The Otago Regional Council's failure to list pinus contorta in its draft annual plan is symptomatic of its attitude towards wilding pines, Emeritus Prof Sir Alan Mark says.
Prof Mark spoke to his submission at the council's annual plan hearing in Dunedin yesterday.
He questioned why the council had left pinus contorta off a list of pests listed in its draft plan summary when it was listed as an extermination species in its pest management plan.
''It's the only one omitted. There seems to be a reluctance to face up to the threat.''
Wilding conifer invasions in the high country were a significant threat to biodiversity.
He urged the council to again become involved in biodiversity by employing a biodiversity officer to engage with the community.
Panel member council chairman Stephen Woodhead said council staff were working with landowners with wilding tree problems and if the work was not done, the council was requiring it be done.
Pest plants were also a concern for Port Chalmers Community Board member Steve Walker, who asked the council to become involved in finding a solution to the spread of sycamore trees along State Highway 88.
It was particularly bad from Ravensbourne to Maia, private and public land both being affected, he said.
The board hoped a ''multifaceted'' approach to the problem could be taken by the regional and city councils, the New Zealand Transport Agency and KiwiRail.
Panel chairman Cr David Shepherd said sycamores were not part of the pest management strategy, but the strategy was being reviewed next year so sycamores should be mentioned then.
