A new app released this week shows where wilding pines are an issue, but in Central Otago a large group of people have been concerned for a long time about the trees increasingly making their mark on the landscape. Pam Jones finds out about the campaign to rid the region of rogue trees following the announcement of funding for the next clearing project.
It is a question that vexes many who walk and look at Central Otago’s rock and tussock-filled hills — why do people who love trees want to chop so many of them down?
But those committed to a Central Otago group pledging to save the region’s landscapes from wilding pines say the answer is simple: they love trees as much (if not more) than everyone else. You just need the right ones in the right places.
Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group (COWCCG) project manager Phil Murray is used to the detractors, and speaks calmly and factually explaining the group’s mission.
"The reason why the uncontrolled spread of wilding conifers is a problem in our district is because it poses a significant threat to our unique landscape, our economic resources in tourism and farming, our indigenous biodiversity and to the fire regime that exists in our extensively managed landscapes ... Wilding conifers, because of their higher stature than native vegetation and their ability to grow in a wide range of environments, have the potential to become the sole and dominant vegetation on as much as 70% of Central Otago district. We have a duty to future generations to act now to protect our unique open rural landscapes that have always characterised this part of the country."
The COWCCG was formed in 2012 in response to increasing concern from various sectors about the spread of wilding pines, which in the words of the Department of Conservation (Doc) were "introduced conifers that are spreading across the landscape — self-sown and unwanted".
The group spent the next few years developing a control strategy and sourcing initial funding, and did its first control work early last year, small clearings at Naseby and Dairy Creek that cost $40,000.
As the group gained traction and more funding, work stepped up.
In the 2016-17 financial year, 140,000ha was cleared in the Kakanui-Ida-St Mary areas, using $726,000 of combined government, partner agency and landowner funding. This financial year, 180,000ha of land within a 258,000ha area in the Lammermoor and Alexandra area was earmarked for clearing in a $500,000 programme, for which $200,000 of government funding was confirmed this week.
It is significant spending and Mr Murray said he was confident the group would meet its goals in its five-year strategy, having exceeded them so far.
"I’m confident we will crack the problem. I wasn’t confident five years ago, but I’m confident now. Five years ago no-one was doing anything, but now there’s a plan and we’re getting there."
But not everyone agrees with the group’s philosophy and work.
There has been much public criticism about the sight of dead trees in the Roaring Meg (done by the neighbouring Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group) and some did not like the sight of dead trees in Central Otago either.
Alexandra businessman and miner Bob Kilgour called the felling and poisoning of trees "wanton destruction" of our biodiversity and landscape by "uncontrolled zealots" who were "hell-bent" on wiping out wilding pines.
He pointed to various areas — such as Cromwell and the Kawarau Gorge — where he said the killing of trees had left either a rotting mess or opened areas up for the spread of other invasive species.
"Ironically, the removal of the trees is now going to allow more briar to invade our landscape. If the tree-slashers are so concerned about our landscape let them put their hand in their pockets and spray the invasive briar," Mr Kilgour said.
Mr Kilgour was also upset about the possibility of non-wilding trees being affected by poisoning; he said in the Roaring Meg area an important blue gum forest surrounding a historic miner’s hut and workings had been totally destroyed.
Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group manager Briana Pringle said the Wakatipu group last year had a budget of $1,450,000 and this year’s funding had not yet been confirmed but would be more than that.
The group kept working with landowners in the Roaring Meg area, planting natives and poplars there.
But no spraying had ever been done by the Wakatipu group in the area where blue gums had died. She said it was thought the Roaring Meg blue gums had died naturally, as had happened in other Wakatipu areas such as Sunshine Bay, Hidden Island and on the road to Kingston.
Mr Murray acknowledged the issue was not "black and white" and that dead trees could mar a landscape for a time, but said they eventually rotted and faded away.
But it was all in the eye of the beholder, he said. In some countries where landscapes were being cleared of wilding pines, the sight of a poisoned and dying pine tree was viewed positively, because it meant wilding pine control work was being effective.
Mr Murray also acknowledged the removal of wilding pines could open up some areas to invasive species such as briar and broom. But they were the lesser of the two evils, he said.
"If conifers get away they will totally wipe out the indigenous understorey [plant life growing beneath the forest canopy] because of their stature — they [conifers] determine who wins the light."
Broom and briar would coexist with native plants, and eventually natives would win out, he said.
Mr Murray said the Central Otago group was trying to fell trees rather than poison them, partly because of public perception and feedback — even though felling trees was more expensive than poisoning them.
But he said it was vital the work was done. Not only were Central Otago’s landscape and biodiversity at threat from wilding pines, but the fire risk from conifer spread was immense.
"One of the most serious reasons for the work is the fire risk — it is huge. We don’t want to end up like Australia, California or the drier parts of Europe, where they have such terrible problems with trees and fires."
But as well as working to educate and win over the public, the COWCCG was still working with other sectors and organisations.
Mr Murray said one of the main challenges facing the group was trying to get commercial forestry owners to contain the spread from their trees, which were often invasive species. Forestry blocks beside vulnerable areas such as Lake Onslow and the Te Papanui Conservation areas were causing the spread of wilding pines, and it was vital commercial forestry owners were given a legal responsibility through the Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) regional pest management strategy to contain the spread.
When it came to the ORC’s involvement in the wilding pine issue, Mr Murray was diplomatic.
Last financial year the ORC contributed $50,000 to each of the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district councils for wilding pine management work, and the year before that it provided $10,000 to each area.
This financial year the ORC would provide $100,000 to each council. But the funding was still "a drop in the bucket", Mr Murray said. He said it was good the ORC had "come on board" and hoped it would step up and provide more funding. He said he was confident the ORC’s Dunstan councillors would keep pressuring the council to provide more funding, and that it was essential the ORC’s regional pest management strategy had more clout.
ORC chief executive Peter Bodeker said progress was being made and suggested the heading for this story could be "ORC doubles funding [for wilding pines]".
General conifer species were now included in the council’s regional pest management strategy (so as to be eligible for a new $16million government fund that provides up to 60% government funding for wilding pine eradication) and the strategy would be reviewed within 12 months.
He said public feedback showed people wanted something done about wilding pines, although not everybody supported removal of the trees, and he would not provide a "yes" or "no" when asked whether the ORC supported the COWCCG and its programme.
"We support them to the level of the $100,000 we are spending."
Mr Murray said work was being done by contractors at present, but volunteers would later be involved with maintenance work — the COWCCG strategy sought only to clear enough wilding pines so areas could then be handed back to landowners for maintenance.
"If they [conifers] were well behaved and stayed where they were planted there wouldn’t be a problem. But they spread like crazy and take over. That’s the problem."
At a glance
• Ten introduced conifer species mainly responsible, including radiata pine, Douglas fir and contorta.
• Seeds spread in wind when conifer cones mature on tree and open. Plant needs no special conditions to take root and grow.
• Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group has about 30 members, including founding members the Central Otago District Council, Department of Conservation, Land and Information New Zealand, Federated Farmers, Te Rununga o Ngai Tahu, the Otago Regional Council, the Central Otago-Lakes branch of Royal Forest and Bird Society of New Zealand, and New Zealand Forest Owners Association.
