Proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and Biosecurity Strategy

Consultation has concluded


TĒNĀ KOUTOU KATOA

Otago Regional Council (ORC) has a proposed Regional Pest Management Plan, which sets out the framework for how pest plants and animals, specified in the plan, will be managed in the Otago region over the next 10 years.

We’ve also developed a proposed Biosecurity Strategy, which sets out ORC's biosecurity priorities and a programme of action for how we will deliver biosecurity activities over the next 10 years.

Public submissions and feedback closed on 14 December 2018 and hearings were held in June 2019 in Dunedin and Queenstown.

To view the submissions we received and for all information relating to the hearings, click here.

The Hearing Panel have finished their deliberations and their recommendations will be brought to the next ORC council meeting on 25 September 2019.

If you have any questions you can use the "Ask Us a Question" tab below or email us at pests@orc.govt.nz(External link)

Next steps...

Upcoming Council Decision

Recommendations from the Hearing Panel in response to submissions will be taken to the next ORC Council meeting on 25 September 2019.

If Council approves the recommendations, ORC will notify the public about its decision on the Regional Pest Management Plan and its decision to adopt the Strategy. The Regional Pest Management Plan will then be subject to appeal. Stay tuned for the Council decision and notification date.

Appeals

Once a decision has been notified by ORC on the Regional Pest Management Plan, submitters can make an application to the Environment Court on the matters set out in section 76(2) of the Biosecurity Act 1993. The application must be made within 15 working days of the notice of the decision.

We will be in touch with submitters to send out ORC’s decision and provide information on how they can make an application to the Environment Court. Keep an eye on this page for updates and key dates as they are set.


TĒNĀ KOUTOU KATOA

Otago Regional Council (ORC) has a proposed Regional Pest Management Plan, which sets out the framework for how pest plants and animals, specified in the plan, will be managed in the Otago region over the next 10 years.

We’ve also developed a proposed Biosecurity Strategy, which sets out ORC's biosecurity priorities and a programme of action for how we will deliver biosecurity activities over the next 10 years.

Public submissions and feedback closed on 14 December 2018 and hearings were held in June 2019 in Dunedin and Queenstown.

To view the submissions we received and for all information relating to the hearings, click here.

The Hearing Panel have finished their deliberations and their recommendations will be brought to the next ORC council meeting on 25 September 2019.

If you have any questions you can use the "Ask Us a Question" tab below or email us at pests@orc.govt.nz(External link)

Next steps...

Upcoming Council Decision

Recommendations from the Hearing Panel in response to submissions will be taken to the next ORC Council meeting on 25 September 2019.

If Council approves the recommendations, ORC will notify the public about its decision on the Regional Pest Management Plan and its decision to adopt the Strategy. The Regional Pest Management Plan will then be subject to appeal. Stay tuned for the Council decision and notification date.

Appeals

Once a decision has been notified by ORC on the Regional Pest Management Plan, submitters can make an application to the Environment Court on the matters set out in section 76(2) of the Biosecurity Act 1993. The application must be made within 15 working days of the notice of the decision.

We will be in touch with submitters to send out ORC’s decision and provide information on how they can make an application to the Environment Court. Keep an eye on this page for updates and key dates as they are set.

Consultation has concluded

  • Proposed Regional Pest Management Plan – Site-led Programmes in Dunedin

    10 months ago
    Site led invite west harbour
    Otago Regional Council’s proposed Regional Pest Management Plan includes site-led programmes in Dunedin, to work with communities to protect biodiversity values. Two of the proposed areas are West Harbour-Mt Cargill, and the Otago Peninsula.

    If you want to know more, drop by the Chalmers Lounge at the Port Chalmers Town Hall between 6-8pm on Tuesday 4 December, or the Portobello Bowling Club between 6-8pm on Wednesday 5 December.

    ORC, Dunedin City Council and Predator Free Dunedin will be there to answer any questions and give you more information.


    Otago Regional Council’s proposed Regional Pest Management Plan includes site-led programmes in Dunedin, to work with communities to protect biodiversity values. Two of the proposed areas are West Harbour-Mt Cargill, and the Otago Peninsula.

    If you want to know more, drop by the Chalmers Lounge at the Port Chalmers Town Hall between 6-8pm on Tuesday 4 December, or the Portobello Bowling Club between 6-8pm on Wednesday 5 December.

    ORC, Dunedin City Council and Predator Free Dunedin will be there to answer any questions and give you more information.


  • Media Release: Consultation is now open for Otago’s proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and Biosecurity Strategy

    11 months ago
    20120406 221324 00003 copy

    The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is asking for submissions on the Proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and feedback on the proposed Biosecurity Strategy.

    The proposed plan is the regulatory document that outlines both the ORC’s and land occupier’s roles and requirements in managing specified pests that can have an impact on Otago’s economy, communities and environment.

    As the current plan expires in 2019, the ORC has drafted a proposed plan that will cover the next ten years.

    ORC councillor Andrew Noone, who is the chair of the pest reference group that helped develop the proposed Regional Pest...

    The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is asking for submissions on the Proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and feedback on the proposed Biosecurity Strategy.

    The proposed plan is the regulatory document that outlines both the ORC’s and land occupier’s roles and requirements in managing specified pests that can have an impact on Otago’s economy, communities and environment.

    As the current plan expires in 2019, the ORC has drafted a proposed plan that will cover the next ten years.

    ORC councillor Andrew Noone, who is the chair of the pest reference group that helped develop the proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and proposed Biosecurity Strategy, said it was a positive step for Otago.

    “I’m pleased we signed off these documents today, and can now take them to the public for their views. The new plan will do a great job at protecting Otago from pest plants and animals that can have a negative impact on our environment and economy, as well as the people who live in and visit the region,” he said.

    Five pest management programmes are incorporated in the proposed plan. These include programmes around exclusion (preventing the spread of pests), progressive containment (containing or reducing distribution of pests over time), eradication (reducing the infestation to zero), sustained control (providing ongoing control), and site-led programmes (controlling pests in a specific place to protect its values).

    New additions to the animal pest list include feral cats, feral deer, feral goats, feral pigs, hedgehogs, mustelids, possums, and rats.

    Some of the new additions to the plant pest list include Chilean flame creeper, banana passionfruit, moth plant, 11 species of wilding conifers, and wild Russell lupins.

    ORC Director of Environmental Monitoring and Operations, Scott MacLean said, “We’ve developed the proposed Regional Pest Management Plan in tandem with our Biosecurity Strategy. The strategy outlines ways to proactively manage biosecurity issues in Otago, before they escalate.

    “It also encourages a collaborative approach towards these initiatives to come from individuals and communities, all the way up to support from a national level,” he said.

    Submissions on the proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and feedback on Biosecurity Strategy are open from now until 14 December 2018.

    Submissions can be made online at https://yoursay.orc.govt.nz/pestplan, at ORC’s Alexandra, Dunedin and Queenstown offices or public libraries throughout Otago.

    Alternatively, you can call the ORC customer service team on 0800 474 082 to have a hardcopy form sent out to you.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Scott MacLean – ORC Director Environmental Monitoring and Operations – 027 411 9459
    scott.maclean@orc.govt.nz

    FOR COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:
    027 627 5894 or media@orc.govt.nz


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  • A guide to the Proposed Plan and Strategy

    11 months ago
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    This guide gives an overview of the proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and Biosecurity Strategy, and what they might mean for you. Click here to view.


    This guide gives an overview of the proposed Regional Pest Management Plan and Biosecurity Strategy, and what they might mean for you. Click here to view.


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  • Key differences in the new Regional Pest Management Plan

    11 months ago
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    GOOD NEIGHBOUR RULES

    • Good neighbour rules have been proposed for gorse, broom, Russell lupin, ragwort, nodding thistle, rabbits and wilding conifers. These are new rules that can bind land occupiers, including the Crown, to perform pest control if a neighbouring property is doing so.

    NEW GORSE AND BROOM RULES

    • The plan proposes to extend the gorse and broom free areas beyond the existing areas.
    • New 10:10 rules are proposed, meaning if a landowner is gorse and broom free 10 metres from their boundaries, then neighbouring properties must also manage these pest plants 10 metres from their boundary.

    NEW EXCLUSION PESTS

    GOOD NEIGHBOUR RULES

    • Good neighbour rules have been proposed for gorse, broom, Russell lupin, ragwort, nodding thistle, rabbits and wilding conifers. These are new rules that can bind land occupiers, including the Crown, to perform pest control if a neighbouring property is doing so.

    NEW GORSE AND BROOM RULES

    • The plan proposes to extend the gorse and broom free areas beyond the existing areas.
    • New 10:10 rules are proposed, meaning if a landowner is gorse and broom free 10 metres from their boundaries, then neighbouring properties must also manage these pest plants 10 metres from their boundary.

    NEW EXCLUSION PESTS

    • African feather grass, Chilean needle grass, false tamarisk and moth plant have all been added to the list of pests we hope to keep out of Otago.

    NEW PESTS

    • There are proposed new rules for Russell lupins, and wilding conifers now include more species.

    NEW SITE-LED PROGRAMMES

    • New site-led programmes have been added to manage a range of additional pest plants and animals in areas where there are special biodiversity values. These include Chilean flame creeper, Darwin’s barberry, possums and mustelids.

    PESTS ARE SPLIT INTO FIVE DIFFERENT PEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES

    • This is a different approach from the current plan. The programmes are: exclusion, eradication, progressive containment, sustained control, and site-led programmes. Please see the summary guide for more information.

    FOLLOWS A NATIONAL TEMPLATE

    • The new proposed plan follows a national template to ensure some consistency across NZ. This will bring Otago’s proposed plan in line with other regional councils around NZ, especially neighbouring councils.

    RABBIT RULES

    • Simpler rabbit control rules are proposed that no longer require management plans. Please refer to section 6.4.6 in the proposed plan.
    • This means ORC can take compliance action sooner and our rules align with neighbouring Councils.

    COST ALLOCATION

    • A new way of allocating the costs of managing the pests in the plan is proposed, which will change how the management of different species are rated.

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  • Previous community engagement

    11 months ago
    20160607 143902 00002

    In October and November 2017, ORC asked stakeholders and communities for ideas to help us shape how we will manage pests in Otago over the next 10 years. We asked for views on:

    • Pest management issues in Otago
    • What does and doesn’t work well in the existing plan
    • What could go into the new pest plan
    • What other pest management activities could we be more involved in

    Click here for a summary.


    In October and November 2017, ORC asked stakeholders and communities for ideas to help us shape how we will manage pests in Otago over the next 10 years. We asked for views on:

    • Pest management issues in Otago
    • What does and doesn’t work well in the existing plan
    • What could go into the new pest plan
    • What other pest management activities could we be more involved in

    Click here for a summary.


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