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Wednesday 29 April 2026
Survey extended by a month: The Otago Regional Council is reviewing its regional pest management plan, kicking off with a region-wide survey asking people which pests worry them most.
With 389 individual pieces of feedback collected so far, rabbits, feral cats and pest conifers are topping the list. The survey will be extended for a further month to capture as much feedback as possible before the next stage of the pest plan review, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
The online survey at www.orc.govt.nz/whichpest asks ‘Which pests worry you the most? Why and where are they?’ - allowing participants to note anything else they think council should consider. A mapping tool lets residents pinpoint the pest that most concerns them by location.
The top ten pests to date:
Portfolio lead Councillor Andrew Noone says, “If you have a pest you think should be included in the top 10, please make sure you have your say before May 29. We have decided to extend the survey for an extra month to gather as much feedback as we can – this will go a long way towards shaping the draft plan as we move forward.”
“Through the consultation we want to understand from the public what is most important and of value to include in the plan. Once we have gathered feedback, a draft plan will be developed and opened for submissions.”
A regional pest management plan identifies pests in the region and sets goals to either keep certain pests out of Otago, get rid of them, or to reduce them. The plan also makes rules for people to follow.
There are many pest species that can impact Otago’s environment, communities and economy; 51 species are currently managed under ORC’s Regional Pest Management Plan.
ORC will engage with iwi, key stakeholders, community and other affected parties to develop a proposal for a new plan. This proposal will undergo a public notification process in early 2027, where everyone can read the proposed plan, and have their say on whether they think it is fair, equitable, and able to meet its pest management objectives.
The process is expected to take 18 months, and the feedback received will funnel into the proposal for the new plan.
Land occupier’s role - control pests on their property
ORC’s role - educate people about the rules and undertake compliance activities under the plan if these are not being followed, monitor and undertake surveillance of pest species, and respond to a n incursion of a pest species that the plan aims to keep out of Otago.
Information on the pest plan review’s stages, the 51 pests in the current plan and a link to the online survey can be found at orc.govt.nz/whichpest