DOC to restrict beehive movement on PCL
Tuesday 9 October 2018
The Department of
Conservation (DOC) is putting immediate restrictions on all
beehive movements on Public Conservation Land (PCL) in a bid
to contain the spread of the fungal disease myrtle
rust.
The decision comes after research from Plant and Food indicates bees may be a vector for the spread of myrtle rust, which can damage and kill some plants in the myrtle family.
DOC’s Director for Permissions, Planning and Land, Marie Long, says DOC is concerned about the potential for honeybees to spread myrtle rust to unaffected areas of conservation land, so has restricted the movement of beehives.
“Myrtle rust is a threat to plants such as
mānuka, kānuka, rātā and pōhutukawa.
These plants are vital for healthy ecosystems, but also the beekeeping industry.”
Beehive concessionaires have been
informed that:
• Beehives cannot be moved from the
North Island and placed on PCL sites in the South
Island.
• Beehives cannot be moved from the Operational
Districts of New Plymouth, King Country, Waikato, Hauraki,
Tauranga and Auckland and placed on PCL sites in the
Operational Region of Northern North Island.
• Beehives
cannot be moved from the Operational Districts of Golden
Bay, Motueka, Sounds and Marlborough South and placed on PCL
sites in other Operational Districts in the North Island or
South Island.
• Beehives cannot be moved from outside
the Te Paki Ecological District and placed on PCL sites in
the Te Paki Ecological District.
DOC is also advocating
for more research into myrtle rust and bees to increase the
knowledge around the role honeybees play in transferring the
fungal disease.
“DOC is responsible for the protection
of New Zealand’s unique environment, so we have a duty to
respond to an issue that could significantly harm our native
myrtle species,” Marie Long says.
“We will be reviewing the beehive restrictions annually to measure their effectiveness in preventing the spread of myrtle rust.”
The decision was made by DOC after seeking information on beehive movement from beekeepers who have concessions to keep beehives on public conservation land.
Background
• The fungal plant disease
myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) was discovered on
Raoul Island in the Kermadec group of islands in April 2017.
It was later confirmed on mainland New Zealand - at a
Kerikeri plant nursery on 3 May and at Waitara, Taranaki, on
17 May 2017.
• Myrtle rust threatens the Myrtaceae
plant family, including some of our most iconic indigenous
plants - pōhutukawa, rātā, mānuka, kānuka, and
ramarama, as well as exotic myrtles like guava and
eucalypts.
• If it becomes widespread it will impact
all of New Zealand's Myrtaceae to some degree and we’re
likely to lose some Myrtaceae in their natural state and
forests will be forever changed in places where myrtles are
a dominant species. It could also affect commercial
activities (e.g. mānuka honey industry), tourism,
recreation and landscape values.
• Biosecurity NZ is
the lead agency for advice on myrtle rust (see https://www.mpi.govt.nz/protection-and-response/responding/alerts/myrtle-rust)
• DOC
is focusing its work on understanding the spread and
potential impacts on public conservation land and natural
ecosystems.
• Working with local iwi, DOC staff are
undertaking a fourth round of seed collection in impacted
areas.
ends