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WCC 2012 Res 021 - Activity Report

Submitted by Catherine.Wallace on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 10:03
General Information
Implementing the provisions on invasive alien species of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020
IUCN Constituent: 
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Member
Period covered: 
2018
Geographic scope: 
Oceania
Country/Territory: 
New Zealand
In implementing this Resolution your organization has worked/consulted with...
IUCN Members: 
Department of Conservation / New Zealand
Other non-IUCN related organisations: 
Ministry of Primary Industry/BioSecurity New Zealand; Various New Zealand primary industry organisations, Regional Councils in NZ, Te Tira Whakamātaki, the Māori Biosecurity Network;
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
Convene stakeholders/NetworkingBiosecurity and the control of client invasive species has been a continuing theme in ECO's work, and we have pressed for New Zealand to up its game in successive submissions, conferences and other fora. We have kept the ENGO community informed about funding for invasive species control, of policies and law changes and opportunities to participate, and we have provided a forum for discussion of predator control and methods, pest control and so on. On-going
Education/Communication/Raising awarenessThe awareness of the need to control mammalian predators in New Zealand is high - but not so much the need to protect plants, and to control vectors of diseases to plants and people. Coupled with climate change, these risks are rising and they are severe in the Pacific, including New Zealand. ECO continues also to press officials to include the control of invasive species in the Southern Ocean in Antarctic Treaty efforts, and in the BBNJ negotiations. On-going
Field activitiesMany ECO member bodies and many other community based groups are working to remove pest plant species and to kill mammalian predators that threaten our birds, reptiles and invertebrates. ECO itself advocates for recognition and support for these efforts. Action in the marine environment is much more difficult for community groups.On-going
Policy influencing/advocacyECO's co chair became a member of the BioSecurity 2025 implementation Steering Group which worked with 5 working groups convened by BioSecurity NZ. We have pushed for a variety of decisions to raise support for community-based pest control and monitoring and reporting. We have advocated for greater priority to threats to native species and ecosystems. We've asked the government to prioritise work on the the pathways of marine and water borne invasive species and methods of avoidance and control. In the context of fresh water and waterways policy we have made submissions for the inclusion of attribute monitoring of invasive species and pathogens in water, wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems, so far without success. We have pressed for more work on marine biosecurity which is done at a largely regional level in New Zealand. Internal controls are patchy and poor, or in conflict with other objectives -such as marine reserves law that prevents the removal of biological materials without a permit so hammering community based efforts to remove invasive species. ECO advocates that biosecurity be much more integrated into the Resource Management Act and related Acts that are under review, and in Fisheries and other legislation and policy. In New Zealand mammalian predators are a huge threat to our biodiversity. New Zealand had no land based mammals except bats and marine mammals that hauled out for pupping and resting. Thus the many rats, mustelids and other carnivorous mammalian predators have decimated our native birds, reptiles and invertebrates. This has required the use of toxins. ECO has tried to help with the social licence for this. ECO has also lent support for the use of these where other methods are not feasible. We have also pressed for BioSecurity NZ to adjust the balance of their efforts towards native ecosystems and species. Their efforts have favoured pathogens and pests of concern to primary industry. ECO supports the reivision of their Act.On-going
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken: 
Progress in controlling mammalian predators is snowballing thanks to the combined efforts of the Ministers of Conservation, Biosecurity NZ and many in the New Zealand community. Plant and pathogen incursions are given far less attention unless these threaten industry. The need to change this is now widely understood and the BioSecurity Act, funding streams and a range of other matters are being launched. We continue to allow imports of alien species for biological control of insect and plant pests, but the Environmental Protection Authority which considers these does no independent research and despite our suggestions rarely requires extended monitoring or public reporting. Economic interests tend to dominate. Government and community efforts are having considerable success in pest eradication on off-shore islands and on some "mainland islands". So far water policy reform has not integrated biosecurity into that effort. Nor has biosecurity been included in the Resource Management Act and system, although sub-national Regional Councils have done a good deal to support community and land owner invasive species controls. Efforts to learn from Maori and to have Maori expertise
What challenges have you encountered in implementing this Resolution and what measures have you taken to overcome them?: 
Lack of resources, indifference, lack of public awareness of people as vectors of pathogens and unwillingness to change their habits, and institutional biases that favour economic interests over natural values. We have worked to raise awareness and have collaborated with government agencies.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Future ActionDescription
Capacity-buildingSupport for community based invasive species control and the integration of Maori into governance, field work and priority setting using Maori knowledge and insights is crucial.
Convene stakeholders/NetworkingNetworking to share methods and priorities is essential and ECO and others in BioSecurity 2025 has fostered the idea of networks of networks rather than top-down governance. Strict Regulation is also needed. ECO will foster the social licence for these.
Policy influencing/advocacyECO will continue to press for biosecurity and invasive species control to be brought into policy and law reforms. These include the Biosecurity Act (and institutions); the reform of the Resource Management System suite of reforms including the Resource Management Act, the Local government Act, and other reforms being launched in 2019. ECO will also campaign for funds for community and conservation work.