Beetles to chomp heather

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 1, 3 June 1986, Page 6

Beetles to chomp heather

A "bug" may be introduced into Tongariro National Park to control heather which is invading tussock shrublands. Biological control using a beetle was considered the best method of controlling heather at a seminar run by park staff recently. Forest service, DSIR and university staff attended the seminar, which was held at park headquarters at Whakapapa Village on 1 and 2 May. Other ways of controlling heather were looked at including chemical spraying and removing by hand. But senior ranger Neil Cifton said such methods would prove costly and labourintensive. Larvae in adult heather beetles feed on the leaves, stem and bark of heather. The beetle, if introduced, should keep the heather under 'control, allowing native plants such as alpine flowers to dominate. Research is to be carried out on what effect the beetle may have on other plants in the national park. Trials of the other control methods will also be carried out next year. Mr Clifton said it could take up to three years before a method of control was introduced to ensure that native plants were not harmed. He said that if a means of control was not introduced, it would take hundreds of years before native plants grew over the heather. Heather was introduced early this century by an honorary park warden in an attempt to establish grouse. He wished to make the area a "sportsman's paradise".