The release today of a 10-year plan to tackle the onset of Lagarosiphon in Lake Wanaka is a national milestone in the battle to control the noxious lakeweed, Lake Wanaka Lagarosiphon Managers? Committee spokesman Chris Hawker said.

"Lake Wanaka is a national treasure and it is therefore imperative that all methods to control the Lagarosiphon must be used over the next 10 years," Mr Hawker said.

A wide range of public feedback was received on the draft 10-year plan and all submissions were taken into account in the final document, he said.

"Lake Wanaka is a major tourist attraction. It's clear from the feedback that local people and people outside the region really care about the lake's future. While the committee and some submitters differed in their opinions, we're confident that the 10-year plan addresses the feedback and provides the right way forward for responsible management of the lake."

Mr Hawker said there were three distinct components to the plan for Lake Wanaka :

• halting the spread of Lagarosiphon further north and reducing the extent of existing    weed beds by treating the weed itself;
• preventing the transport of Lagarosiphon around the lake and to other lakes;
• preventing the accidental re-introduction of more Lagarosiphon into the lake.

"The group has chosen an adaptive management approach that is flexible and builds on the knowledge and experience gained from monitoring the success of each treatment. Scientific evaluation of the monitoring will now form the basis of subsequent weed control treatments," Mr Hawker said.

An annual education programme would continue and focus on making people aware of how easy it was to accidentally spread the weed, he said.

"Preventing spread  is the best way the community can work with us to protect Lake Wanaka."

The 10 year Lagarosiphon Management Plan for Lake Wanaka will be available on the Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and Otago Regional Council (ORC) websites. Reference copies can be viewed at the Department of Conservation (DOC) and QLDC offices in Wanaka.

The Lake Wanaka Lagarosiphon Managers Committee comprises: QLDC, ORC, DOC, LINZ and the Lake Wanaka Guardians.

ENDS

For further comment please contact Chris Hawker 03 441 0482 Lake Wanaka Lagarosiphon Managers Committee.

By: Tamah