Environmental Weed Coalition

Environmental Weed Coalition Fostering improved collaboration on pest plant control between official agencies and community groups

The Environmental W**d Coalition is a growing group of conservation groups and volunteers who are keen to fulfil the goals outlined in the PCE's report on ecological w**ds "Space Invaders". This report identified that current w**d management and data is fragmented. To achieve these goals requires improved systems to
(1) share information and knowledge across the country
(2) increase collaborati

on between private, public and community players

The EWC is keen to work with all parties interested in protecting our biodiversity from environmental w**ds. It aims to ensure that official agencies understand how volunteer groups work so that we have a joined together approach. Please join us to explore ideas and information that will enhance participation and improve collaboration between community/ landcare groups, volunteers, property owners and occupants, farmers, councils, govt agencies, contractors, scientists, etc. Here are some steps for people interested in preventing environmental w**ds from smothering our native biodiversity:

(1) Find out what w**d busting groups are near you - see W**dbusters (www.w**dbusters.org.nz/get-involved/w**dbusters-near-you/)

(2) Add your group's name to their list

(3) Record w**d locations you find in iNaturalist.NZ and/or the CAMS W**d App

(4) Follow the EWC FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/EnvironmentalW**dCoalition) to help us develop momentum towards increasing collaboration and funding for w**d management

(5) Join the EWC Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/environmentalw**dcoalitiongroup) to for discussion on activities and plans

For more information, email us at [email protected]

Other sites of interest:

Society Totally Against Moth Plant (S.T.A.M.P) - (https://www.facebook.com/groups/societytotallyagainstmothplant)

Pest Free Kaipatiki Restoration Society (pfk.org.nz)

Old Man's Beard Free Wellington (facebook.com/ombfreewelly)

You may also be interested to follow these Facebook groups:

W**ds (invasive plant species) in New Zealand (https://www.facebook.com/groups/W**ds.in.New.Zealand)

W**ders for Conservation - New Zealand (https://www.facebook.com/groups/640252982787821)

The video of our informative panel session on w**d management software is now available at https://youtu.be/Pd7c34L_jUw.
12/07/2026

The video of our informative panel session on w**d management software is now available at https://youtu.be/Pd7c34L_jUw.

EWC Meeting 8th July 2026 - Open Forum on w**ds software and standa...

The "Show us your Toolkit" session provided some great tips on tools to use for w**d control - see
12/07/2026

The "Show us your Toolkit" session provided some great tips on tools to use for w**d control - see

EWC Meeting 13th May 2026A collaborative session sharing tools and...

A reminder - join our webinar 5pm this Wednesday 8 July 2026.Follow this link: https://sites.google.com/view/environment...
06/07/2026

A reminder - join our webinar 5pm this Wednesday 8 July 2026.

Follow this link: https://sites.google.com/view/environmentalw**dcoalition/home

Panel lead: Dr Richard Hursthouse - founder of Pest Free Kaipatiki and Restore Hibiscus Bays; leader of the Campbells Bay Urban Sanctuary and Tuff Crater Restoration Project; chair of the EcoNet Charitable Trust.

Other panel members will include: Geoff Reid (Island Solutions), Michael Beech (Horizons & W**dbusters), Murray Dawson (RNZIH), Scott Sambell (Ethos Environmental) and Viv Cole (Auckland Council).

06/04/2026

Our apologies for the late notice - but the EWC webinar for April has been deferred till the 2nd Wednesday of May.

We will publish the details soon and will email an invitation later this month.

Please remember we are always keen to have suggestions for topics for our next meeting - please send your ideas to [email protected]

In case you aren't aware, there are trials of Freudeita cupripennis (aka the Moth plant beetle) underwayIf you haven't r...
19/03/2026

In case you aren't aware, there are trials of Freudeita cupripennis (aka the Moth plant beetle) underway

If you haven't read about it already, here's what a google search turned up:

1. https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/discover-our-research/managing-invasive-species/w**d-biocontrol/projects-agents/biocontrol-agents/moth-plant-beetle

2. https://b3.net.nz/bcanz/view.php?tb=Intro&id=765 - with a long history of applications for the release of Freudeita cupripennis

If you know where the results of these trials are being shared, please let us know.

Freudeita cupripennis

The video from last week's webinar is available here: https://youtu.be/N3oNViPciBUThanks very much to Bob Lawton for the...
17/02/2026

The video from last week's webinar is available here: https://youtu.be/N3oNViPciBU

Thanks very much to Bob Lawton for the great work he has been doing to encourage improved government and local body action on w**ds.

And many thanks to the wonderful experts who shared their knowledge and experience. We hope we'll hear from you again.

Watch out for our next webinar in April - a possible topic is "how to improved collaboration between Councils and Community groups"

A presentation discussing the upcoming Natural Environments Bill, and the relationship between the RMA and Biosecurity Act. Followed by a wide ranging discus...

Great to see this published.Congratulations to Michael Berardozzi
09/02/2026

Great to see this published.

Congratulations to Michael Berardozzi

Really pleased to see this go live! I’ve been working on the data model and functionality behind this tool, and it’s great to finally share something that I hope will make a real difference for people working with pest and biosecurity information in New Zealand. One feature I’m particularly ex...

29/01/2026

Please join us for our webinar 5pm this Wednesday 11 February 2026

Topic: Is the Biosecurity Act ready for increasing w**d invasions?

The speakers: Bob Lawton (Coordinator, AIWG) and an MPI staff member (if available)

The BioSecurity Act has been undergoing changes over the past year and proposals are likely to be going to the Working Committee in the next couple of months. The proposed level of fines available to regional councils is only $400 and the cost of compliance deters most Councils from pursuing a prosecution.

As most volunteers are aware, relatively few property owners voluntarily undertake w**d control - allowing w**ds like moth plant, woolly nightshade, old man's beard etc to spread back across the surrounding community. This is particularly the case with large land holders like who appear to only do the bare minimum of control after many complaints.

This webinar will explore how the Biosecurity Act and RPMP controls could be more effective.

Bob Lawton is the coordinator of Pest Free Tamaki and has been active in raising concerns about how the Biosecurity Act can be made more effective to address invasive w**ds. He is also coordinator of AIWG (the Auckland Invasive W**d Group), set up in 2025 to promote improved measures to support w**d control. He has been in communication with MPI about improving the level of fines available to regional councils in their RPMP.

There will be time for questions and discussion

Are you concerned about the impact of w**ds on the native biodiversity and the ecological health of our environment?

Please join with us to work for better sharing of information, research, resourcing, coordination and collaboration - click our new sign up form to Join-the-Environmental-W**d-Coalition and receive the invitation to this webinar (https://cams.econet.nz/Join-the-Environmental-W**d-Coalition)

Environmental W**d Coalition Email Forms

Address

C//3 Ross Avenue
Auckland
0626

Telephone

+64212409414

Website

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