Regional Pest Management in the Auckland Region Miranda

Regional Pest Management in the Auckland Region Miranda Bennett

Regional Pest Management Strategy • RPMS’s are 5 year planning documents, required under the Biosecurity Act 1993 1. What is a pest 2. How this pest will be managed, and by whom 3. How this management will be funded

• All of these decisions are balanced by the need to undertake full community and stakeholder consultation… • 2 rounds of submissions • Hearings • Right of appeal to the Environment Court

• RPMS’s cover a huge range of organisms… • Auckland RPMS 2002 -2007 covers: – 150 plant spp – 20 animal spp. • Most Regional Councils have very similar strategies and budgets

RPMS Budget • The Auckland Regional Council Biosecurity budget is approx $4. 6 M pa.

Budget breakdown External costs • $1. 1 M - regional possum control • $249 K - assistance to community groups • $400 K - advice & publicity • $300 K – surveillance • $60 K - programme and policy development • $100 K - outcome monitoring • $500 K - low incidence plants

Budget breakdown External cost cont… • $135 K - biological control • $715 K - ARC Parks weed control • $205 K - Strategic Weeds Initiative • $340 K - goat, deer, Argentine ant, feral pig, rabbit, pest fish control, bovine Tb surveys

Budget breakdown Internal costs • $1. 7 M salaries etc. • It is expected that this commitment will need to rise by 20 -40% over the next 5 years (excluding inflation) to meet new biosecurity issues and threats

How does ARC measure pest prevalence and programme success? • • PDA field data collection Output monitoring Outcome monitoring Monitor Public acceptance (of biosecurity programmes generally) • Landcare Research monitors success of biocontrol programmes

Monitoring methodologies • These are generally in their infancy worldwide for exotic spp management. • FORST, Do. C, RCs and research providers are currently working on developing & funding research projects.

Research Needs • National and Regional Surveillance Systems Identified by all RCs and Biosecurity NZ as one of the top priorities. • Cost - Benefit Analysis Required for all spp to be included in RPMSs. Appropriate CBA models covering all likely RPMS programme scenarios

Research Needs • Risk Analysis • Screening of potential new spp at the border • Identification of pest vectors post-border -What is spreading pests?

Research Needs • Modelling pest spread This is only done by ARC within the RPMS CBA process. Copies attached: • • Weeds CBA analysis for RPMS reviews (Gibbs & Stevens) People & Time Explain the Distribution of naturalised Plants in NZ (Sullivan et al) Developing a Framework for Prioritising Pest management Policy (Russell et al)

Issues facing Regional Councils • • New plant spp becoming adventive Animal pet spp becoming adventive (includes birds, reptiles, freshwater fish) Increase in escape/illegal release of large animal spp. Greater community expectation that pests will be controlled

Issues facing Regional Councils • • • Risk of losing pest control tools due to community/sector resistance to use of pesticides. Weed vectors, eg road and rail corridors. Marine pests – how to stop them, how to find them, who should manage marine issues, etc.

Issues facing Regional Councils • • • New insect spp: eg exotic ant spp, mosquito spp, wasp spp, etc. Pathogens, micro-organisms: eg Phytophthora (kauri), sudden oak death, Didymo Lack of research into new exotic spp.