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 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 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 $4.6M pa.

Budget breakdown External costs $1.1M - regional possum control $249K - assistance to community groups $400K - advice & publicity $300K – surveillance $60K - programme and policy development $100K - outcome monitoring $500K - low incidence plants

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

Internal costs $1.7M 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, DoC, 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?

Modelling pest spread This is only done by ARC within the RPMS CBA process. Copies attached: Weeds CBA 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) Research Needs

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

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. Issues facing Regional Councils