Mid Dome Trust celebrating 10 years

Wilding pine control on Mid Dome has tackled many challenges, and this year marks a major milestone for the work that's been achieved.

It's been ten years since the formation of the Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust, set up to address the spread of Pinus contorta across some of Southland's most valuable and vulnerable high country tussock and pastoral landscapes.

In celebration, the Trust is hosting an evening open to the community at the Mossburn Community Centre, with presentations on the history of the Mid Dome work programme, an outline of hurdles the group has overcome, and the work done so far.

This has included the successful research into and use of a herbicide mix to kill mature seeding trees, and gaining $2 million in funding for the next two years from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) through the National Wilding Conifers Control Programme, alongside grants from Environment Southland, the Department of Conservation and Land Information New Zealand.

MPI chief operations manager Roger Smith and MPI director of readiness and response director Geoff Gywn will also be attending the evening.

Initially planted for erosion control, wilding pines have become a significant problem due to the rapid spread of windblown seeds and the pines' ability to outcompete native species and invade high country pastures.

"The Trust has dug in hard and worked tirelessly under the leadership of Trust chair Ali Timms to keep the programme going over the last 10 years," says Environment Southland biosecurity manager Richard Bowman. "Mid Dome creates an effective take off point for windblown seed to spread to a vast area, threatening conservation and farming values, and the Trust's work has really pushed this back, especially in terms of seed source trees. The evening will acknowledge this work."

The celebration will be held on Tuesday 7 November 2017 from 4.00 - 6.00 pm at the Mossburn Community Centre, Devon Street, Mossburn.

For more information contact Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust chair Ali Timms 0272025810