The networking organisation for all people involved in biosecurity work has three simple requests for kiwis this Summer:

Clean, dispose, be responsible.

The call comes from the New Zealand Biosecurity Institute (NZBI) - the membership organisation for all people working to protect Aotearoa from damage caused by invasive species.

Institute president, Rowan Sprague said the Institute is asking all kiwis to support its members work by taking three simple actions this holiday season: “clean your recreational gear, dispose of garden waste appropriately, and be responsible pet owners”.

Dr Sprague said some of New Zealand’s worst pests can come from gardens or aquariums, and others are transferred on equipment and clothing. She said domestic pets which are allowed to roam can also have big impacts on our native biodiversity.

"We are asking people to clean and check their outdoor equipment, especially boats and boots, before and after exploring somewhere new.”

“We also ask that people dispose of garden waste or aquarium contents in the compost or at a waste management site."

“Lastly, we are asking people to ensure their pets don’t stray this summer, and not to release unwanted pets into the wild."

“For any invasive species, the key focus is to not give them any more of a helping hand to get around and infest new areas.”

“Every year Institute members spend thousands of hours controlling or managing the risks to the economy and the environment from the effects of invasive species.”

“This is work which costs the country millions of dollars each year through control, research and border control budgets.,” Dr Sprague said.

ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR EDITORS

About the NZ Biosecurity Institute

The NZ Biosecurity Institute is the networking organisation for people involved in all aspects of biosecurity including pest animal and plant management, border control, and research. Members work for research organisations, educational institutions, regional councils, primary sector organisations, government departments and private organisations. All are involved in protecting NZ from invasive species.

More detail about Advice and Information

Get advice and information from your local Regional Council Biosecurity Team, Industry body or the Department of Conservation about what might be key to watch for in your local area, your sector, or the area you are holidaying in this year.

We encourage people to visit websites to investigate before phoning immediately without some degree of certainty

· Weedbusters website: www.weedbusters.org.nz

· iNaturalist NZ: www.inaturalist.nz

· Find-A-Pest: www.findapest.nz

· BionetNZ: www.bionet.nz

· Biosecurity NZ to report a suspected exotic pest: www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/how-to-find-report and-prevent-pests-and-diseases/report-a-pest-or-disease/

· Regional council, Department of Conservation and Ministry for Primary Industries websites are also helpful.

Other helpful actions

· Stay on tracks particularly around kauri trees

· Declare biosecurity-risk items at the border and ask overseas visitors do the same

· Keep an eye on thy contents of overseas packages and mail

· Keep an eye out for anything unusual or out-of-place.

· Join a weedbusters group or a community trapping programme.

Plant Pest threats

Around 80 percent of the vines introduced to New Zealand that grow in gardens cause problems in the wild.

Three-quarters of New Zealand’s problem weeds are garden escapees or plants that have been dumped at parks, reserves, beaches, lakes and rivers.

Institute members report continual problems in riverbeds where there is clear evidence of pest plants establishing following the tipping of garden waste.

Some of the most invasive garden escapes include old man’s beard, tradescantia, banana passionfruit vine, Japanese honeysuckle, agapanthus, Darwin’s barberry and boneseed.

Animal pest threats

Other invasive organisms include Argentine ants and plague skinks. Institute members have found non-native reptiles like bearded dragons, along with red eared slider turtles in locations across Northland and Auckland and other parts of the country.

Pets as threats

“Dumping of unwanted kittens after the Christmas excitement and abandoned pets over the festive break becomes an issue every summer. We ask people to de-sex their pets, be conscious of where they are and do their best to prevent them from roaming.”

Aquariums

“Tipping the contents of an aquarium down the drain or into a waterway is almost certain to spread an invasive species.”

Goldfish ending up in waterways is a problem. Pond species such as perch, tench, rudd, cat fish and carp all degrade the quality of New Zealand’s freshwater habitats.

Aquarium plants have become established in New Zealand waterways and are now declared pests. Many water weeds look very similar to aquarium plants. Many plants such as hornwort, lagarosiphon, egeria and hydrilla are on the Egeria National Pest Plant Accord list of plants that cannot be sold, propagated or distributed in New Zealand.

Christmas biosecurity themes

New Zealand’s own native “Christmas tree” – the pōhutukawa is under threat from the pest fungus myrtle rust which poses a significant threat to other iconic natives such as rata and mānuka.

Christmas trees in the wild: Carefully managed conifer trees are an asset to the country but left uncontrolled they pose a large threat to production and native ecosystems. In parts of New Zealand, conifer trees have gone wild and now require millions of dollars and thousands of hours to control.

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