Help needed for boneseed battle
A joint initiative between the City Council, Department of Conservation and Environment Canterbury is under way to stem the spread of boneseed. As part of this effort, they are seeking the assistance of volunteers to help cut out the plant in Cracroft Reserve on Cashmere.
Boneseed, or salt bush, was brought from South African as a garden plant and is now spreading rapidly throughout the country, crowding out other species. It thrives in even poor soil and dry coastal areas, burns easily and comes back even stronger after a fire. It is spreading alarmingly because birds eat and deposit the seeds far and wide.
The shrub grows up to 3m, has dull-green toothed leaves covered in a cottony down and its daisy-like flowers come in clusters from late winter until late summer. Each plant produces up to 50,000 hardy seeds a year.
The Canterbury Regional Pest Management Strategy objective for boneseed is to eradicate existing infestations from areas outside the Port Hills and a 20 per cent reduction of infested areas within the Port Hills area over the next 10 years.
“At this stage the aim is to remove scattered boneseed plants and so contain it back to areas of large infestation. In places like Cashmere Spur we can stop it and make a difference,” says Port Hills Ranger Di Carter.
On Saturday, 10 September Council Rangers and staff from other agencies — Environment Canterbury, the Department of Conservation and Weedbusters — are organising a control effort at Cracroft Reserve, from 1-3.30pm. Please meet outside the toilet block at the Sign of the Takahe on Hackthorn Road and bring saws or loppers if you have them.
“Given sufficient community, volunteer and agency support, this programme may be extended to other areas on the Port Hills,” Ms Carter says.
People wanting to know more about the pest management strategy and how different agencies are tackling the issue can come to a public meeting at the South Library on Colombo Street at 7pm on Wednesday, 7 September.
As well as discussion of control programmes on Raoul Island, Environment Canterbury’s Rob McCaw will talk about Environment Canterbury’s Pest Management Strategy, how the agencies are working towards its goals, and work being done by the Weedbusters organisation. Keith Briden from the Department of Conservation will present a case study of boneseed control at the Giant’s Nose.
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