Noxious plants classification rewritten: "policy is desirable"

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 43, 8 April 1986, Page 5

Noxious plants classification rewritten: "policy is desirable"

Joe Martin, the Waimarino County's noxious plants officer has re-written the district plant classification programme as a result of the Noxious Plants Council's review of noxious plants. The review specifies three categories of plants: •target plants, are those of limited distribution where eradication is possible provided a suitable programme is implemented. The plants in this group are lodgepole pine, nodd'ing thistle and sweet briar; •surveillance plants, plants of concern believed to be already eradicated. "Any regrowth of 'surveillance plants' on sites where it was believed eradication had been achieved should be created as 'target plants'," said Mr Martin in his annual report to the council; •widespread plants, which are those that colonise as

soon as habitats become available. "Programmes will aim to prevent the plants spreading to new areas or into neighbouring properties where control is being carried out," said Mr Martin. These plants are barberry, blackberry, broom, gorse, matpellier broom, plumeless thistle, ragwort and variegated thistle. Mr Martin reported that the classification committee decided to leave the control of Barley grass with individual occupiers. Barley grass was listed on Mr Martin's proposal for the plants but was deleted. A letter had been sent to the committee voicing concern but the classification was unchanged. However, Mr Martin sees the revision of the policy as a good one. "Overall I believe this

revision on policy is desirable and I am sure it will assist us in systematic and planned programming of noxious plant control in the future," he said. In his annual report to the council, Mr Martin also said the pinus contorta eradication programme was in its fourth year. Stage two of the project on the Maori blocks will begin next season at an estimated cost of $100,000. Stage one should be completed with work on fai'm

lands within the county totalling $35,000. Because of an increase in work and policy requirements, Mr Martin asked that the District Noxious Plants Committee meet more regularly. Mr Martin will not attend county meetings in future but committee chairman Cr Con Heinoid will report back to council. This will enable matters concerning noxious plants to be dealth with in more depth.