Submitted by
Catherine.Wallace
on Fri, 06/16/2023 - 11:27
General Information
Resolution
49235
IUCN Constituent
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type
IUCN Member organisation
Period covered
Geographic scope
Oceania
Country/Territory
New Zealand
Actors involved in implementing this Resolution:
IUCN Members
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand ( New Zealand )
Department of Conservation ( New Zealand )
IUCN Secretariat
No
Other non-IUCN related organisations
Ministry of Primary Industries
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Activity
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Description and results/achievements of activities:
ECO as a coalition of organisations has hosted in person and on line discussions on marine and terrestrial biosecurity and the vectors and measures to take action and for the government to keep biosecurity as a high priority
Status
On-going
Activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description and results/achievements of activities:
The Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand has pressed for government and private funding for invasive species control in Aotearoa/New Zealand and off shore islands and in the marine environment. We supported politicians and government agencies by publicly supporting the deployment of invasive predator control methods, by helping to socialise the need to control not only mammalian predators of invertebrates, birds and other native species. One of the ECO people was appointed to the Biosecurity Implementation Plan group. We have given moral support to those working to protect island ecosystems in the field and in 2018 hosted discussions on aspects of biosecurity including fostering discussion at our conference the use of various methods and the scientific, ethical and cultural and practical aspects. We have ensured that plant pests, pathogens and the increasing risk of these with destabilising climate and other earth systems are recognised.
Status
On-going
Describe any challenges encountered in implementing this Resolution and the measures taken
Biosecurity is not something that can be done and ticked off. Funding is hard to maintain because there is no gleaming "product" but efforts have to continue. Government has tended to fund agricultural biosecurity over native ecosystems. Many people fail to realise how devastating feral mammals are to the Aotearoa/New Zealand ecosystem which evolved in the absence of land-based.
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken
Government substantially raised funding for predator control and has also raised funding for control of pathogens such as Kauri die-back. Local government was assisted by central government and Predator Free NZ was established. ECO has supported the efforts which have led to many community and voluntary groups joining alien invasive predator control. Aotearoa's science and technical experts have carried the momentum forward as have community groups, some of which belong to ECO.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions/activities are planned for the implementation of this Resolution
Future action / activity
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Description
Government agencies, Maori tribes and subtribes, locals and conservation groups will continue to cooperate and collaborate. ECO will continue to press for government and private funding of these efforts on our mainland islands, on off-shore islands, in Oceania and also for the capacity to do the science needed.
Future action / activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description
ECO will continue its submissions and will continue to support the case for humane control and eradication of alien invasive mammals, not -withstanding that these animals are fluffy and otherwise loveable. We will continue to press for more responsible owner control of cats to prevent their roaming and killing of native species.
Report status
Published
Constituent type
IUCN Member