Members of the Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group have been out in force in recent weeks to spray scattered infestations of broom on the river flats out from Tui Station.  This is the latest phase in the ongoing campaign by the group aimed at eradicating broom from the Upper Rangitata in Mid Canterbury. 

Broom is an aggressively invasive plant that would spoil the open braided character of the river’s upper catchment and threaten its native plants and wildlife if left unchecked. 

It out-competes native plants for light and space and alters the nature of the riverbed by impeding the natural movement of river gravels. Riverbed birds such as the threatened wrybill and black-fronted tern need clean, weed-free gravels to breed and to be able to detect approaching predators, therefore broom control helps such species.

Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group chair Rosemary Acland emphasises that the group has stewardship at its core and seeks to keep the riverbed in good health for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

This community-initiated control programme has been running for a number of years and has received funding support through the Biodiversity Condition Fund. A collaborative approach is taken between landholders, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), the Department of Conservation with support from Environment Canterbury and the district councils. 

“Landowners in the catchment are certainly doing their part, as are a range of agencies and organisations, but we know there are many other people who frequent the Upper Rangitata. We are hoping to make our “broom blitz” an annual event and would welcome help from the many fishermen, jet boaters, hunters, trampers and four-wheel drive enthusiasts who also enjoy this beautiful river,” says Rosemary Acland.

Environment Canterbury pest and biosecurity committee chair Cr Eugenie Sage says that building on a collaborative approach is the key to the success of the initiative. 

“The energy and continued commitment of the Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group to control broom is impressive. It has major benefits for the riverbed and its wildlife and for the community’s enjoyment of this outstanding landscape,” says Cr Sage.

For more information on assisting with eradicating broom from the Upper Rangitata, please contact Rosemary Acland (03) 696 3857 or Judith Earl-Goulet, Environment Canterbury Resource Care Team Leader Southern on (03) 687 7824.

For further comment, contact Environment Canterbury Pest & Biosecurity Committee chair, Councillor Eugenie Sage on (03) 329 3177 or 021 1553937.