INVASIVE PLANT CONTROL
Invasive weeds are defined by their ability to adversely change a natural habitat; stopping ecosystem processes such as regeneration or the growth of particular plants.
Invasive plants tend to have lots of viable seed which is easily dispersed by wind, water or birds, a fast growing habit, and are hard to kill.
We are particularly well known for our work on invasive weeds over the last few years.
Below are some very invasive species being controlled by us with eradication as the aim in Hawke’s Bay. That may sound easy but there has only ever been one successful eradication of an invasive plant in NZ.
- Pypgrass (Erharta villosa) is an invasive dune binding species of which only a few sites exist in New Zealand.
This is an eradication project under the guidance of Ministry of Agriculture Pests of National Interest Program.
- Cathedral Bells (Cobea scandens) is an aggressive climber present at only 3 sites in HB. The seed lasts a long time in the soil and so it is an ongoing mission to control this vigorous plant that can grow up to 20m a year, this is a long term eradication attempt by the HBRC.
- Climbing Spindleberry (Celastrus orbiculatus) is also an aggressive climber and is also only present at 3 known sites in HB. Again this is a long term eradication attempt by the HBRC
Most invasive weeds are not able to be eradicated from the broader landscape but controlled to zero density at specific sites. The following sites are under long term control for a variety of weed species.
- Te Mata Park– Red Valerian control trials as pdf (76kb)
- Many small remnants of bush that are particularly vulnerable to weed invasion and are protected under a QEII covenant
- Puahanui Bush – Ivy Removal Project
- A’Deane’s Bush
- Lindsay’s Bush
