Addressing the wallaby problem in New Zealand’s production forest estate

Authors: Anne Beex
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2024, Issue N.Z.J.For. 69(2) 2024, pp Pages 21-25, Aug 2024
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

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Abstract: Invasive pests and diseases are one of the most significant threats to New Zealand’s native and commercial forests. The forestry sector proactively responds to these threats by way of management strategies to control pests and diseases and to promote forest health and biodiversity. However, as one of the most economically and environmentally damaging pest animals, wallabies remain largely unknown to most in the industry. Conservatively, it is estimated that there are more than one million pest wallabies in the wild in Aotearoa New Zealand. If left unchecked, it is predicted that wallabies could spread to occupy over one-third of New Zealand within 50 years with increasing annual economic and environmental costs to our country (Latham et al, 2016). Historically, wallabies have been present on mainland New Zealand in the Bay of Plenty (dama and parma species) since 1912 and South Canterbury (Bennett’s wallabies) since 1874. Under the relevant Regional Pest Management Plans (RPMPs), these areas of historic occupation are known as ‘containment’ areas. In the Bay of Plenty this constitutes 260,000 ha, while in Canterbury it is 900,000 ha. These shy, elusive, seemingly benign marsupials have however spread further than this and are already making their presence and impacts known with companies like Timberlands and Port Blakely. They each have forests in these historic core wallaby population areas and their experiences to date of them in forest estates follow. But the message for all from the Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme (Tipu Mātoro) is that wallabies will spread if we do not stop them (Figure 1). Also, they are bringing their voracious appetite for fresh, new plant growth with them. The Tipu Mātoro programme is working with the forest industry to better understand impacts on production estates and to understand the key challenges foresters face in managing pest wallabies.

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