ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead said the survey was launched late last year to gauge the level of concern about the spread and impact of wilding conifers in the region, and to seek community views on ORC support for existing community wilding control groups.

Mr Woodhead said the public response so far to the survey was encouraging, with 460 online questionnaires completed. More than half of the respondents (250) were from Queenstown Lakes District, where the spread of wilding conifers is a major problem.

Twenty-three percent of responses were from Dunedin City, and almost 17 percent from Central Otago District.

Mr Woodhead re-iterated that a coordinated regional and national management approach to the issue was required while it was still possible to contain the spread of wildings.

“ORC is considering whether it will propose funding for community-based wilding control projects in the draft 2016/17 Annual Plan. The feedback from the survey will be invaluable as we consider how best to support wilding conifer management in Otago, and develop options for public consultation,” Mr Woodhead said.

For more information contact

Stephen Woodhead
Chairman
ORC
Ph 027 280 1635