[Rob]

From the Auckland Council online:

"Surveillance Pest Plants include species that have

been identified as having significant impacts on the

biosecurity values of the Auckland region. The Regional

Council seeks to prevent their establishment or

spread by prohibiting their sale, propagation,

distribution and exhibition."

Urtica diocea is one of those plants. Does this mean that in Aucklnad they are destigned for EXTINCTION? I have plans to creat a butterfly garden and a food business all in one in Auckland. I guess i’ll be saying goodbuy to my diocea…..unless I can use it discretly away from public scruitiny…but then I am just side-stepping the ARC. How legal/stringent is the council in Auckland? Council being council….i think they will apply the letter of the law.

[Rob]

Thanks you guys. It sounds like the RPMS is an old ARC page. great document that RPMS. I found the potential impact to human health collum in the survelence section an intresting open ended way of catagrising plants. Perhaps all plants could be catagorised like that because they could all potentially be a choking hazzard?

Sorry about my spelling. got to get it right on the scientific names.

there are a couple of pest control programs for plants in the new AK council website. I’l check them out too

[Darren]

Rob may have been (initially) looking at the new Auckland Council website.

On their Pests and diseases page at http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/environmentwaste/pestsdiseases/Pages/Home.aspx is a link to Plant Search

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/environmentwaste/pestsdiseases/Pages/plantsearch.htm

however that page redirects to the old ARC page.

[Jacqui]

Hi Rob

I must stress that the site you are referring to is an “old” website – the ARC (former Auckland Regional Council) does not exist any more – it’s now part of the Auckland Council, so anything on the new site will be more up to date, http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Also, in case anyone is searching for the plant the correct spelling is “Urtica dioica”. They probably won’t be able to find the plant under your spelling.

I would suggest that you contact the Auckland Council and ask them what their stance is. Previously all the different councils would have had different opinions and attitudes and policies to put in place. But they have reviewed their classifications and policies just recently, and with the new Biodiversity team being keen to encourage the Admirals their stance may well have changed.

Hope that helps!

[Terry]

“Stinging hairs restrict recreational use of infested areas” Ooh how I laughed at that when I read it! What is the matter with these officials in NZ? I always had NZrs down as tough rugby playing people, not feeble wimps. Your officials need to pay a visit to the UK where this Nettle is found around children’s play areas, local village football pitches, gardens, riverbanks and roadsides in abundance and causes no problems. You would be hard pushed to find a youngster let alone adult who is not stung numerous times, all that happens is that people learn to be more careful and avoid the plant. Most youngsters take little notice and even when I was young we used to have fun pushing each other in to large nettle beds and we all survived. You can always rely on out of touch bureaucrats to come up with stupid stuff like this! Maybe everyone should spend there lives walking around wrapped up in cotton wool for safety!

[Rob]

Hi Jacqui. Under environment & waste, go to pests & diseases, brings you to

http://www.arc.govt.nz/environment/biosecurity/search-for-plants/regional-plants_home.cfm

From hear you can search for individual plants OR click on Regional Pest Management Strategy. RPMS is where I got the quote from. So now that Ive explained all that I feel much better. Councel are not advocating extermination as I initally thought. It just seemed that way because of the way I went arround checking out the use of diocea in Auckland.

[Jacqui]

Hello Rob

As you know the “super city” is a merger of the ARC and the various Auckland Councils – and they have recently updated their pest plant strategy. They are keen to see native nettles planted around Auckland where it is appropriate to help establish the Admiral butterflies. However, I don’t think the extermination of U. dioica is high on their list of priorities – there are other plants which are more of a weed.

Can you give us the link to the page you’re referring to, please? I have searched on the new website of the super city (www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) and can’t find any reference to U. dioica. But perhaps my search hasn’t been thorough enough.

Cheers

Jacqui

[Rob]

Oops sorry quote from Regional pest management strategy, but my questions still apply

[Author]

Replies