October 2017
PDF | 2 MB
September 2017
PDF | 1 MB
Lindavia intermedia, the causative organism of New Zealand lake snow: relationships between New Zealand, North American and European populations according to molecular and morphological data.
March 2017
PDF | 482 KB
Report on workshop discussions and outcomes
November 2023
PDF | 36 MB
September 2023
PDF | 14 MB
Bennett’s wallabies are a serious pest issue that requires central and local government, iwi, farmers, landowners, and communities all working together to protect our region.
2023
PDF | 724 KB
ORC controls rooks from September to November each year. The success of this control programme relies on any rook sightings being reported so ORC staff can pinpoint where they are gathering, feeding and nesting in rookeries. If you see rooks contact 0800 474 082 | biosecurity@orc.govt.nz
April 2025
PDF | 1 MB
Learn why feral rabbits are a major pest in Otago, how to spot the signs of infestation, and what your responsibilities are for managing them—essential reading for rural landowners and residents.
August 2025
PDF | 1 MB
In the absence of predators Rabbits have become a significant pest in Otago. Read our basic factsheet on what you need to know about rabbits in Otago,
13 May 2021
PDF | 483 KB
What’s the difference between a weed and a pest plant?
December 2024
PDF | 1 MB
Giant hogweed is poisonous to humans, and exposure to dust or sap from the leaves or stem can cause skin irritation, blistering, and swelling. If you get the sap in your eyes, it can cause temporary or permanent blindness. Find out how to control Giant hogweed.
December 2024
PDF | 135 KB
Find out how to identify and manage African love grass—a fast-spreading pest plant that threatens Otago’s biodiversity and farmland—essential reading for landowners, farmers, and conservation groups.
August 2025
PDF | 776 KB
Banana passionfruit climbs over everything and crowds out native plants. Because birds love the fruit, it spreads fast. This quick guide shows you how to identify it and take simple steps to prevent it spreading.
August 2025
PDF | 2 MB
Even though its flowers are very pretty, if left uncontrolled, bomarea can smother and eventually destroy your favourite plants in your garden. The vines grow into the tree canopy and form large masses, which overtop and smother the supporting trees. Seedlings can establish in the shade of forest interior, creeping along the ground, strangling saplings, and smothering low-growing species.
August 2025
PDF | 621 KB
Chilean flame creeper is an invasive pest plant that can climb to canopy height (the upper layer of forests) and reduce light levels, smothering native bush and stopping native species from establishing.
August 2025
PDF | 812 KB
Darwin’s barberry is a woody evergreen shrub (named after the naturalist Charles Darwin). It is a long-living plant which is invasive in a wide range of New Zealand landscapes
August 2025
PDF | 1 MB
Japanese knotweed, also known as Asiatic knotweed, grows rapidly from an extensive fleshy underground root system, forming dense thickets that can live for a long time.
August 2025
PDF | 1 MB
Nassella tussock is a plant that produces many seeds and reduces farmland production by overtaking useful grasses.
August 2025
PDF | 1 MB
Old man’s beard is considered to be one of the most damaging climbing plants introduced to Aotearoa New Zealand because it smothers the plants and trees it grows on.
August 2025
PDF | 661 KB
Sycamores are large invasive trees that grow quickly and can outcompete native plants.
August 2025
PNG | 907 KB
Tradescantia, also known as Wandering Willie, forms dense mats that smother the ground in lightly to deeply shaded areas and prevents native seedlings from growing.
August 2025
PDF | 740 KB
Wild ginger is an invasive plant that is fast growing, lives a long time and able to outcompete native plants.
August 2025
PDF | 969 KB
Wilding conifers (also known as wilding pines) are introduced conifer trees which have self-seeded or established by natural means and have not been intentionally planted. “Conifers” refers to species of fir, larch and pine trees, and wilding conifers can be any species of introduced conifer. If left uncontrolled, wilding conifers can have a huge impact on the environment. They can quickly develop into dense forests, with the potential to permanently alter ecosystems and landscapes, reduce water yields and land productivity, and limit future land use options.
We strongly recommend that you develop a long-term plan for managing rabbits on your property, to maintain rabbit numbers at low levels, rather than reacting only when numbers reach crisis levels.
