New Chilean needle grass site identified in Waipara

A new find of the pest plant Chilean needle grass (CNG) has been confirmed on a property in Waipara, North Canterbury in December. This takes the total number of infestations in the region to 17.

The new infestation was identified by the land occupier, who called in the suspected sighting to Environment Canterbury. Biosecurity officers conducted a site inspection, confirming that it was CNG.

Environment Canterbury principal resource management advisor biosecurity Laurence Smith said, “Biosecurity staff were on the property that same day to establish the extent of the infestation, and to control the plants before they set seed. This involved removing seed heads and spraying the plants with herbicide.”

Over the coming weeks, a search will be done of surrounding properties to check for signs that the infestation has spread beyond the property boundary… Read the full article here.

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