The Pukaki Downs blaze. Photo: RNZ / Nathan McKinnon
Last week's fires at Pukaki Downs and Lake Tekapō show the need to keep up the funding in the battle against wilding pines - at least according to one Mackenzie District farmer, who says wilding pines are contributing to the worrying fuel load in the district.
The sentiment was echoed by Fire and Emergency New Zealand which said eradication efforts to date likely helped limit the damage from the Mackenzie blazes.
Wilding pines have also been implicated in the scale of the Lake Ohau Alpine Village fire three years ago. The National Wildlife Conifer Control Programme (NWCCP) is a partnership between the Ministry for Primary Industries, local government, farming and forestry industries, landowners and others.
Established in 2016, its funding received a serious boost in 2020, to $100 million over four years, out of the Jobs for Nature programme.
However, the conifer control programme's funding is now down to $10m for this year, and a commitment to every year thereafter to 2030.
But will it be enough? Mt Cook Station's Clint Miles and National Wilding Conifer Control Programme Sherman Smith speak to Kathryn.
