A $300,000 eradication programme spearheaded by the Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group (WCG) will target aggressively spreading pines on more than 1500ha of public and private land in Kawarau Gorge this summer.
Efforts will be mainly visible around the Roaring Meg Power Station. However, the operation will also cover large parts of the Lowburn and Waitiri stations which extend into nearby back country, as well as the Mt Difficulty Station, on the southern side of the gorge, the group announced this week.
The work is expected to happen over five days between January 4 and February 15. The weather will determine the timing as relatively calm, dry days provided the best conditions.
Group chief executive Briana Pringle said the Roaring Meg area had always been a priority and became an issue with the spread of pines into the back country.
"We got together with the stakeholders and landowners involved and first of all talked about coming back to a containment line and then, because the landowners have seen the spread over the last 20 years, and especially over the last five years, they said eradication was the only way to go, or else we'll be forever throwing money at this area to contain it."
Eradication will be carried out by spraying from a helicopter using either a boom for wide application, or spot spraying using a lance.
Ground tactics will involve spot spraying by hand and both chainsaw and handsaw gangs to remove pines in difficult areas and from alongside the road.
The charitable incorporated society worked with the Department of Conservation, the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago district councils, the New Zealand Transport Agency and Land Information New Zealand, plus private landowners and Pioneer Generation.
The aim was to control the natural regeneration of seedling spread from introduced pines which dominate native biodiversity and high tussock landscapes.
Funding for the operation came from the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board and the Central Lakes Trust.
