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WCC 2020 Res 096 - Activity Report

Submitted by Catherine.Wallace on Fri, 06/16/2023 - 11:27
General Information
Maximising return on conservation investments and sustainable development: eradicating invasive alien species (IAS) to conserve island biodiversity and benefit society
IUCN Constituent: 
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Member
Period covered: 
2019
Geographic scope: 
Oceania
Country/Territory: 
New Zealand
In implementing this Resolution your organization has worked/consulted with...
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
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
Convene stakeholders/NetworkingECO 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 priorityOn-going
Policy influencing/advocacyThe 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.On-going
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.
What challenges have you encountered in implementing this Resolution and what measures have you taken to overcome them?: 
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.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Future ActionDescription
Education/Communication/Raising awarenessGovernment 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.
Policy influencing/advocacyECO 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.