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A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mount Richmond will create jobs and help protect the  unique ecosystems of the South Island forest park according to New Zealand Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor.

Administered by the Department of Conservation, the Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country.

However, Minister O’Connor explains “these special plant species are currently at risk of being lost due to the invasive pine forest in the area. The wilding conifer control work proposed in this project will restore the specialised ecosystems on unique mineral-rich rock types.”

Led by Tasman District Council, the $620,000 project is an extension of the $1.3 million New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) funding for Mt Richmond Forest Park Wilding Conifer control this year. The funding will create employment opportunities for an additional eight full time equivalent employees and training opportunities spread over a three-year period.

Employees will perform wilding conifer control throughout the Mt Richmond Forest Park and some adjoining privately owned and Marlborough and Nelson council lands (approximately 28,000 hectares).

Minister O’Connor adds “this project creates employment opportunities specifically for local tourism workers whose jobs have been lost with the almost complete cessation of international tourism," and also complements some silvicultural workers in the Tasman region.”

The original proposal for MPI had been scoped prior to COVID-19 and was largely planned for helicopters to undertake aerial work and ground crews.

However, this investment, through the Department of Conservation’s Jobs for Nature funding may allow ground control teams to substitute for some of the aerial work to better target smaller trees and seedlings.

The New Zealand Government’s Jobs for Nature programme is a $1.245 billion investment in the creation of 11,000 nature-based jobs. As a part of this programme the Department of Conservation will allocate $500 million to projects that will create 6,000 nature-based jobs over a four-year period.

The Mt Richmond wilding conifer ground control was identified as a priority for Jobs for Nature funding by Kotahitanga måte Taiao Alliance, a top of the South Island alliance of iwi, councils and DOC that is working collaboratively to enhance resilience in natural landscapes and communities across the region.

Image courtesy of the Department of Conservation.

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