All 21 Otago Regional Council candidates have been implored ''to take an active lead'' in the war against wilding pines, and two candidates have already voiced their support.
Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group (WCG) cochairman Peter Willsman, of Queenstown, says in a letter to all candidates the Otago community is concerned the Otago Regional Council, as the leading pest agency in the region, has not taken a proactive role in wilding control.
This inaction was despite other district and regional councils becoming proactive and the rampant wilding conifer tree spread now seen as a nationwide problem.
''We would like to see ORC take an active lead and offering financial, staffing and a stronger RPMS [regional pest management strategy] in support of the wilding issue,'' Mr Willsman said in the letter.
''The wilding problem is a regional resource management issue and is consistent with ORC policies. It is important that you as an ORC candidate, a representative of the Otago community, recognise the wilding issue and urge ORC to follow the direction of other district councils and step up their involvement in the wilding issue.
''The voting population of Otago, the Queenstown Lakes District Council and WCG will look to you to enforce the RPMS, to review the RPMS and to support local initiatives.''
Mr Willsman said the WCG and Otago community had been lobbying the regional council for support on wilding trees for many years.
''Every year, the response was that wilding conifers are the landowner's responsibility and a landscape issue,'' he said.
''We are finding that landowners have insufficient income from grazing their land to control wildings. Often the problem is postponed, with consequent exponential seed spread.
Candidates are told the ORC includes Pinus contorta in its RPMS, but enforcement has been minimal.
Mr Willsman said the group would like a response from each candidate on their stance in the wilding conifer issue.
