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Inspire Session

Hybrid Session

Session: : Using Ecology to Future-proof Invasive Plant Management

INS 8-3 - Space invaders: lessons learnt from a review of New Zealand's weed management system

Tuesday, August 8, 2023
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT
Location: 251

    Presenting Author(s)

  • AH

    Anna Hooper

    New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, New Zealand

    • Co-author(s)

  • AB

    Angela J. Brandt

    Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, New Zealand

  • JN

    James Newman

    New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

  • GL

    Geoffroy Lamarche

    New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment – New Zealand’s independent environmental watchdog – undertook an unprecedented system-wide review of the country’s weed management system. This investigation at the science-policy interface uncovered a system characterised by inadequate leadership and governance, uncoordinated actions, fragmented databases, and patchy surveillance. Recommendations included making legislative changes to improve leadership, developing a single authoritative publicly-accessible database of all exotic plants, and establishing an ‘emerging risks team’ to coordinate management of new weeds. These aimed to draw on expertise of researchers, indigenous people, practitioners, and decision-makers to prevent New Zealand’s unique native ecosystems falling victim to weeds.