Urgent action on deer control required

The Southland Conservation Board is welcoming news of Government funding for deer control and is hopeful much of that money will be spent in the south where the impact of deer could be devastating if not managed effectively.

Budget 2022 saw $30million allocated to deer and goat control over the next four years; specifically, to protect native ecosystems.

Southland Conservation Board Chair, Shona Sangster says while it is pleasing to see the Government acknowledging the seriousness of the issue, the Board holds grave concerns about the impact deer are having in Rakiura and prompt action is required.

“While deer present a serious issue throughout Fiordland and Murihiku, the Board is particularly concerned about the impact on Rakiura, where deer are destroying the understory of some of our most precious forest area. It is having significantly negative implications for biodiversity, for carbon sequestration and the forest health in general,” she says.

“The damage the deer are doing is especially clear when you compare mainland Rakiura with Ulva Island. We have heard many observations regarding the pristine state of the forest on Ulva and the amount of shrubs and ferns below the canopy when compared with the likes of the Rakiura track.”

“Quite simply, a lot of this money allocated to deer control needs to make its way south – Rakiura is in desperate need of deer control measures and the sooner this is actioned, the better.”

The Southland Conservation Board is advocating for control of deer rather than eradication, and it believes there needs to be a collaborative effort to manage the situation – for the benefit of both the forest health, and hunters.

Underpinning this is the Board’s concern about the mauri of Rakiura, which is being significantly impacted by the lack of management of deer to date.

“As a Board we have a real concern about the Crown’s Te Tiriti obligation to protect indigenous biodiversity and our taonga species,” Sangster says.

“The lack of management of deer and other introduced species to Rakiura is a breach of these obligations and the Board, along with Ngāi Tahu, is very concerned about the mauri of Rakiura being lost to introduced species.”

“We are very strongly advocating that action be taken around deer on Rakiura, in particular, but also in the wider Murihiku region, as soon as possible to avoid further depletion of the forest health and what could ultimately lead to major ecosystem collapse.”

The Southland Conservation Board is a statutory body, independent of the Department of Conservation, and is guided by its principles of preservation and protection, advocacy and Treaty partnership.