The single biggest exercise in the Queenstown Lakes District to control the spread of wilding trees has seen tens of thousands of trees removed in just over a week.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has budgeted $300,000 over the next three year period to control the invasion, adopting the wilding strategy last year.

"It's critical that we move now to preserve our unique landscape and prevent any further damage," QLDC parks director Paul Wilson said.

Wilding conifers, which included European larch and various species of pines, were recognised by many ecologists both in New Zealand and overseas to be the single greatest threat to the South Island high country. The trees threatened native eco-systems.

"Bob's Peak is a good example of how these trees can take hold of a landscape; absolutely nothing else can co-exist in these forests," Mr Wilson said.

The wilding tree control contract was awarded to Target Pest Limited, a business unit of the Canterbury Regional Council, with Queenstown contract engineer Colin C. Day appointed as project manager.

"This work continues on from the many hours of exceptional community effort, much of it voluntary that has been put in over the years by Eco Action and Colin Day. I'm delighted that we've been able to retain Colin's first hand knowledge of the wilding pine threat in the Wakatipu," Mr Wilson said.

The week's work had been extremely rewarding, Mr Day said.

"We have reached a watershed in the challenge to control wilding trees now that the implementation of the strategy has begun in earnest. Real progress can now be made," he said.

A team of 12 people had spent the last seven days eradicating pines ranging up to a metre in height from four locations; Five Mile Creek (Ben Lomond Station), Bob's Peak (Closeburn Station), Cecil Peak and Bayonet Peaks (Cecil Peak Station) and Mount Dewar (Mount Dewar Station).

In excess of 10,000 trees were removed from Mt Dewar alone, Mr Day said.

"This is part one of a three tiered strategy, which will see further work carried out prior to winter and regular control work over the next three years," Mr Wilson said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Colin Day 4424119 or Paul Wilson 441 0499.

By: Tamah