu orotā
Pest plant issues
3.1 Introduction
Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland is the weediest region in Aotearoa - New Zealand. In
addition to existing weeds, around four new plant species establish here each year.
Our current regional pest management plan lists over 200 pest plant species in four
management programme categories: total control, containment, surveillance, and
community initiative (see Appendix one). A further 28 plants are included in the
research programme (see Appendix three). The review of the current plan is an
opportunity to assess the pest plant species it contains to determine whether any
should be added or removed. For each species consideration of the aims and what
can be achieved is needed. In addition, the Biosecurity Act requires that a detailed
cost and benefit analysis of proposed programmes be carried out for each species
included in a regional pest management plan. This ensures that the pest
management programmes are targeted to achieve maximum benefits for the least
cost.
Auckland Council uses the pest infestation curve to assist decision-making on pest
management (see Figure 1). New or emergent pests with low numbers and limited
distribution are at the beginning of the curve. Pest control at this stage often involves
relatively low costs and high long-term benefits. For these weeds, progressive
containment or even eradication may be feasible, preventing them becoming the
widespread problem weeds of the future. For widespread weeds at the established
stage of the curve, the costs of control can be high, while benefits are often low.
Eradication of widespread weeds is unlikely to be feasible.
In the new plan, each pest will be managed under one or more of the five new
categories of programmes listed in Table 1.
Think about:
What plant species should be added to or removed from the regional pest
management plan?
What pest management programmes and objectives should apply to new or existing
pest plant species?
For current pest species, view the current Regional Pest Management Strategy
See feedback questions 2 and 3
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 16 | Discussion document
Pest Infestation Curve
Balloon vine
Time
Exte
nt
of
infe
sta
tio
n
Red eared slider turtle
Bangalow palm
Woolly nightshade
Possums
Moth plant
Lag Explosion Established
0
Prevention Eradication Containment Sustained Control Site Protection
Cost Benefit Ratio
Objective
Management Species led Place led
Lower costs/higher benefits
higher costs/lower benefits
Climbing asparagus
The pest infestation curve has three stages. The first is the lag phase, which is the
initial slow establishment phase when a pest is new or emergent and is very limited
in its distribution (the curve is almost flat). The second is the explosion phase when a
pest is still restricted in its range but densities and range are increasing rapidly (the
curve is steep). The third is the established phase when growth slows as the pest
fills most of its available habitat or niche (the curve levels off again). This is the
phase that applies to widespread and entrenched pests. There are often similar
management objectives and cost benefit ratios for pests at similar stages of the
curve.
The infestation curve is a model; it should only be used as a guide. Some pest
species can be widespread yet because of the attributes of the pest and the
available control methodologies, large areas can be successfully controlled for a
relatively low cost. Possums are an example of this.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 17
3.2 Bangalow palm
Bangalow palm is a native of eastern Australia. It is
very similar in appearance to our native nῑkau palm
and is a popular garden plant. Bangalow palm is a
research organism in the current regional pest
management plan. This means it is not subject to
rules, but has been assessed as a potential pest in
the explosion phase of the infestation curve.
Bangalow palm is self-fertile, produces large
amounts of seed and is fast-growing. Research
suggests it can out-compete nῑkau palm. The nῑkau
is the world’s southernmost palm species and is a
taonga found only in Aotearoa - New Zealand.
Bangalow palm is increasingly found in areas of
native bush (as many as 1069 seedlings per
square metre in some Auckland forests), making it
a threat to native ecosystems.
To respond to this threat, bangalow palm could be made a pest plant in the new
regional pest management plan. As a pest plant, it would be banned from sale,
distribution and propagation. It could also be subject to active management and
control around areas of high biodiversity value. However, landowners would not be
required to remove established plants.
All species will go through a thorough cost and benefit analysis before being
included as pests in the plan. This is to ensure that the benefits of management
outweigh the costs. Making bangalow palm a pest would impose costs on those
currently selling the plant. It would also provide benefits by reducing the threat the
plant poses to our native forests.
Alternatives to making bangalow palm a pest include removing the plant from the
plan entirely or retaining it as a research organism. These options do not impose
costs on those currently selling the plant but neither do they address its
environmental impacts.
It is possible that bangalow palm will be included in the National Pest Plant Accord
from mid-2021. This will ban it from sale nationally. However, the climate of Tāmaki
Makaurau - Auckland provides ideal conditions for species like bangalow palm and it
Photo: Ewen Cameron
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 18 | Discussion document
Moth Plant
is likely to become even more invasive with climate change. So it is timely to
consider the status of bangalow palm in this review.
If research, consultation and cost-benefit analysis support making bangalow palm a
pest, the council will work with nurseries and growers to prepare for the change.
Bangalow palm seedlings on forest floor look very similar to nīkau seedlings.
Think about:
Should bangalow palm be made a pest in the regional pest management plan?
If it is made a pest, what is the most appropriate management programme for it?
How could the spread of bangalow palm be prevented?
See feedback questions 2 and 3
3.3 Widespread weeds
Unfortunately, Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland has many weeds that are at the highly
established stage of the pest
infestation curve. Widespread and
common weeds like moth plant,
woolly nightshade and wild ginger
have adverse impacts on our
environment and are highly visible.
These pests are an important issue
for mana whenua, community
groups, industry and individual
residents. However, managing
these widespread weeds is often
Photo: Ewen Cameron
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 19
difficult, costly and can be of limited benefit.
In the current regional pest management plan most widespread weeds are subject to
a surveillance pest management programme. This means they are banned from
sale, distribution and propagation. Auckland Council also encourages and offers
advice on their removal. There are no region-wide requirements for the council or
landowners to control surveillance pest plants. However, in specific areas such as
the Waitākere Ranges, Hunua Ranges, and Hauraki Gulf islands, stronger rules
apply for some species.
The council needs to decide whether to include these plants in the reviewed plan,
and which pest management programme(s) should apply. There is no equivalent to
the surveillance pest management programme in the new National Policy Direction
for Pest Management 2015. These weeds could be subject to a sustained control
programme across the region with stronger rules enforced in some areas.
Widespread weeds could also be included in site-led pest management programmes
to protect high value ecosystems and threatened species.
\
Woolly nightshade (left) and wild ginger (right)
Biological control can offer a long-term method to control (but not eradicate)
widespread weeds. These methods involve the application of a pest’s natural enemy
to reduce an infestation through predation or adverse effects. An example is the
control of mistflower which was a widespread weed threatening our native forests.
Mistflower has been successfully controlled by the introduction of two biological
agents: a white smut fungus and a gall fly. Biological control often has high initial
research and establishment costs but can be very cost effective in the long term.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 20 | Discussion document
The resources available for pest management are limited. The priority given to
managing widespread weeds, relative to the more cost effective control of new and
emergent weeds, needs to be considered. Failure to adequately control new
emerging weeds may simply result in these species joining the ever-lengthening list
of widespread weeds.
Think about:
How should widespread weeds be managed in the regional pest management plan?
What objectives should be set and what rules should apply?
Which places or ecosystems should be prioritised for site-led management of
widespread weeds to protect the region’s biodiversity?
What priority should be given to controlling widespread weeds, compared to the
control of new and emergent weeds?
See feedback questions 2 and 3
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 21
4 Take kararehe orotā
Pest animal issues
4.1 Introduction
Our current regional pest management plan lists 39 pest animals, including insects,
birds, reptiles and freshwater fish (see Appendix two). A further 10 animal species
are included in the research programme (see Appendix three). Because Aotearoa -
New Zealand lacks native land mammals (apart from bats), our native ecosystems
are especially vulnerable to the effects of introduced mammals. Predators such as
stoats eat our native wildlife, while herbivores such as possums and deer eat our
native plants. Other types of animals can also be pests. Introduced reptiles and fish
compete with native fish and damage the mauri of wai māori. Wasps compete with
native species and may affect human enjoyment of the environment.
The council is seeking feedback on potential changes to the management of two
pest animals in particular. However, like the pest plant species, this review is an
opportunity to consider the aims, benefits and costs of pest management for all the
animal species listed in the current regional pest management plan. It is also an
opportunity to consider which pest animals should be included or removed from the
plan. Pest animals in the new plan will need to be included in one or more of the five
new pest management programme categories listed in Table 1. For each species to
be included in the plan, the benefits of its management and inclusion must outweigh
the costs.
Think about:
What animal species should be added to or removed from the regional pest
management plan?
What pest management programmes and objectives should be applied to new or
existing pest animal species?
For current pest species, view the current Regional Pest Management Strategy
See feedback questions 4 and 5
4.2 Red-eared slider turtles
Red-eared slider turtles are among the top 100 invasive species in the world. They
are omnivores, mainly eating plants, but also insects, small fish and ground-nesting
birds. Turtles’ feeding activity is likely to degrade the mauri of wai māori by disturbing
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 22 | Discussion document
sediment and affecting other ecosystem processes. They can carry salmonella, and
overseas they have been responsible for disease transmission to humans, especially
to children.
The current regional pest management plan allows for red-eared slider turtles to be
bred, sold and kept as pets if they are held in secure confinement, such as an
aquarium. People typically purchase these turtles as pets when they are small,
attractive juveniles. But red-eared slider turtles can live for several decades and
grow to the size of a dinner plate. Owners can be unprepared for this and illegally
release them into the wild rather than finding alternatives. Red-eared slider turtles
have not yet been confirmed as breeding in the wild in our region. However, with
increasing temperatures it is anticipated that their eggs will soon be able to
successfully incubate and hatch.
It would be possible to ban the breeding, distribution and sale of red-eared slider
turtles in Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland in the new regional pest management plan.
This would reduce the risk of populations establishing in the wild and help safeguard
the mauri of wai māori and associated ecosystems.
People with existing pets could continue to keep them in secure confinement.
Red-eared slider turtle
Think about:
How should red-eared slider turtles be managed in the new regional pest
management plan?
See feedback questions 4 and 5
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 23
4.3 Feral goats
Feral goats are one of the most destructive animals in native and plantation forests.
They are widespread throughout the region. Goats are opportunistic feeders,
destroying native forest understorey up to 2m high and feeding on newly planted or
young trees. Being both hardy and agile they can exploit areas that other grazing
animals cannot reach.
In the current regional pest management plan goats are considered feral and a pest
unless held in secure confinement, such as behind an effective fence. In addition,
the council controls feral goats in and around areas of significant ecological values
such as the Hunua and Waitākere ranges. However, these areas are subject to
constant re-invasion from farm escapes.
To complement the council’s current control activities, the new regional pest
management plan could include goat permit zones for buffer areas around the
Waitākere and Hunua ranges, and throughout the Hauraki Gulf islands. This would
provide greater protection than the current system affords, as goats are notorious for
escaping confinement. Goat permit zones would significantly reduce the risk posed
to important ecological areas by requiring high standards for goat fencing and
identification. However, the system would also provide for people who responsibly
farm and milk goats in these areas.
The council would also continue to work on eradicating the remaining feral goats in
areas of important ecological value.
Feral goats on Mt Richmond
Think about:
How should goats be managed in the new regional pest management plan?
See feedback questions 4 and 5
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 24 | Discussion document
5 Te ngaki tipua orotā i te Moana o Tikapa /Te Moananui ā
Toi
Pest management in the Hauraki Gulf
Tῑkapa Moana/Te Moananui ā Toi - the
Hauraki Gulf is a special area, a
sanctuary for many of our threatened
native species, including birds, lizards,
insects and plants. Islands are key
areas for pest management as their
geographic isolation makes them easier
to protect from pest invasion than areas
on the mainland. Auckland Council,
DOC and many others control pest
plants and animals on the Hauraki Gulf
islands. Over half of the islands/island
groups in the Gulf are now free of
introduced mammals. Auckland Council
and DOC also respond to new
incursions of pests to keep these
islands pest free. These eradications
support ecosystem restoration and the
preservation of threatened species on
flagship islands such as Tiritiri Matangi,
Rangitoto, Rotoroa and Rākino.
Pest eradications are part of a range of biosecurity activities protecting the Gulf,
including:
the Treasure Islands public awareness programme, a partnership between
DOC and Auckland Council - www.treasureislands.co.nz
biosecurity checks of commercial vessels, translocated houses and freight
moving to or between islands to prevent re-invasion
traps, bait stations, monitoring devices and signs at prioritised boat ramps,
wharves and marinas within the Gulf for prevention or early detection of re-
invasions
the Pest-free Warrant accreditation programme for vessels. Over 40
commercial and non-commercial organisations and contractors operating in
the Gulf now hold Pest-free Warrants.
Senior Biosecurity Advisor Jeff Cook inspects a rodent monitoring station at Queens Wharf
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 25
There is extra protection in place for the Gulf in the current regional pest
management plan to reflect the importance of the area. The Hauraki Gulf is a
controlled area under the Biosecurity Act 1993. This enables the council to place
restrictions on the transportation of pests to or within the Gulf. These controls are
primarily aimed at animal species such as possums, rats, plague (rainbow) skinks
and Argentine ants. Some pest plants, such as rhamnus (Evergreen buckthorn) and
moth plant, are subject to increased management efforts on Gulf islands compared
to on the mainland. Auckland Council also supports community pest management
and ecological restoration projects, such as the Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment
Trust on Aotea - Great Barrier Island (see box).
The Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust
The Windy Hill Rosalie Bay catchment is located in the south east of Aotea - Great
Barrier Island. This remote area of the island has long been considered ecologically
significant. It has large areas of undisturbed mature coastal broadleaf podocarp
forest. The catchment is home to pāteke - brown teal duck, black petrels, Duvaucel’s
gecko, chevron and striped skinks, kākā and kererū. The rare plant Pimelea
tomentosa is found on the coast.
The Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust was formed in 2001. Currently there
are 14 landowners participating. The trust’s overall objective is to sustain and
enhance the biodiversity of the area by removing invasive plants and animals so that
native species can flourish, threatened species can be protected, and species that
have been lost to the island can be reintroduced.
The trust educates the community on the benefits of conservation and is committed
to assisting the island’s economy by creating conservation-based employment. The
trust raises funds and employs field workers to systematically remove invasive plants
and animals. As well as paid employment, 2000 volunteer hours are contributed
each year. Currently 620ha of land is under intensive management to control rats,
mice, pigs, rabbits and feral cats. Over the past 16 years, 44,000 rats and 302 feral
cats have been caught. Weeds are also managed and the programme now includes
wilding pines.
Auckland Council has supported Windy Hill through the Environmental Initiatives
Fund and the Natural Heritage Fund, co-funding many important ecological and
biodiversity outcomes. This includes the first translocation of the North Island robin, a
regionally extinct species, which was carried out in 2004 with a booster translocation
of 25 robins in March 2009 and another in 2012. Over 140 young robins have
fledged since 2004. Two rare chevron skinks were released at Windy Hill by DOC in
2004 and three pāteke were released in 2011. In January 2011, a Duvaucel’s gecko
was trapped, the second only sighting in 40 years.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 26 | Discussion document
Agave americana
Several of the larger Gulf islands are home to substantial human populations. Pest
management on inhabited islands can be more complicated and challenging than on
small uninhabited islands. On inhabited islands some mammals can be seen as both
a pest and valued pet (e.g. cats) or food resource (e.g. feral pigs). Rats and other
pests on inhabited islands can be important sources of re-invasion for pest-free
islands. Forest fragments on inhabited Gulf islands are among the weediest in the
Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland region, with many of these invasive plants originating
from gardens.
The new regional pest management plan could continue to provide for particular
biosecurity programmes in the Gulf and address new challenges for pest
management in the Gulf in several ways.
Succulents such as century plant
(Agave americana) and Mauritius
hemp (Furcraea species) thrive on
cliffs and sand dunes and are invasive
on several Hauraki Gulf islands,
displacing native coastal plants and
altering habitat for native animals.
However, because succulents are
tolerant of coastal conditions, they are
also a popular choice of garden plant
for island residents. These plants
mainly spread vegetatively, not by
seed. Therefore their continued
availability on the mainland poses little
risk to island ecosystems compared to
species that are dispersed long
distances by wind or birds.
These species could be banned from sale, distribution and propagation within the
Gulf. Auckland Council could encourage and offer advice on their removal from
island properties. However, these controls would not require the removal of existing
plants and they would still be available for sale on the mainland.
The new regional pest management plan could also recognise the biological, cultural
and social diversity of the Hauraki Gulf islands by including site-led programmes for
particular islands or areas. For instance, feral pigs could be assigned to an
eradication programme for Waiheke Island.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 27
Think about:
How should the special nature of Tῑkapa Moana/Te Moananui ā Toi – the Hauraki
Gulf be recognised in the new regional pest management plan?
What plants and animals should or shouldn’t be considered pests in the Gulf?
How should the new regional pest management plan support pest management on
inhabited islands?
What kind of pest management programmes could apply to particular islands?
See feedback question 6
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 28 | Discussion document
6 Tipua taimoana orotā
Marine pests
The current regional pest management plan does not include any programmes for
marine pests. However, awareness of marine biosecurity roles and issues has
developed substantially since the current plan was produced in 2007. Marine pests
are seen as a particular issue for Tῑkapa Moana/Te Moananui ā Toi - the Hauraki
Gulf as well as a potential issue for the Manukau and Kaipara harbours. Marine
pests can affect recreation and industry, and outcompete native species. Marine
pests are very difficult to control once established, with high costs, rapid dispersal of
very large numbers of juveniles, and a lack of safe, effective control tools. Managing
the pathways by which organisms are introduced and spread can be a much more
efficient method of dealing with marine pests.
The Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan introduces rules regarding vessel biofouling
and in-water hull cleaning in sensitive environments as a means of pathway
management. Developing an inter-regional pathway management plan under the
Biosecurity Act is another option, along with raising awareness and producing best
practice guidelines for marine industries.
Think about:
Should the issue of marine pests should be addressed, and if so, how?
See feedback question 7
Great Barrier Island anting team, following
detection and control work
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 29
7 Ngā mahi ngaki tipua ā-hapori ā muri ake nei
The future of community pest control
Auckland Council works with community groups undertaking pest control by
providing technical advice and resources such as traps, herbicides and bait. The
council also facilitates communication with and among communities through the Pest
Liaison Group. The new regional pest management plan could state that the council
will continue to provide this support as part of its strategic regional leadership
function.
The current regional pest management plan includes a programme type called
‘community initiative pest management’. These programmes allow for groups of
landowners/occupiers to collaboratively control pest plants or animals in an area with
formal support from the council. In some cases these programmes allow for specific,
enforceable rules to be created for that area.
Community initiative pest management programmes are not included in the National
Policy Direction for Pest Management 2015 and consequently cannot be included in
the new regional pest management plan. However, the new plan could signal the
possibility of using partial plan reviews to introduce site-led programmes for
community groups that wish to have their pest control reinforced by rules in the
future. Any partial plan changes would be subject to public consultation and cost-
benefit analysis as required by the Biosecurity Act 1993.
Consultation questions
Think about:
How can the council can best support pest management by community groups?
Should the new plan provide for site-led programmes for community groups?
See feedback question 8
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 30 | Discussion document
8 Te whakarite mahere hōu
Preparing the new plan
Auckland Council welcomes your comments on the issues covered in this discussion
document, and any other pest management issues you would like to raise. You may
wish to suggest:
new species for inclusion and how they should be managed
existing pests to be removed from the plan
changes to existing management programmes and rules
particular areas where specific controls are required.
All the comments received will be considered in preparing the new regional pest
management plan. All pest management programmes in the new plan will be subject
to a cost benefit analysis as required by the Biosecurity Act 1993. The new proposed
plan will be made available for public submissions. Auckland Council will hold
hearings and then make decisions on the plan. Submitters will have the opportunity
to appeal those decisions to the Environment Court. Once any appeals are resolved,
or if no appeals are lodged, the new plan will come into effect.
There are consultation questions and space for your response on the back pages of
this document.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 31
9 Tuku korero ō whakaaro
Have your say on Pest Management in Auckland
You can have your say by:
Visiting the shape Auckland web page www.shapeauckland.co.nz
Sending an email to [email protected]
In person: Drop off at your local library, service centre or local board office
By post: Place your completed form in an envelope and send to freepost
address.
Regional Pest Management Plan,
Auckland Council,
Freepost Authority 238718,
Private Bag 92 300,
Auckland 1142
You can also view this document at your local library, service centre or local board;
online at shapeauckland.co.nz; or request a copy by calling 09 301 0101
Ka mutu tēnei kōrerorero a te Paraire 27 o Whiringa-ā-rangi 2015
This consultation closes on Friday 27 November 2015.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 32 | Discussion document
Rārangi Kupu
Glossary
Animal Any mammal, bird, fish, reptile or other vertebrate; any insect or other
invertebrate. Any living organism, except a plant, micro-organism or a
human being.
Animal pest An animal declared a pest in a national or regional pest management plan.
Bacterium Bacterium (plural: bacteria) constitute a large domain of microorganisms.
Typically a few micrometres in size, bacteria were among the first life forms
to appear on Earth, and are present in most of its habitats. Bacteria can be
pathogens of plants and animals.
Biodiversity The variability among living organisms from all habitats, including terrestrial,
marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological systems of which
they are part of. This includes diversity within species, between species and
of ecosystems.
Biological control Applying a natural enemy that will prey upon or adversely affect a pest with
the intention of reducing the level of infestation of the pest.
Costs and benefits Costs and benefits of any kind, whether monetary or non-monetary.
Disease A disease is an impairment of the normal state of an organism that
interrupts or modifies its vital functions. All species of plants, wild and
cultivated alike are subject to disease.
Distribute To propagate, offer for sale or sell, transport, release or in any way spread a
pest, whether for commercial gain or not. Distribution has a corresponding
meaning.
Ecosystems A dynamic complex of plant, animal and microorganism communities and
their non-living environment, interacting as a functional unit.
Effects Unless the context otherwise requires, the term ‘effects’
(a) includes the following, regardless of scale, intensity, duration or
frequency:
(i) a positive or adverse effect; and
(ii) a temporary or permanent effect; and
(iii) a past, present or future effect; and
(iv) a cumulative effect that arises over time or in combination
with other effects; and
(b) also includes the following:
i. a potential effect of high probability; and
ii. a potential effect of low probability that has a high potential impact.
Environment Includes:
(a) ecosystems and their constituent parts, including people and their
communities; and
(b) all natural and physical resources; and
(c) amenity values; and
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 33
(d) the aesthetic, cultural, economic and social conditions that affect or
are affected by any matter referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c).
Eradication To reduce the infestation level of a pest to zero levels in an area in the short
to medium term.
Exclusion To prevent the establishment of a pest or group of pests.
Exotic plant Introduced plants that are not native to New Zealand.
Hauraki Gulf
Controlled Area
That part of the Hauraki Gulf within the Auckland region.
High potential threat
species
Any plant or animal species that poses a high level of threat to economic,
conservation or human health values in the Auckland region.
Incursion A recent occurrence of a plant or animal species previously unknown in the
given area. Usually refers to highly invasive species.
Inoculum A pathogen or its parts which can cause infection when transferred to
another favourable location or host.
Kaitiaki Guardian, care giver.
Management agency The body specified as the management agency in a pest management plan
or a pathway management plan.
Mauri The essential quality and vitality of a being or entity.
National Pest Plant
Accord
A cooperative agreement between Nursery and Garden Industry New
Zealand, regional councils and government departments with biosecurity
responsibilities, to prevent the sale and/or distribution of specified pest
plants where horticultural trade is the most significant way of spreading the
plant in New Zealand.
National Policy
Direction
The direction approved under section 57 of the Biosecurity Act 1993. Its
purpose is to ensure pest management plans provide the best use of
available resources and align with one another, when necessary.
See section 2 and Part 5 of that Act.
Occupier (a) in relation to any place physically occupied by any person, means that person; and
(b) in relation to any other place, means the owner of the place; and (c) in relation to any place, includes any agent, employee, or other
person, acting or apparently acting in the general management or control of the place.
Oranga Welfare, well-being.
Organism Organism:
(a) does not include a human being or a genetic structure derived from a human being;
(b) includes a microorganism; (c) subject to paragraph (a), includes a genetic structure that is capable
of replicating itself (whether that structure comprises all or only part of an entity, and whether it comprises all or only part of the total genetic structure of an entity);
(d) includes an entity (other than a human being) declared by the Governor-General by Order in Council to be an organism for the purposes of the Biosecurity Act 1993;
(e) includes a reproductive cell or developmental stage of an organism; (f) includes any particle that is a prion.
Pathogen An infectious agent such as a virus, bacterium, prion, fungus, viroid or
parasite that causes disease in its host. The host may be an animal, a plant,
a fungus or even another microorganism.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 34 | Discussion document
Pest An organism specified as a pest in a national or regional pest management
plan.
Pest plant A plant that has been declared a pest in a national or regional pest
management plan.
Progressive
containment
To contain or reduce the geographic distribution of a pest to an area over
time.
Propagation To grow new plants from seeds or from pieces cut from an existing plant, or
to make a plant produce more plants.
Plant Any grass, tree, shrub, herb, flower, nursery stock, culture, vegetable, or
other vegetation, and also includes the fruit, seed, spore, portion or product
of any plant. Includes all aquatic plants.
Regional Pathway
Management Plan
A plan for the prevention or management of the spread of harmful
organisms made under Part 5 of the Biosecurity Act 1993.
See the interpretation and Part 5 of that Act.
Regional Pest
Management Plan
A regional plan for the eradication or effective management of a particular
pest or pests made under Part 5 of the Biosecurity Act 1993.
See the interpretation and Part 5 of that Act.
Research organism An organism which is to be investigated or have research carried out on it to
determine if it will be declared a pest under the Biosecurity Act 1993.
Rohe Region.
Rule A rule included in a pest management plan in accordance with section 73 of
the Biosecurity Act 1993. A breach of a rule constitutes an offence under
the Biosecurity Act 1993.
Secure confinement Means to keep an organism in a facility or structure that effectively prevents
the escape or passage of that organism.
Sell Includes barter; and also includes offering, exposing, or attempting to sell,
or having in possession for sale, or sending or delivery for sale, causing or
allowing to be sold, offered, or exposed for sale, and also includes any
disposal whether for valuable consideration or not. ‘Sale’ has a
corresponding meaning.
Site led pest
programme
A pest programme that contains, reduces or controls the pest(s) within a
place to an extent that protects the values of that place.
Sustained control To provide for the ongoing control of a pest to reduce its impacts on values
and its spread to other properties.
Taonga Culturally valuable objects, resources, phenomena, ideas and techniques.
Te ao Māori The Māori world [view].
Te ngahere The bush, forest.
Wāhi tapu Sacred place.
Wai māori Fresh water.
Whenua Land.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 35
Āpitihanga tuatahi: Ngā tupu orotā i te wā nei
Appendix one: Current plant pests
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme (applies
throughout region unless
otherwise stated)
African club moss Selaginella kraussiana Surveillance
African feather grass Cenchrus macrourus syn.
Pennisetum macrourum
Total control
African love grass Eragrostis curvula Surveillance
African pig’s ear Cotyledon orbiculata Surveillance
Agapanthus (large forms) Agapanthus praecox syn. A. orientalis
(large forms only)
Surveillance
Alligator weed Alternanthera philoxeroides Surveillance
Aristea Aristea ecklonii Surveillance
Artillery plant Lamium galeobdolon syn.
Galeobdolon luteum & Lamiastrum
galeobdolon
Surveillance
Arum lily Zantedeschia aethiopica Surveillance
Asiatic knotweed Fallopia japonica syn. Reynoutria
japonica , F. sachalinensis & hybrids
syn. R. sachalinensis
Total control
Asparagus species Asparagus drepanophyllus & A.
umbellatus
Total control
Australian sedge Carex longebrachiata Containment (boundary
control) in rural areas and
Containment (removal) in
mapped area of Clevedon
and Surveillance elsewhere
Baccharis Baccharis halimifolia Surveillance
Balloon vine & Small
balloon vine
Cardiospermum grandiflorum &
C. halicacabum
Total control
Banana passionfruit Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima, P.
mixta & P. tarminiana
Surveillance
and
Community Initiative
Barberry Berberis glaucocarpa Surveillance
Bartlettina Bartlettina sordida Surveillance
and
Community Initiative
Bathurst bur Xanthium spinosum Containment (removal) on all
sheep, cattle and cropping
farms and
Surveillance elsewhere
Blackberry (wild
aggregates)
Rubus fruticosus agg. Surveillance
Bladderwort species Utricularia arenaria, U. gibba, U. livida Surveillance
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 36 | Discussion document
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme (applies
throughout region unless
otherwise stated)
& U. sandersonii
Blue morning glory Ipomoea indica Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Blue passion flower Passiflora caerulea Surveillance
Blue spur flower Plectranthus ecklonii & P. grandis Surveillance
Bog bean Menyanthes trifoliata Surveillance
Bolivian fuchsia Fuchsia boliviana Surveillance
Bomarea Bomarea multiflora syn. B. caldasii Surveillance
Boneseed Chrysanthemoides monilifera Surveillance
Boxthorn Lycium ferocissimum Surveillance
Brazilian pepper tree Schinus terebinthifolius Surveillance
Broomsedge Andropogon virginicus Total control
Brush cherry Syzygium australe Surveillance (Hauraki Gulf
islands)
Brush wattle Paraserianthes lophantha Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Buddleia Buddleja davidii Surveillance
Bur daisy Calotis lappulacea Surveillance
Burdock Arctium minus Surveillance
Bushy asparagus Asparagus aethiopicus syn. A.
densiflorus
Containment (removal)
Buttercup bush Senna septemtrionalis Surveillance (Hauraki Gulf
islands)
Californian bulrush Schoenoplectus californicus Surveillance
Cape honey flower Melianthus major Surveillance
Cape ivy Senecio angulatus Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Cape sundew Drosera capensis Surveillance
Cape tulip Moraea flaccida syn. Homeria collina Surveillance
Carex Carex divulsa Surveillance
Castor oil plant Ricinus communis Surveillance
Cathedral bells Cobaea scandens Total control
Cat’s claw creeper Macfadyena unguis-cati Surveillance
Caulerpa Caulerpa taxifolia Surveillance
Chilean flame creeper Tropaeolum speciosum Surveillance
Chilean glory creeper Eccremocarpus scaber Surveillance
Cilean needle grass Nassella neesiana Total control
Chilean rhubarb Gunnera tinctoria Surveillance
Clasped pondweed Potamogeton perfoliatus Surveillance
Clematis flammula Clematis flammula Surveillance
Climbing asparagus Asparagus scandens Surveillance and Community
Initiative
Climbing dock Rumex sagittatus Surveillance
Climbing gloxinia Lophospermum erubescens Surveillance
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 37
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme (applies
throughout region unless
otherwise stated)
Climbing spindle berry Celastrus orbiculatus Total control
Coast banksia Banksia integrifolia Surveillance
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara Surveillance
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster glaucophyllus &
C. franchetii
Surveillance
Crack willow Salix x fragilis Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Darwin’s barberry Berberis darwinii Surveillance
Devil’s fig Solanum torvum Total control
Devil’s tail Persicaria perfoliata syn. Polygonum
perfoliatum
Total control
Drooping prickly pear Opuntia monacantha Surveillance
Dusky coral pea Kennedia rubicunda Surveillance
Eel grass Vallisneria australis (syn. V.
gigantean & V. spiralis)
Surveillance
Egeria Egeria densa Total control (Great Barrier)
and Surveillance elsewhere
Elaeagnus Elaeagnus x reflexa Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Elephant’s ear A. brisbanensis Surveillance
English ivy Hedera helix subsp. helix Surveillance
False tamarisk Myricaria germanica Surveillance
Fire tree Myrica faya Surveillance
Firethorn Pyracantha angustifolia Surveillance
Formosa lily Lilium formosanum Surveillance
Fringed water lily Nymphoides peltata Surveillance
German ivy Delairea odorata syn. Senecio
mikanioides
Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum Surveillance
Giant reed Arundo donax Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Goat’s rue Galega officinalis Surveillance
Gorse Ulex spp. Containment (boundary
control) in rural areas and
Surveillance elsewhere
and Community Initiative
Great reedmace Typha latifolia Total control
Green cestrum Cestrum parqui Total control
Grey willow Salix cinerea Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Guinea grass Megathyrsus maximus syn. Panicum
maximum
Surveillance
Gypsywort Lycopus europaeus Surveillance
Hawkweed All Hieracium spp. Surveillance
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 38 | Discussion document
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme (applies
throughout region unless
otherwise stated)
Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Surveillance
Heather Calluna vulgaris (excluding double
flowered cultivars)
Surveillance
Hemlock Conium maculatum Surveillance
Himalayan honeysuckle Leycesteria formosa Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum Surveillance
Horsetail All Equisetum spp. Surveillance
Houttuynia Houttuynia cordata Total control
Hydrilla Hydrilla verticillata Surveillance
Iceplant Carpobrotus edulis & hybrids Surveillance
Italian arum Arum italicum Surveillance
Italian jasmine Jasminum humile Surveillance
Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Japanese spindle tree Euonymus japonicus Surveillance
Jasmine Jasminum polyanthum
Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Johnson grass Sorghum halepense Surveillance
Kangaroo acacia Acacia paradoxa Surveillance
Khasia berry Cotoneaster symondsii syn. C.
simonsii
Surveillance
Kudzu vine Pueraria lobata syn. P. montana Total control
Lagarosiphon, Oxygen
weed
Lagarosiphon major Surveillance
Lantana Lantana camara
Total control (rural areas) and
Surveillance elsewhere
Lizard’s tail Saururus cernuus Surveillance
Lodgepole pine Pinus contorta Surveillance
Madeira vine Anredera cordifolia Total control in High
Conservation Value sites
and Surveillance elsewhere
and Community Initiative
Male fern Dryopteris filix-mas Surveillance
Manchurian wild rice Zizania latifolia Total control
Marshwort Nymphoides geminata Total control
Mexican daisy Erigeron karvinskianus Surveillance
Mexican feather grass Nassella tenuissima Total control
Mexican water lily Nymphaea mexicana Surveillance
Mickey Mouse plant Ochna serrulata Surveillance
Mile-a-minute Dipogon lignosus Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Mist flower Ageratina riparia Surveillance
Monkey apple Syzygium smithii syn. Acmena smithii Surveillance and
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 39
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme (applies
throughout region unless
otherwise stated)
Community Initiative
Montbretia Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora Surveillance
Montpellier broom Genista monspessulana syn. Teline
monspessulana
Surveillance
Moth plant Araujia hortorum syn. Araujia
sericifera
Containment (removal) in
mapped zones of Waitākere,
Hunua, North Shore and
Hauraki Gulf islands and
Surveillance elsewhere and
Community Initiative
Nardoo Marsilea mutica Surveillance
Nassella species Nassella spp. Surveillance
Nassella tussock Nassella trichotoma Total control
Needle grass Austrostipa rudis Total control
Nodding thistle Carduus nutans Containment (removal)
Noogoora bur Xanthium strumarium syn.
occidentale
Surveillance
Norfolk Island hibiscus Lagunaria patersonia Surveillance
Nutgrass Cyperus rotundus Surveillance
Old man’s beard Clematis vitalba Total control
Oxylobium Callistachys lanceolata Surveillance
Palm grass Setaria palmifolia Surveillance
and
Community Initiative
Pampas grass Cortaderia jubata & C. selloana Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Paperbark poplar Melaleuca quinquenervia Surveillance
Parrot’s feather Myriophyllum aquaticum Surveillance
Pennisetum (now
Cenchrus) species
(except kikuyu grass and
pearl millet)
All Pennisetum spp., now Cenchrus
spp. (except P. clandestinum, now C.
clandestinus & P. glaucum, now C.
americanus)
Surveillance
Perennial nettle Urtica dioica Surveillance
Periwinkle Vinca major Surveillance
Phoenix palm Phoenix canariensis Surveillance
Phragmites Phragmites australis Surveillance
Pitted crassula Crassula multicava Surveillance
Plectranthus Plectranthus ciliatus Surveillance
Plumeless thistle Carduus acanthoides Surveillance
Port Jackson fig Ficus rubiginosa Surveillance
Privet Ligustrum lucidum & L. sinense Surveillance and
Community Initiative
Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria Total control
Pyp grass Ehrharta villosa Surveillance
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 40 | Discussion document
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme (applies
throughout region unless
otherwise stated)
Queensland poplar Homalanthus populifolius Surveillance
Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris syn. Senecio
jacobaea
Containment (boundary
control) in rural areas and
Surveillance elsewhere and
Community Initiative
Reed sweet grass Glyceria maxima Surveillance
Rhamnus Rhamnus alaternus
Total control (Hauraki Gulf
Controlled Area) and
Containment in mapped
mainland coastal zone and
Surveillance elsewhere in
region and Community
Initiative
Rhus tree Toxicodendron succedaneum syn.
Rhus succedanea
Surveillance
Rough tree fern Cyathea cooperi Surveillance
Royal fern Osmunda regalis Total control
Saffron thistle Carthamus lanatus Surveillance
Sagittaria species All Sagittaria spp. (except S. teres) Total control
Salvinia Salvinia molesta Surveillance
Scrambling lily Geitonoplesium cymosum Total control
Senegal tea Gymnocoronis spilanthoides Total control
Sexton’s bride Rhaphiolepis umbellata Surveillance
Sheep’s bur Acaena agnipila Surveillance
Skeleton weed Chondrilla juncea Surveillance
Smilax Asparagus asparagoides Containment (removal) on
Great Barrier island and in
mapped zone of Waitākere
and Surveillance elsewhere
and Community Initiative
Snow poppy Eomecon chionantha Surveillance
Spanish heath Erica lusitanica Surveillance
Spartina Spartina alterniflora, S. anglica & S. x
townsendii
Total control (Waitematā and
Manukau harbours and east
coast waterbodies) and
Surveillance elsewhere
Spiny broom Calicotome spinosa Surveillance
Strangling fig Ficus microcarpa Surveillance
Sweet briar Rosa rubiginosa Surveillance
Sweet pea shrub Polygala myrtifolia (excl. cv.
‘Grandiflora’)
Surveillance
Sweet pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum Surveillance
Tasmanian ngaio Myoporum insulare including hybrids Surveillance
Tradescantia Tradescantia fluminensis Surveillance and
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 41
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme (applies
throughout region unless
otherwise stated)
Community Initiative
Tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima Surveillance
Tuber ladder fern Nephrolepis cordifolia
Surveillance
and Community Initiative
Tutsan Hypericum androsaemum Surveillance
Variegated thistle Silybum marianum Containment (removal)
Velvet groundsel Roldana petasitis syn. Senecio
petasitis
Surveillance
Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes Surveillance
Water lettuce Pistia stratiotes Surveillance
Water poppy Hydrocleys nymphoides Total control
Water primrose Ludwigia peploides subsp.
montevidensis
Surveillance
White bryony Bryonia cretica Surveillance
White-edged nightshade Solanum marginatum Total control
Wild broom Cytisus scoparius (excl. cultivated
varieties)
Total control (rural areas)
and Surveillance elsewhere
Wild ginger Hedychium gardnerianum & H.
flavescens
Containment (removal) on
Great Barrier and in mapped
areas of Waitākere and Hunua
and Surveillance elsewhere
and Community Initiative
Wild kiwifruit Actinidia species (wild varieties only) Containment in natural
habitats throughout region
Woolly nightshade Solanum mauritianum
Containment (removal) on
Great Barrier and in mapped
areas of Waitākere and
Containment (boundary
control) elsewhere and
Community Initiative
Yellow flag Iris pseudacorus Surveillance
Yellow water lily Nuphar lutea Surveillance
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 42 | Discussion document
Āpitihanga tuarua: Ngā kararehe orotā i te wā nei
Appendix two: Current animal pests
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme
Invertebrates
Argentine ant Linepithema humile Declared pest across the region
Asian paper wasp Polistes chinensis Declared pest across the region
Australian paper
wasp
Polistes humilis Declared pest across the region
Common wasp Vespula vulgaris Declared pest across the region
German wasp Vespula germanica Declared pest across the region
Freshwater Fish
Brown bullhead catfish Ameiurus nebulosus syn. Ictalurus
nebulosus
Declared pest across the region
Gambusia Gambusia affinis
Declared pest across the region
Gudgeon Gobio gobio
Declared pest across the region
Koi carp Cyprinus carpio
Declared pest across the region
Marron Cherax tenuimanus & C.
quadracarinatus
Declared pest across the region
Orfe Leuciscus idus Declared pest across the region
Perch Perca fluviatilis
Declared pest in high conservation
value water bodies and their
catchments
Rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus Declared pest in high conservation
value water bodies and their
catchments
Tench Tinca tinca Declared pest in high conservation
value water bodies and their
catchments
Reptiles
Bearded dragon Pogona barbata syn. Amphibolurus
barbatus
Declared pest across the region
when not held in secure containment
Blue-tongued skink Tiliqua scincoides & T. nigrolutea Surveillance throughout region
Eastern water dragon Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii
Declared pest across the region
when not held in secure containment
Red-eared slider turtle Trachemys scripta elegans Declared pest across the region
when not held in secure containment
Shingleback lizard Trachydosaurus rugosus syn. Declared pest across the region
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 43
Common name Scientific name Current management
programme
Tiliqua rugosa when not held in secure containment
Mammals
Feral cat Felis catus Declared pest across the region
Feral deer Cervus, Axis, Dama, Odocoileus, or
Elaphurus spp. including any hybrid
Declared pest across the region
Feral goat Capra hircus feral Declared pest across the region
Feral pig Sus scrofa Declared pest across the region
Ferret Mustela furo Declared pest across the region
Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus occidentalis Declared pest across the region
Magpie Gymnorhina spp. Declared pest across the region
Mouse Mus musculus Declared pest in Hauraki Gulf
Controlled Area
Possum Trichosurus vulpecula Declared pest across the region
Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus cuniculus Declared pest across the region
Rats (Ship and
Norway rat and Kiore2)
Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus
and Rattus exulans
Declared pest across the region
Stoat Mustela erminea Declared pest across the region
Wallabies Macropus, Petrogale or Wallabia
spp.
Declared pest across the region
Weasel Mustela nivalis vulgaris Declared pest across the region
Birds
Myna Acridotheres tristis Declared pest across the region
Rook Corvus frugilegus Declared pest across the region
Sulphur-crested
cockatoo
Cacatua galerita Declared pest across the region
wherever it is not held in secure
confinement
2 Representatives of Ngāti Wai have stated that they regard Kiore as taonga. Kiore are present on some outer
off-shore islands in the Hauraki Gulf (e.g. Aotea). Auckland Council recommends consultation with mana whenua (including but not limited to Ngāti Wai) before any rat control that may impact on Kiore is undertaken.
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 44 | Discussion document
Āpitihanga tuatoru: Ngā mahi rangahau koiora i te wā nei
Appendix three: Current research organisms
Plant species Common Name Scientific Name
Agapanthus (dwarf forms) Agapanthus spp. & cultivars & hybrids
Alder Alnus glutinosa
Bangalow palm Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
Bead tree Adenanthera pavonina
Bear’s breeches Acanthus mollis
Brazilian rattlebox Sesbania punicea
Camphor laurel Cinnamomum camphora
Century plant Agave americana
Chilean rhubarb Gunnera manicata
Chinese fan palm Trachycarpus fortunei
Chocolate vine Akebia quinata
Cretan brake Pteris cretica
Dally pine Psoralea pinnata
Feral olives Olea europaea
Furcraea species Furcraea spp.
Guava Psidium guajava & P. cattleianum
Loquat Eriobotrya japonica
Marram grass Ammophila arenaria
Moreton Bay fig Ficus macrophylla
Porcelain berry Ampelopsis brevipedunculata
Queen of the night Cestrum nocturnum
Queensland umbrella tree Schefflera actinophylla
Silky acacia Albizia julibrissin
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus
Sydney golden wattle Acacia longifolia
Taiwan cherry Prunus campanulata
Wild tamarind Leucaena leucocephala
Wongawonga vine Pandorea pandorana
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 45
Animal species Common Name Scientific Name
Bearded dragon Amphibolurus barbatus syn. Pogona barbata
Darwin’s ant Doleromyrma darwiniana
Eastern water dragon Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii
Feral peafowl Pavo cristatus
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Hare Lepus europaeus
Rainbow skink (now Plague skink) Lampropholis delicata
Red-eared slider turtle Trachemys scripta elegans
Shingleback lizard Trachydosaurus rugosus syn. Tiliqua rugosa
Tree frog Litoria species
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review 46 | Discussion document
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan consultation
questions:
Ngā kawenga o Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland Council’s role in
pest management:
Q1: What should Auckland Council’s role be in pest management?
Ngā take tupu kīrearea - Pest plant issues:
Q2: What plant species should be added or removed from the regional pest
management plan?
Q3: How should council manage pest plant species?
Ngā take kīrehe kīrearea - Pest animal issues
Q4: What animal species should be added or removed from the regional pest
management plan?
Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan review Discussion document | 47
Q5: How should council manage pest animal species?
Whakahaere kīrearea i Tikapa Moana/Te Moananui ā Toi me ngā kīrearea waitai
Pest management in the Hauraki Gulf and marine
Q6: How should the special nature of Tikapa Moana/Te Moananui ā Toi - the
Hauraki Gulf be reflected in the new regional pest management plan?
Q7: How might the issue of marine pests be addressed?
Whakahaere ngā take kīrearea - The future of pest control
Q8: How can the council best continue to support pest management community
groups?
Q9: Do you have any additional comments on pest management in the Tāmaki
Makaurau – Auckland region?
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