A PUBLICATION OF MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FEBRUARY 2009

Government agencies join forces to fight kauri disease

European House Borer – Australia’s response

Ridding Lyttelton of Mediterranean Safeguarding fanworm Wood packaging New Zealand’s forests in sea containers 89 Biosecurity magazine

Biosecurity is published six-weekly by MAF Biosecurity New Zealand. It is of special interest to all those with a stake in the protection of New Zealand’s economic, 1010 1414 1818 environmental and social assets from the dangers posed by pests and diseases. Animal welfare issues are also covered. The articles in this magazine do not CONTENTS necessarily reflect government policy.

For enquiries about specific Editorial 3 articles, refer to the contact listed Safeguarding our forests – a research perspective 4 at the end of each article. Biosecurity surveillance for tourist risk sites 6 General enquiries (e.g. circulation requests or information about New requirements for general transitional facilities 8 MAF Biosecurity New Zealand): Making sure forest visitors are clean 8 Biosecurity Magazine Monitoring forest condition 9 MAF Biosecurity New Zealand PO Box 2526 Keeping an eye on our plantation forests 10 Pastoral House, 25 The Terrace, Making trees more disease resistant – quickly and naturally 12 Wellington, New Zealand

Phone: 04 894 0100 How do epidemics of fungal forest pathogens occur? 13

Fax: 04 894 0300 New Zealand’s part in Australia’s fight with the European House Borer 14 Email: [email protected] Forest Industry Development Agenda a driver for growth 16 Internet: www.biosecurity.govt.nz Log exporters save tonnes of methyl bromide 17 Editorial enquiries: Gum leaf skeletoniser – is it a risk to native plants? 18 Phone 04 894 0774 A career in trees 19 ISSN 1174 – 4618 Forest health in a changing world 20 Production and printing management by City Print Communications in Biosecurity people 20 association with Context Public Agencies join forces to fight kauri disease 21 Policy Communications. Show jumpers help with influenza project 22 Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy update 22 Go-ahead for Lyttelton marine pest elimination 23 Wood packaging in sea containers 24 Updates 25 Directory 26

Environmental Paper Profile

Biosecurity Magazine is printed on Sumo Gloss. Sumo is an environmentally responsible paper manufactured under the environmental management system ISO 14001 using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp sourced from sustainable, well managed forests. 89

“Good biosecurity plays an important part of ensuring the sustainability of all of our forest environments…” Peter Thomson EDITORIAL

Natural or indigenous trees form nearly 24 percent of robust way. This issue of Biosecurity magazine highlights a wide forested areas and are an important part of our range of activities being carried out across multiple players in the biosecurity system. Each is designed to improve biosecurity geographical and social identity. outcomes for our forests through research, border controls, communications, surveillance, response, and pest and disease hese areas provide a backdrop to how our country looks, management. to our lifestyle and to the value forests and bush areas The NZFOA is an industry group representing the interests of the provide New Zealanders for recreational activities. T plantation owners and growers. It is very proactive within the Production forest comprises another 7 percent of our land area biosecurity system, with an investment of $700,000 a year in and, while this figure seems relatively small on paper, production surveillance and forest health training of staff and contractors. forests form an important part of our economic base. Covering On pages 10 and 11 we look at the NZFOA’s Forest Health 1.8 million hectares, production forests represent over 3.2 percent Surveillance programme, and on pages six and seven we provide of our GDP and offer employment to around 24,000 New information about its initiative to limit the risk overseas visitors Zealanders. While urban trees are largely overlooked, these also provide to our forests. play an important part in our social tapestry, wellbeing and health The NZFOA is also a leading and significant funder of forest by providing shade, colour and in some cases a source of food in biosecurity research, with forest owners providing over $400,000 what would otherwise be a drab environment. through the Forest Biosecurity Research Council (www.fbrc.org.nz) The recent global recession has put our commercial forests under and the Forest Health Research Collaborative (www.fhrc.org.nz). economic pressure. Indigenous forests are equally under pressure On page 12 we look at how, as a result of this research, bio- from pests, diseases and potentially from climate change. protection is being used to provide more sustainable approaches Good biosecurity plays an important part in ensuring the to pest and disease management. sustainability of all of our forest environments, and over recent Crown Research Institute Scion is another major player in forest years much attention has been given to better managing the biosecurity research and New Zealand’s leading provider of biosecurity risks relevant to forests. Recent measures put in place forestry biosecurity research. One serious pest incursion alone is specifically targeted at protection of our forests include: capable of costing New Zealand up to $600 million, with the cost • Significant eradication programmes for pests threatening of eradicating just one pest around $63 million. Research in this plantation, indigenous and urban trees including Asian gypsy area is paramount to the protection of our natural resources. Scion moth, painted apple moth, fall web worm and a range of is organising an International Biosecurity Conference in March termites. this year, for which MAFBNZ is a sponsor. • Introduction of international standards requiring treatment Protecting New Zealand’s native forests is a big task. Kauri of all wood packaging used in international trade. dieback, caused by Phytophthora taxon Agathis, is a serious threat • Strengthening of MAF Biosecurity New Zealand’s High Risk to kauri forest and individual kauri trees in the upper North Site Surveillance programme operating around border entry Island. In order to protect native kauri, MAFBNZ is collaborating points and where there are high concentrations of transitional with the Department of Conservation and four regional councils facilities. (Auckland Regional Council, Northland Regional Council, • The New Zealand Forest Owners’ Association (NZFOA) has Environment Bay of Plenty and Environment Waikato) to tackle reviewed its industry-funded pest and disease detection the problem. This is the first time MAFBNZ’s new response surveys, made adjustments and has now received international model has been used for a joint agency response. reviews commending it for proactive work. Articles in this edition also look at how MAFBNZ surveillance is MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) is structured protecting native forests and how Scion research is determining functionally to address the intervention points along the whether a new invasive pest is a specific risk to our forests. biosecurity continuum, and the activities carried out ensure that the interests of all sectors and the environment are addressed in a ■ Peter Thomson, Director Post Border, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 3 89 FORESTRY

A RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE

Eucalypt species and radiata pine grow side by side in New Zealand plantation forests. Eucalypts are susceptible to all manner of insect pests, while pine is relatively resilient. Photo courtesy Scion.

Pests and diseases are one of the Rotorua-based Crown Research “One risk analysis study showed us greatest threats to a viable forest Institute Scion is the largest provider that one serious disease incursion of forest biosecurity research in alone is capable of costing the country industry, potentially affecting New Zealand. The group has been up to $600 million. Furthermore, production, wood quality and providing these services for 60 years, the cost of eradicating just one pest since the early days of the Forest species can be up to $63 million, so export market access for logs, Research Institute, and has plenty it is worth making the effort to keep chips and green lumber. They of evidence to show the benefit of them out,” Dr Richardson says. also threaten the health of New specialised forest-health expertise. To address biosecurity issues it is Zealand’s indigenous ecosystems Scion’s head of forestry science Dr necessary to draw on a vast array of Brian Richardson says that a recent basic and applied sciences and use and urban trees. New Zealand analysis demonstrated them to answer specific questions. Dr returns of between $3.5 billion and Richardson cites the example of pitch espite New Zealand’s $5.9 billion from investment in canker, which has long been recognised advantage of being forest biosecurity research. Broader as a potential threat to New Zealand’s Dsurrounded by ocean, the spin-offs from a successful research commercial forests. In 2003, Scion’s global increase in transport and trade programme include the protection research into rapid identification exposes forest resources to greater of many intangible values, such of Fusarium circinatum, the fungal risks than ever before. The most as tourism and export market agent causing pine pitch canker, led effective way to mitigate these risks is perceptions, which rely on the to the detection of this potentially a comprehensive biosecurity system, continued viability of our indigenous devastating disease in a shipment of underpinned by high-quality research. ecosystems and urban parks. Douglas fir cuttings from the United

4 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89

Top left: Scion’s quarantine facility in Rotorua allows scientists to carry out research on pests within a controlled environment. Photo courtesy Scion. Above: Biosecurity research is vital to the protection of New Zealand’s forest resources and the valuable wood product exports that they produce. Photo courtesy Scion. Top right: Cleobora mellyi, the southern ladybird, was introduced into New Zealand from Tasmania in 1977 for control of the eucalypt tortoise beetle, Paropsis charybdis. Photo courtesy Scion. Left: The arrival of the wood wasp Sirex noctilio in the early days of New Zealand plantation forestry triggered the formation of a specialised research group to address forest biosecurity issues. The specialised group established at the Forest Research Institute lives on to this day within the Crown Research Institute, Scion. Photo courtesy Scion.

States of America that were held in a how science works to protect seminar on Tuesday 17 March that will Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry forests from unwanted pests and focus on how to integrate biosecurity (MAF) supervised quarantine facility. diseases,” Dr Richardson says. science into policy and regulation. This early detection enabled MAF The seminar will feature a range of Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) International forest conference international keynote speakers who to act quickly to save the New Zealand The worldwide importance of are leading authorities on biosecurity forest industry from huge costs. forest biosecurity research will be research and management, including Few Aucklanders will have forgotten discussed at length when experts Peter Thomson, MAFBNZ’s Director the 1996 programme for eradicating converge on Rotorua to attend the of post border biosecurity; Dr Mark the white-spotted tussock moth, Global Network for Forest Science Lonsdale, Chief Entomologist with which threatened the country’s fruit Cooperation (IUFRO) International Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific trees and native beech forest, and the Forest Biosecurity Conference from and Industrial Research Organisation sustained campaign that successfully 16 to 20 March this year. As the first (CSIRO); and Dr Hugh Evans, eradicated the serious pest, painted international conference on this topic, head of Tree Health for the United apple moth. Scion scientists were it will provide a forum for scientists, Kingdom’s Forestry Commission. important players in the downfall forest managers and policy makers Day rates for registration are of both winged invaders, providing to share knowledge, create networks available. For more information technical advice on the insects and and promote international actions to see www.forestbiosecurity.com helping to design the aerial spray protect forests from invasive pests. operations that combated them. Hosted by Scion, the conference ■ Margaret Richardson, Senior Communications “These are only a few of the Adviser, Scion, is sponsored by MAFBNZ. The [email protected], many examples that illustrate programme includes a full-day www.scionresearch.com

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 5 89 FORESTRY BIOSECURITY SURVEILLANCE FOR TOURIST RISK SITES

Pohutukawa being inspected as part of High Risk Site Surveillance. This location is one of many close to a New Zealand port. Photo courtesy of SPS Biosecurity Ltd.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has taken a Department Why is there a problem? Some history of Conservation (DOC) biosecurity Tourism is a recognised pathway for The risk to the indigenous estate surveillance programme and exotic organisms into New Zealand. and the risk pathways have been expanded it signifi cantly to Although baggage and personal recognised for many years. Out of 93 effects are inspected at ports of entry, newly discovered pathogens and pests increase the protection of New this is not 100 percent effective recorded in New Zealand in the 1990s, Zealand’s indigenous forests from in detecting exotic organisms. 18 were associated with indigenous hosts. For example, polyphagous invasive pests and diseases. In the mid-1960s, air travellers’ shoes (Latin for “eating many”) exotic moths and clothes were found to contain found in Auckland in the 1990s were fungi (65 species in one trial) that proven to be a significant threat to the ew Zealanders recognise the could be a potential hazard for indigenous forests as well as plantation beauty and magnificence plants. In the early 1980s, tourists’ of our native forests and and amenity trees. One, the white- N camping gear was found to be a spotted tussock moth, was able to live scenery. We celebrate them every prospective pathway for the invasion and reproduce on native beech trees. year by visiting in our hundreds of of pathogenic fungi and live insects. thousands, and, as their fame has A report produced for DOC in 2000, spread overseas, tourists travel from A major area of concern is where evaluating threats to New Zealand’s far away to visit. The introduction of tourists initially camp after arriving indigenous forests from exotic new organisms, and changes in the in New Zealand, exposing tents and pathogens and pests, recommended distribution of risk organisms already other camping equipment for the that a structured surveillance system present, could cause significant harm first time. Even just visiting scenic for indigenous forests be developed to our unique range of flora and fauna. tourist spots and walking through so that limited resources could be Without biosecurity surveillance of indigenous forests has the potential to used to look at the highest risk sites native forests, harmful organisms establish exotic organisms, for example in a way that would provide the could have the opportunity to go from unclean boots, and to disperse greatest chance of detecting newly undetected for long periods. weeds into previously clear areas. introduced pests or diseases.

6 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89

“Without biosecurity surveillance of native forests, harmful organisms could have the opportunity to go undetected for long periods.”

In response to the recognition of risk What is MAFBNZ doing now? from tourists, DOC began surveying The original “first-night campsites” More than 600,000 people visit Huka Falls every year – the most popular first-night campsites programme initiated by DOC has now each visitor could be a biosecurity risk. (68 in total). The project began been amalgamated with MAFBNZ’s in 2001, with the main objective High Risk Site Surveillance programme being the early detection of newly (HRSS) and expanded to provide introduced invertebrates and diseases, wider and more risk-based coverage. and weeds that would be harmful to The range of risk sites surveyed and New Zealand’s indigenous forests. priorities for extending cover have Responsibility for this surveillance also been reviewed using visitor programme was transferred to the numbers provided by DOC. For Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry example, one of the most popular (MAF) on 1 July 2005, under the re- visitor areas is Huka Falls with over organisation of biosecurity that gave 600,000 visitors annually, including a MAF accountability for end-to-end significant number of overseas tourists. management of the biosecurity system. Each of the selected risk sites has been carefully mapped and SPS Biosecurity Director Brent Rogan inspecting native inspected, with efforts now vegetation in a transect. Information gathered is recorded in a hand-held PDA before being transferred to concentrated on looking a GIS database. Photo courtesy of SPS Biosecurity Ltd. for new and significant pests. During the 2008/09 extremely well qualified and have season, 130 tourist risk over 40 years of experience working sites were visited and over in forest health and biosecurity. 380 transects intensively What does the future hold? surveyed. While a total of 14 samples were submitted In the future, risk data, such as to the Crown Research updated tourist visitor numbers, Institute Scion for analysis, results of slippage surveys and no new pests were found. border pest interceptions, will allow In addition to tourist risk improved profiling and ranking sites, urban HRSS sites of tourist risk sites. This will allow around New Zealand, direct comparison of risk between particularly including different types of risk sites. ports and airports, are While compiling a full list of all woody, inspected in the same way. herbaceous and aquatic weeds would be a significant undertaking, and Who does the site inspections? regarded as a separate project, there is AsureQuality Ltd currently scope as part of the HRSS programme manages the HRSS contract to collect woody weed data and record Tourist-related high-risk sites in mid-upper North Island. Current High for MAFBNZ. The main any new species without significantly Risk Site Surveillance transects are in red and the new tourist risk sites are in yellow. provider of field surveillance increasing the work component of the is SPS Biosecurity Ltd, surveillance. This would allow changes whose directors have been in weed composition to be measured involved in the quarantine, forestry over time, and could provide an early and biosecurity fields for over 20 warning of new invasive weed species. years. Many of the surveyors are ■ Paul Stevens, Senior Adviser (Plants Surveillance), Post Border, MAFBNZ, [email protected]

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 7 89 FORESTRY

New requirements for general transitional facilities The new General Transitional Facilities for Uncleared Goods standard, which replaces several older standards, came into effect on 1 February this year. Finalising the standard was a significant piece of work for the MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) Operations and Facilities Group. The standard underwent two rounds of public consultation, as well as extensive internal consultation, to ensure a smooth transition from old to new. To communicate the changes to the more than 6000 transitional facilities across New Zealand, a series of public information sessions was held in major centres in early December last year. These sessions New Zealand’s plantation forests are worth billions of dollars, but were led by MAFBNZ Group Manager, Operations and as with dropping a match and starting a forest fi re, the accidental Facilities, Clive Gower-Collins and Team Manager, Operations and Facilities, Tania Marinas, and introduction of a dangerous pest organism can be devastating. provided information about how businesses would o reduce the risk of new such as pocket knives, pruners and be affected. damaging insects and fungi even cameras and binoculars. The sessions attracted representatives from about Tgetting into our exotic forests, Many overseas golf courses harbour 1000 businesses, including staff from transitional the forest industry has developed pests and diseases that could damage a “forest hygiene” policy to cover facilities, customs brokers and freight forwarders, our plantation estate and so golfing international visitors as well as transport companies, industry bodies and approved equipment should be cleaned before staff returning from overseas. training providers. Feedback so far has been positive. arrival in New Zealand. For example, Insects, although small, are relatively in a review of the global situation for “People genuinely appreciated the opportunity to easy to spot compared with fungal pitch canker, Dr Rebecca Ganley, with meet with MAFBNZ staff face-to-face and find out pathogens, which can produce billions the Crown Research Institute Scion, a little more about how these new changes might of spores and remain infective for long reported that “In California, pitch canker affect them,” Ms Marinas said. periods. Propagules (plant material initially spread through P. radi ata planted that can grow) of soil-borne pathogens, in urban regions and on golf courses”. The main changes for transitional facilities include: such as Phytophthoras, can also remain operators must undertake a MAFBNZ-approved Dave Lowry, Technical Forestry Manager infective in small volumes of soil. for Hancock Forest Management NZ training course, some may require a deputy operator, Spores can stick to clothing; fragments Ltd, who had a major hand in developing and all need approved signage and must undertake of plant material bearing fruit bodies the forest hygiene policy, believes periodic self-assessment. The new standard also of pathogenic fungi may be caught in that “industry needs to be especially contains a flexible MAFBNZ assessment component clothing; and the soil sticking to footwear focused on forest hygiene and alerting to reward compliant facilities with fewer audits, can carry soil-borne pathogens. Visitors overseas visitors in 2009, as Scion will which allows MAFBNZ to focus resources on facilities to our forests may become unintentional be hosting a major international forest that are not meeting their obligations. carriers of disease-causing organisms. biosecurity conference in March”. “The changes to the majority of facilities won’t The Ministry of Agriculture and It is important for people returning be drastic, and our staff and inspectors will be Forestry (MAF) operates biosecurity from overseas to consider the forest available to ensure businesses receive the support defence systems at the border that stop hygiene policy, not only for the they need during the transition,” Mr Gower-Collins some of the potential pests. The forest protection of New Zealand’s plantation industry has also put in place additional estate, but for our native forests and said. requirements to further minimise the other primary industries as well. The new standard is available on the MAFBNZ risks to New Zealand’s forest estate. Copies of the policy can be website at: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/border/ These are relatively simple and include downloaded from the New Zealand transitional-facilities/bnz-std-tfgen ensuring that before entering a New Forest Owners’ Association website: Zealand plantation forest, any clothing For more information, email: [email protected] www.nzfoa.org.nz/index.php?/ and footwear worn during nursery, content/download/2441/18542/file/ ■ Liz Phillips, Adviser, Operations and Facilities Group, forest, port, or processing site visits hygiene_policy_july_2008.pdf Border Standards, MAFBNZ overseas is thoroughly cleaned. Similar ■ Bill Dyck, science and technology broker and requirements apply to field equipment, NZFOA Forest Health Administrator

8 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89 Monitoring forest condition

Forests change through time. This occurs both because trees get older and form changes, but also, in many cases, because tree nutrition and health change in much the same way as they do for people. Low transparency tree with dense foliage that obscures the stem (left) compared with a medium-to-high transparency tree with a relatively thin crown. Photo courtesy Scion. t is important to know if the agents or environmental influences monitoring. The system will be linked condition of a forest is changing on our forests over time. This is with the Government’s Land Use and Ifor several reasons, but primarily important not only to forest managers Carbon Analysis System (LUCAS)1 to to ensure that optimal profitability wanting to maintain production piggyback on what is already being is achieved. This is relevant not levels, but also for international done, and also to avoid duplication. only for wood production, but, marketing purposes to support claims Research on the application of in the post-Kyoto environment, of sustainability and to contribute to LiDAR2 (light detecting and also for carbon stocks, which environmental certification systems. ranging) technology to assess crown provide a totally new market for The project is half way through a three- transparency looks promising forest owners and government. year term that will see permanent and may provide a cost-effective The New Zealand forest industry, sample plot monitoring integrated means to assist monitoring through the New Zealand Forest with forest canopy assessment of forest condition in the future. crown transparency, linked with forest ■ Bill Dyck, science and technology broker, NZFOA Owners’ Association (NZFOA), Forest Health Administrator and Project Manager for has operated a Forest Health health inspections and nutritional the forest condition monitoring system Surveillance System for more than 50 years. However, this system is only 1 More information can be found at: www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/climate/lucas/index.html designed to detect new incursions 2 LiDAR, “light detecting and ranging”, is a remote sensing technology that can be used to measure distance to a surface using laser pulses. More information can be found at: www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/climate/lucas/structure/method- of unwanted organisms that may development/lidar.html damage our plantation estate. It is not designed to provide a robust forest condition monitoring system that can readily determine if the health and vigour of a forest is declining, or perhaps improving, through time. The NZFOA is currently working with researchers in the Crown Research Institute Scion and other organisations to develop a forest condition monitoring system that can provide a systematic means to monitor and report on the condition of our forests so that we can state with An extract of LiDAR imagery of a Pinus radiata Kyoto forest. This extract clearly shows the profile of several trees. The a high degree of certainty the impact ground surface is coloured blue and the tree foliage is coloured light blue through green and yellow to red, where yellow and red colours denote the highest points above the ground surface. The absence of lower branches, in some cases, of any management practices, biotic indicates trees that have been pruned. Photo courtesy Ministry for the Environment.

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 9 89 FORESTRY

Close inspection of foliage is required to find cryptic disease organisms. Photo courtesy SPS Biosecurity Ltd.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) keeps a close eye on the border to prevent pest organisms getting through, but it is recognised that from time to time unwanted agents will slip through because complete control would be too disruptive to trade, while wind- and water-carried pests cannot be readily detected.

o provide an additional are required to conduct aerial and there is a potential threat to the forest line of defence, the forest ground surveys, followed up by more plantation. With the development and Tindustry, through the New intensive plot investigations where introduction of molecular techniques, Zealand Forest Owners’ Association results from aerial surveys warrant this service is becoming very (NZFOA), runs a Forest Health it. All staff are well trained in forest sophisticated, not unlike that provided Surveillance System (FHS) across biosecurity investigations and provide for crime scene investigations. its members’ more than a million a dedicated service to the industry. The FHS is funded by forest owners hectares of plantation forest. This Increasing attention is paid to through a voluntary levy, which also scheme has been operating for more what are termed “High Risk Forest provides funding to cover research than 50 years, although adjustments Sites”. These sites are where there is and the administration of industry have been made to the design considered an increased chance that forest health activities. While the and implementation as additional new organisms could be found. These cost appears nominal on a per knowledge has come to hand. are often associated with risk pathways hectare basis, the amount becomes What is the FHS? such as machinery movement, significant across the million-hectare heavy industry and recreation. estate of NZFOA members. The FHS is implemented on an annual basis and tendered, through the A critical component of the FHS Who are the forest health providers? NZFOA, to forest health providers. is the collection and diagnosis of The main forest health provider is SPS SPS Biosecurity Ltd currently provides suspicious samples collected in the Biosecurity Ltd. The directors (Paul the bulk of the service, and a smaller field. These are sent to the Crown Bradbury and Brent Rogan) have area is surveyed by Baigent Pest Research Institute Scion, where they each been involved in the quarantine, Control. Forest health providers are quickly analysed to determine if

10 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89

ABOVE: The New Zealand forest industry would be devastated if a pest reached epidemic levels similar to the Mountain Pine Beetle in Canada. Photo courtesy Natural Resources Canada. LEFT: Paul Bradbury, Director of SPS Biosecurity Ltd, beating a pine tree to gather insect samples. Photo courtesy SPS Biosecurity Ltd. forestry and biosecurity fields for information on other aspects of dedication and hard work are evident, over 20 years and have worked for forest condition, such as nutrition as is the very competent diagnostic a range of government agencies, and snow damage, as required. service provided by NZFRI [the New private companies and research Zealand Forest Research Institute, organisations. In mid-2007 they How well does it work? Scion] in analysing field samples. saw an opportunity for a specialist The NZFOA conducts periodic audits Accomplishing this goal is no simple private provider of environmental and of the FHS to ensure it is working matter given that causal organisms may biosecurity services and established as designed. In November 2007, it often be cryptic and difficult to identify SPS Biosecurity Ltd. Mr Bradbury commissioned a major external review (e.g., species that are new to science and Mr Rogan are well supported by by two overseas experts: Dr Andrew or previously not associated with a a highly experienced team of well- Liebhold, a research entomologist particular host or disease complex).” qualified forest health professionals. with the United States Department of Despite the top marks scored Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service As well as conducting the bulk of from the review, the NZFOA has in Virginia, and Dr Brenda Callan, the FHS work, SPS Biosecurity made several minor adjustments a pathologist with the Canadian staff are also involved in the MAF- to the current system in line with Forest Service in Victoria, BC. operated High Risk Site Surveillance, the review’s recommendations. In particular, increased attention is being along with other forest health and They concluded: “Overall, we found focused on high-risk sites, where biosecurity operations. Thus they are the FHS system to be well-conceived, there is a greater likelihood of new able to provide a sound overview of valuable to the New Zealand pests and diseases being found. what is being done throughout New forest industry and generally well executed. The program deserves Zealand in biosecurity surveillance. How does the FHS work with MAF? commendation as part of a progressive What do they find? approach to forest biosecurity that The FHS system is closely linked exceeds the sophistication level to MAF biosecurity operations, The forest health providers are attained by forest health surveillance and new organisms identified are specifically looking for new and programs elsewhere in the world.” recorded in the MAF biosecurity potentially dangerous pests and database. Additionally, the FHS diseases that have been introduced to The reviewers also recognised the role High Risk Forest Site network is the Government played in providing New Zealand’s plantation forest estate. modelled after MAF’s High Risk Site a “world leading” level of biosecurity However, the expectation and hope network, and similar investigative effort, which had resulted in the is that few, if any, will be found. To procedures are used for both. date this has been the case, although exclusion of many serious pests, the plantation forests do have several and the forest industry’s foresight There has been a long-standing well-established diseases that are for “advancing a highly progressive partnership between the forest industry and MAF to protect New monitored, such as Dothistroma and approach to alien pest exclusion”. Zealand’s plantation and native forests Cyclaneusma needle casts. The forest Much of the credit for the success of from biosecurity threats. To date, health providers report on the extent the forest surveillance programme this has worked well and the most and intensity of these forest health could be attributed to the forest health damaging agents have been excluded. issues to the respective forest owners providers’ staff. “These individuals are ■ Bill Dyck, science and technology broker and NZFOA and may also provide additional the ‘eyes’ of the program and their skill, Forest Health Administrator

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 11 89 FORESTRY Making trees more disease resistant – quickly and naturally Already established diseases are costing the New Zealand forest industry tens of millions of dollars a year in lost productivity, but researchers are fi ghting back.

he Lincoln University-based New research is investigating the Bio-Protection Research application of beneficial endophytes TCentre is developing (organisms that live naturally in plants) innovative technologies to create to determine if manipulating these improved resistance in radiata populations can lead to enhanced pine by managing the organisms resistance against existing disease that can live in pine tissues. organisms and insects, but also those Dr Robert Hill, who heads the Centre’s not yet in New Zealand. Scientists from forestry programme, previously Lincoln University, Massey University, developed a seed coating formulation, AgResearch, HortResearch and the ArborGuard™, which enhances the Crown Research Institute Scion performance of radiata pine seedlings are involved in the project, which in the nursery, not only improving has both Foundation for Research, growth rates but also reducing the Science and Technology and New need for nursery managers to apply Zealand Forest Owners’ Association fungicides. This product is now (NZFOA) funding. Researchers from Dr Jenny Aitken with tissue culture plant. South Africa, Spain and California being used in forest nurseries, and, in Photo courtesy The Tree Lab. collaboration with forestry services will be collaborating in this project. causing pine pitch canker and DFP company PF Olsen, large field trials Treated material from New Zealand (Daño Foliar del Pino, a serious new have been established to determine will be tested against serious radiata radiata pine disease in Chile). how much of the beneficial effect pine disease organisms that are not carries over into forest plantings. yet in New Zealand, such as those Dr Hill is working with Dr Jenny Aitken and her company The Tree Lab to introduce potentially beneficial endophytes into radiata pine tissue- cultured plantlets under sterile conditions. These will be grown and tested in lab conditions, and then further tested in greenhouse and eventually field situations. Because The Tree Lab has a Level 3 Quarantine Facility (high security), it is also possible to collaborate and exchange material with overseas research organisations without threatening the biosecurity of New Zealand. If successful – and similar technology has now been commercialised with grasses – the enhanced radiata pine should perform better against existing diseases, thus improving forest industry profitability, and should also provide another weapon against possible new incursions to New Zealand. ■ Bill Dyck, science and technology broker and NZFOA Forest Health Administrator Seed coating – with Wei-Young Wang from PF Olsen Ltd. Photo courtesy Robert Hill.

12 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89 How do epidemics of fungal forest pathogens occur? Scientists are investigating the potential for biocontrol against Dothistroma (red-band) needle blight, which has a major affect on New Zealand’s forest plantations.

othistroma needle blight dothistromin, which is present infection. Should this be successful, is a fungal disease of trees, in Dothistroma-infected needles. it may be possible, for example, to Dmainly affecting pines, that She and co-workers have recently manipulate the endophytes (organisms was first found in New Zealand disproved the hypothesis that the that live naturally in plants) living in 50 years ago. The impact on the toxin is required for pathogenicity of radiata pine needles to enhance the forest plantation industry includes: the Dothistroma fungus (Dothistroma presence of the most beneficial ones • Significant loss of growth in septosporum) on radiata pine. thereby increasing the resistance of affected trees: However, there is evidence radiata pine to needle cast diseases. – without spraying, the likely cost that dothistromin may play This would be worth many tens to the industry would be in the a role in competition against of millions of dollars a year to the order of $60 million a year in other fungi in pine needles. New Zealand plantation forest lost productivity; The researchers are currently industry if disease-resistance trees – with spraying, the loss is were deployed on a large scale. probably closer to $20 million a investigating the potential for biocontrol against pathogenic fungal ■ Dr Rosie Bradshaw, Massey University, year. [email protected] • High cost of control: – depending on rainfall (which increases infection levels), the forest industry sprays 70,000 to 180,000 hectares a year at an average cost of about $35 per hectare. • Reduction in the number of pine species that can be grown economically and limits on the range of species, such as Pinus nigra and Pinus ponderosa. Dothistroma needle blight has now reached epidemic levels in parts of Canada and Europe. Although climate change has been implicated, Radiata pine needle infected with Dothistroma. it is not known whether genetic changes in the pathogen have also contributed to these epidemics. Dr Rosie Bradshaw, from Massey University, and Dr Rebecca Ganley, from the Crown Research Institute Scion (both organisations being members of the Bio-protection Research Centre), are in the initial stages of a research project to investigate how the Dothistroma pathogens have evolved over the short to long term. Dr Bradshaw has also been Glowing fruit bodies, resulting from needle infection with the toxin-deficient mutant, indicating that dothistromin is not investigating the role of the toxin required for needle infection. Photos courtesy Massey University.

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 13 89 FORESTRY

EUROPEAN HOUSE BORER

Big clean up of EHB infested material. EHB (Hylotrupes bajulus) adult. Photo courtesy Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

Australia is working to eradicate in the Perth suburb of Parkerville, of the EHB response. The review European House Borer, which the timber beam was infested panel was chaired by Mal Nairn, prior to installation and originated Chair of the Australian Biosecurity without action has the potential from a local pine wood dealer. Cooperative Research Centre for to spread across the southern half The Western Australian (WA) State Emerging Infectious Disease. The other panel members were Robert of the country and cost billions of Government initiated a response programme involving large scale Eldridge, Research Leader Forest dollars to control and in repairing delimiting surveillance and containment Resources with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, damage to wooden homes. of the pest. John Bain, from the New Zealand Crown Research Institute Scion and John Bain. Mr Bain was invited to Forest Protection team, got involved participate because of his knowledge n January 2004, the Department of at an early stage of the programme of wood-boring beetles and his close Agriculture and Food in Western because of his considerable experience association with several eradication IAustralia received a phone call with long horn beetle larvae and the campaigns in New Zealand (Dutch elm from member of the public who had difficulty in identifying the borer larvae. disease, white-spotted tussock moth, heard scraping noises coming from a painted apple moth and gypsy moth). New Zealand also has a significant wooden beam installed in an extension The review panel concluded that the interest in this incursion in Western to her house. She also found some eradication campaign was on track and Australia because the likely impact, sawdust on the ground below the beam. feasible but required more funds. It should EHB establish here, would also recommended setting up a Science Entomologists responded to be very high. EHB is occasionally Advisory Panel, which was done and the call and found a single adult intercepted at the New Zealand border included Mr Bain as a member. female beetle emerging from and is listed as a regulated pest in the the pine beam. The beetle was Biosecurity Organisms Register for Since then, the EHB Response identified as Hylotrupes bajulus, or Imported Commodities. Radiata pine, Programme has attracted national European House Borer (EHB). New Zealand’s most-used framing funding shared between the Australian Commonwealth and State EHB is a pest of seasoned softwood timber, is susceptible to infestation, as Governments as well as the forestry timber exotic to Australia. It specifically are native podocarp timbers. Podocarps and softwood timber industry. attacks seasoned pine, spruce and are little used in construction fir. Its larvae are known to cause these days but commonly used for It is believed that the beetle was significant damage in structural furniture and decorative purposes. introduced into Western Australia in softwood timber in buildings, and can In 2005, the WA State Government the 1950s, possibly in prefabricated also attack furniture. In this instance, commissioned an external review houses imported from Europe,

14 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89

EHB detector dog Jed indicating on infested trap log. Photo courtesy Department of EHB detector dog Lara in training. Photo courtesy Department of Agriculture and Food, Agriculture and Food, Western Australia. Western Australia. which were based on pine framing. high-risk areas, and thereby reduce the logs. Close monitoring of the logs will Pine was not commonly used in the human-assisted spread of the pest. verify their presence or absence. The construction of houses in Perth until It is hard to imagine anyone living trap logs can be inspected visually the year 2000, when logging of old in Perth who is not aware of the through cutting and splitting them growth forests was banned. Since 2000, eradication programme, such to search for larvae and/or galleries, untreated pine has been extensively is the extent of the supporting although this is extremely time used in the construction of roof frames communications campaign. High consuming and costly. The EHB team in houses and other buildings. levels of community and industry therefore includes two detector dogs Delimiting surveillance has been awareness have been achieved through who have been specially trained to carried out on an annual basis since the formation of local consultative sniff EHB larvae inside the trap logs. 2004. This involves travelling every road committees, production of a range of The eradication programme is also in the south-west of Western Australia information leaflets and brochures, supported by a research programme (the area from Geraldton, 400km to advertising in local media, displays at into the borer’s biology and detection the north, to Esperance, 700km to local events, installation of road signs methods. Research activities are the south-east of Perth) and checking in infested areas, a dedicated website focusing on the biology of the pest by for the presence of pine trees and any and a hotline for general enquiries and maintaining a laboratory colony to evidence of EHB. Repeated surveillance to report possible sightings of the pest. monitor emergence times and mating has shown that EHB is confined to Eradication of EHB is a long-term behaviours, and to build up numbers of the greater Perth metropolitan area. project that will potentially cost around adults for use in various experiments. EHB is mainly found in dead pine A$50 million. Eradication from infested Research is also focusing on trees, logs or dead parts of live pine urban sites is anticipated in 2010, development of new detection methods, trees in Western Australia. There whereas in infested pine plantations such as acoustic detection. The research are 136 infested sites including nine it is expected in 2015. The pest’s slow team is working with a university on the pine plantations. EHB has not yet lifecycle and slow natural spread favour development of a network of acoustic been found infesting structural the eradication attempt. Eradication sensors programmed to recognise the timber that was already in a house can be achieved by removing its audio signal produced by chewing EHB prior to EHB appearing in Western host materials from infested areas, larvae and, when detected, to send a Australia. However, the potential particularly pine trees, but also other signal to a base station. If successful, for infestation is great since many pine wood such as timber and firewood. the sensors will be stuck to the trap residential developments are occurring Because most pine trees contain a logs and thereby form a network adjacent to infested pine plantations. certain amount of deadwood, such as throughout the previously infested area. In the infested areas, some 70,000 branch stubs and “drysides” within The EHB programme is governed by homes and businesses have been the trunk where EHB can survive, a national consultative committee, visited in order to raise awareness of entire live trees need to be removed. which bases its decisions on the advice the pest and obtain an inventory of The eradication will be verified by from a scientific advisory panel that the possible host materials present, a six-year monitoring programme, regularly reviews the programme such as pine trees, pine wood and where pine trap logs are installed in to determine progress and the timber, and pine furniture. This will previously infested areas to act as ongoing feasibility of eradication. allow the regulatory officers to focus sacrificial hosts. If any EHB remain ■ John van Schagen, Director, EHB Response, their containment programme on in the area, they are likely to infest the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia ■ John Bain, Scion

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 15 89 FORESTRY Forest Industry Development Agenda a driver for growth

Ensuring a vibrant and internationally competitive FIDA funding ($ million GST excl) forest industry is important for New Zealand Initiative area Government funds Industry funds given the rapidly expanding available harvest, its Market access 1.2 0.4 potential to be a major driver of future growth and Bio-energy 2.5 N/A its positive contribution to many environmental Labour and skills 4.4 N/A outcomes, including climate change. Excellence in wood design 2.1 0.7 Market development 8.0 2.7

abinet agreed in 2004/05 that the Government Market access: This budget is managed by the Ministry engage with the forest industry on a joint of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and funds projects Cindustry development process called the that MFAT would not normally undertake, such as Forest Industry Development Agenda (FIDA). contracting industry and research experts. Most of the The Government’s high-level objectives for the FIDA are projects are about non-tariff barriers to trade, for example, to ensure forestry can make its optimal contribution to building standards that discriminate against New Zealand New Zealand’s sustainable development, and that it plays radiata pine. The budget is almost fully committed. a key role in New Zealand’s environmental goals, such as: Bio-energy: MAF contracted the Energy Efficiency and • promoting sustainability and carbon neutrality by Conservation Authority (EECA) to manage this part of the producing New Zealand’s only truly renewable and FIDA. Funding has been fully committed and was used on: sustainable construction material; • grants for demonstration projects using wood as a fuel • climate change mitigation; and source; and • mitigation and prevention of water pollution and soil • pilot projects to fund the conversion of school boilers erosion. to wood pellets or wood chips. From a climate change perspective, increased use Labour and skills: This fund was managed by of wood can reduce fossil fuel energy consumption the Tertiary Education Commission and was a

and CO2 emissions by increasing the pool of carbon contribution to a wood processing training centre stored in wood and wood products, and displacing in Rotorua. It has been fully committed. fossil fuel by burning wood waste materials. Excellence in wood design: This initiative part funds The FIDA provides a means for the Government and two professorship positions, one each at the universities the industry to develop a strategic approach for the of Auckland (Professor Pierre Quenville) and Canterbury industry’s future growth. It has been running since April (Professor Andy Buchanan) to teach and research 2005, when the Government allocated $18.2 million the use of wood in commercial-style buildings. to the initiative through to July 2009 (although some Market development: This is managed by MAF and funds have been carried forward beyond that time). includes several projects, the largest by far being the Industry co-funding is required for some projects NZWood initiative, a generic wood promotion programme. on a 75 percent government and 25 percent industry The fund is virtually fully committed on 30 projects, with basis. The topic areas are shown in the table. a balance of only $45,000 out of the $8 million budget remaining. As well as NZWood, it includes projects ranging from new ideas for building houses with solid wooden walls to reducing the use of pesticides in forests. ■ John Eyre, MAF Policy, [email protected]

16 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89 LOG EXPORTERS SAVE TONNES OF METHYL BROMIDE

New Zealand’s use of methyl pre-shipment treatment is exempt bromide to fumigate log exports from the Montreal Protocol phase- out process, all countries are urged has been steadily increasing to reduce and eliminate methyl over the past fi ve years because bromide as a treatment. The quantity of methyl bromide used in New of increased trade, and would Zealand for QPS purposes is now Fumigation trials such as this one, testing efficacy on be considerably higher if the four times that used five years ago infested logs, will provide more data on alternative treatments to methyl bromide. fumigation company Genera, log because of the increase in exports as well as requirements by other exporters and MAF Biosecurity countries for pre-shipment treatment, New Zealand (MAFBNZ) had particularly for forest products. After China, India is New Zealand’s second largest log export market not pioneered an alternative New Zealand’s use of Phosphine requiring pre-export treatment, and treatment. has bought about a significant there is significant potential for further reduction in methyl bromide methyl bromide reduction. Indian use. Internationally, the Montreal log volumes have grown significantly ew Zealand log exporters Protocol has led to methyl bromide over recent years and MAF, along saved 220 tonnes of ozone consumption steadily dropping from with other industry parties, is depleting methyl bromide N around 64,000 tonnes in 1991 (for actively working to facilitate change in the year ending 30 June 2008 by non-quarantine use) down to around towards alternatives in this market. fumigating logs destined for China 10,000 tonnes in 2006. Quarantine Negotiations have been in progress for with an alternative product, Phosphine. and pre-shipment use has declined several years and trials to provide more However, Phosphine fumigation can from around 14,000 tonnes to 10,000 data on the alternative treatment for only be carried out on two-thirds of tonnes over the same period. logs destined for India are underway. a shipment of logs (those contained Meanwhile, the Ministry of While New Zealand is actively seeking in a ship’s hold) during transit, as the Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and will move to alternatives at the treatment requires 10 days’ saturation is funding research and working first opportunity, until acceptable compared with 24 hours for methyl with stakeholders in the Methyl alternatives can be implemented bromide. While China is currently the Bromide Reduction (STIMBR) group, and accepted by trading partners, only country to accept this alternative researchers, fumigation companies New Zealand trade and biosecurity method of treatment, MAFBNZ and and industry to source funding cannot phase out QPS use of industry are working to change this. for further work on alternative methyl bromide quite yet. treatments to reduce New Zealand’s Methyl bromide has been used ■ Ken Glassey, Senior Adviser, Border Standards, extensively and safely around the reliance on methyl bromide. MAFBNZ, [email protected] world for quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS) purposes for over 70 years, Reported or estimated global QPS production and $728 million in forestry trade in 16000 export logs and sawn timber from New 14000 Zealand still relies on methyl bromide fumigation as a market access tool. 12000 But approaches are changing 10000 because methyl bromide is now 8000 listed as an ozone depleting 6000 substance under the Montreal 4000

Protocol, which aims to phase out Methyl bromide for QPS (metric tonnes) all ozone depleting substances. 2000 0 New Zealand has stopped importing 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 methyl bromide for non-quarantine use, and while use for quarantine Source: Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee presentation, Montreal Protocol meeting November 2008, Doha.

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 17 89 FORESTRY GUM LEAF SKELETONISER is it a risk to native plants?

Uraba lugens eggs – the photo shows a rare instance of eggs laid on pohutukawa in a laboratory study. Studies show that gum leaf skeletoniser does not pose a threat to native species in the wild. Photo courtesy Scion.

Scientists at the Crown Research Institute Scion have found So how have Dr Withers and is more likely to lay her eggs on a her colleague Dr Lisa Berndt neutral substrate such as part of New Zealand’s native plants gone about this tricky task? the cage frame or netting, than on are fortunately not a popular “We start by looking at what New any of the indigenous New Zealand menu choice for an unwelcome Zealand plants are the closest native Myrtaceae and Nothofagaceae. This is relatives to the gum leaf skeletoniser’s good news for New Zealand because Australian caterpillar. main hosts in Australia. These hosts our native plants are quite simply include species of Eucalyptus and not attractive oviposition substrates for moths,” Dr Withers says. um leaf skeletoniser (Uraba Angophora, which belong in the family lugens), a caterpillar that Myrtaceae. Notable New Zealand This result adds confidence to the feasts on gum trees in trees such as Metrosideros spp., which prediction made previously that G include pohutukawa and rata, are in gum leaf skeletoniser poses little Australia, is a relatively recent arrival to New Zealand. As with other this family, so this is a logical place to threat to New Zealand native flora. immigrant pests, it is necessary start host testing,” Dr Withers explains. The only damage likely to occur to learn what foods the insect “For a native plant to be considered is from spill-over feeding, when a may develop a taste for here. a true host, it must be attractive half-grown larvae gets a fright or is enough to provide food and lodging disturbed from its feeding on a host Better Border Biosecurity-funded tree, and spins on a silken thread or scientists based at Scion in Rotorua for the insect’s complete life cycle. This means the mother moth has to gets blown off its leaf onto a native have been exploring whether they plant growing beneath or close by. can accurately predict the field also be willing to lay her batch of eggs host range of the insect using host onto the plant, so that the hatching Field surveys revealed that as many specificity tests in the laboratory. larvae can begin to feed on it.” as 10 percent of pohutukawas growing within approximately Because of the complexity of the gum Laboratory tests suggest that while gum leaf skeletoniser larvae will 100 metres of infested Australian leaf skeletoniser’s biology, numerous trees may show damage during the testing methods have been trialled nibble on certain native plants (see table), they will only do so if they fall peak feeding times of the larvae in a bid to accurately predict which (early spring and late summer). native trees might be targeted by this off Eucalyptus trees onto the native pest. By testing the dietary range in plants. However, only some of those Are there any other plant hosts? the laboratory, scientists can stay a native plants, such as southern rata, are palatable enough for the larvae step ahead of the insect by predicting Egg-laying and some defoliation of to feed for the remaining instars risks as it spreads into new areas. trees by larvae in the field has been (development stage between each recorded on a range of northern Scion entomologist Dr Toni Withers moult of an insect’s skin). Gum leaf hemisphere tree species including says it is good to know about the skeletonisers can moult up to 14 Betula pendula, Fagus sylvatica insect’s likely feeding habits before times before spinning into a pupa. it gets the opportunity to make the purpurea, Fraxinus excelsior, decisions itself on what is palatable “All our oviposition [egg-laying] Liquidambar styraciflua, Populus sp., and attractive for its larvae to eat. testing has shown that the moth Quercus coccinea and Quercus paulstris.

18 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY 89

A CAREER IN TREES

Uraba lugens larvae – eucalypt leaves are the preferred host of gum leaf skeletoniser. Photo courtesy Scion.

Paul Stevens, MAFBNZ.

“We were able to confirm some of why the insect is targeting species Thirty years ago Paul Stevens started out pruning trees these are potential host associations by so different from its native range. for the New Zealand Forest Service. His career in forestry observing egg-laying in the laboratory has since turned full circle and he is back working for the “We do know that any impact on these Government, having joined the Post Border Directorate on Liquidambar styraciflua, Fagus trees is likely to be minimal, especially of MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) in 2006 as a sylvatica purpurea and Quercus as they lose their leaves in winter, Senior Adviser. coccinea. We will now need to check if which is when the winter generation While working full-time in the bush for the New Zealand larvae can rear through to adult moths of gum leaf skeletoniser larvae feed. Forest Service, Mr Stevens put himself through a New on these trees,” Dr Withers says. So only the summer generation Zealand Certificate in Forestry, then gained a Bachelor of Scion and HortResearch scientists, is likely to be able to complete a Forestry Science from the University of Canterbury. under the Better Border Biosecurity generation on any of these northern He joined Tasman Forestry Limited (now Fletcher Foundation for Research, Science and hemisphere trees species, returning Challenge Forests) in 1987 and progressed through Technology (FRST)-funded research to utilise their Australian hosts again several technical and management roles. In 1998, he joined Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) Forests and at various programme, are keen to investigate over winter,” Dr Withers says. times was responsible for research management, forest health and nutrition, and silviculture overview. Mr Stevens Gum leaf skeletoniser larvae research joined Evergreen Forests in December 2005 as Resource Plants palatable enough for Likelihood of larva Moth ever laid eggs Risk of attack Manager responsible for forest operational management, larvae to chew surviving to adulthood? on plant? the valuation process and yield forecasting at tactical and strategic levels. He is a member of the New Zealand Metrosideros umbellata 6/73 = 8% Once from 765 f Low Institute of Forestry. Southern rata Observed only once in the field After more than 25 years in the commercial forest industry, Metrosideros carminea 3/100 = 3% Never from 765 f Nil Mr Stevens’ role with MAFBNZ has offered him a chance to Carmine rata broaden his horizons while still contributing to enhancing Metrosideros parkinsonii 0 Not tested New Zealand’s environment and economy. His position Parkins’s rata of Senior Adviser in the Biosecurity Surveillance Group Metrosideros robusta Only by older larvae Four times from 925 f Low involves managing several surveillance programmes that Northern Rata 8/50 find invasive pests (for example, the gypsy moth) before they damage New Zealand’s trees and other plants. Metrosideros excelsa 1/50 = 2% Once from 925 f Low Pohutukawa Mr Stevens also provides a liaison role between the Metrosideros diffusa Only by older larvae Not tested New Zealand forest industry and MAFBNZ. This involves White rata vine 9/100 = 9% representing MAFBNZ at various forest industry biosecurity Lophomyrtus bullata 0 Once from 160 f Nil related forums, including the New Zealand Forest Owners’ Ramarama Association (NZFOA) Forest Health Committee, the Forest Biosecurity Research Council (FBRC) and the Forest Health Syzgium maire 0 Twice from 160 f Nil Maire tawaki Research Collaborative. Leptospermum scoparium Only by older larvae Never from 160 f Nil The forestry sector liaison role also involves organising Manuka 1/50 = 0.5% an annual forest health workshop that MAFBNZ runs Nothofagus solandri var solandri 0 Not tested in conjunction with NZFOA. In 2008 the theme was Black beech “New developments in Forest Biosecurity Surveillance”. Nothofagus truncata 10/100 = 10% Never from 765 f Nil Presentations given at the 2008 workshop can be found on Hard beech the FBRC website: www.fbrc.org.nz/7th_workshop.html. ■ Paul Stevens, Senior Adviser Surveillance, ■ Margaret Richardson, Senior Communications Adviser, Scion, [email protected], www.scionresearch.com Post Border, MAFBNZ, [email protected]

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 19 89 FORESTRY Forest health in a changing world

Representatives from more than 19 countries and 45 organisations, including MAFBNZ, attended the Asia and the Pacific Forest Health Workshop on Forest Health in a Changing World in Kuala Lumpur in December 2008.

An Asia Pacifi c Forest Invasive December last year, provided a forum health and biosecurity organisations for MAF Biosecurity New Zealand in the Asia–Pacific region; Species Network (APFISN) workshop (MAFBNZ) to exchange information • improved networks to transfer “Forest Health in a Changing with representatives from the 19 knowledge to the Asia–Pacific Asia–Pacific countries and 45 World” was an opportunity to build region to improve overseas organisations attending. It also provided biosecurity; linkages and share knowledge an opportunity to build collaborative • increased understanding of the across the region. linkages and better align programmes to capacity needs of the Asia–Pacific capture synergies; to share strategies, region biosecurity network; and experiences and knowledge; and to • improved support for the significant proportion assess gaps and capacity needs related to biosecurity needs of the Asia–Pacific of New Zealand’s trade forest health in the Asia–Pacific region. region. Acomes from the Asia and Specifically, the workshop outcomes The APFISN was launched in 2004 in Pacific regions, as does a significant included: recognition of the danger of invasive proportion of our biosecurity risk. • raised awareness of emerging risks species to the sustainable management Many of our neighbours have a in trade partners (for example, new of forests in the Asia–Pacific region. lower appreciation of the risk than pests reported from Viet Nam); It is a co-operative alliance of 32 New Zealand, less knowledge about • improved understanding of where Asia–Pacific Forestry Commission international biosecurity reporting trade partners have biosecurity (APFC) member countries and requirements and insufficient capacity knowledge gaps; operates under the umbrella of the to undertake biosecurity work that • increased knowledge about where United Nations Food and Agricultural New Zealand sees as essential. future biosecurity problems might Organization. The APFISN focuses The APFISN forest health workshop, arise; on inter-country co-operation that held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in • improved relationships with forest helps to detect, prevent, monitor, eradicate and/or control forest invasive species in the Asia–Pacific region. BIOSECURITYBIOSECURITY PPEOPLEEOPLE For New Zealand, the APFISN provides a forum for the exchange of biosecurity VivienV Thomson has joined MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) information and an avenue to readily as a Plants Surveillance Adviser in the Post Border Directorate’s improve biosecurity in the region Surveillance Group. She is originally from Canberra, where she worked by pushing risk offshore, thereby forf the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in leading to a reduction in incursions. thet area of quarantine export policy. Vivien spent most of 2008 living Abstracts of papers presented at and working in Samoa as a post-harvest physiologist, which involved the workshop and audio files of research into the best harvesting and handling practices for fruit presentations can be found at: www. crops intended for export. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in apafri.org/forestHealth08/index.htm ■ Paul Stevens, Senior Adviser (Plants Surveillance), ecology from the Australian National University. Post Border, MAFBNZ, [email protected]

20 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FRONTLINE NEWS 89 Agencies join forces to fight kauri disease

Six government agencies have joined forces to try to stop the spread of a disease that affects kauri trees.

he newly identified disease – branches and lesions that bleed resin Kauri dieback (Phytophthora across the lower part of the trunk. Ttaxon Agathis or PTA) It is believed to be spread mainly – has been confirmed as attacking through soil and soil water movement, trees in Northland, Auckland and it is strongly suspected PTA can be and on Great Barrier Island. transferred by people, tracked from place The six agencies – MAF Biosecurity to place on shoes, equipment and tyres. New Zealand (MAFBNZ), the PTA has been found at sites in the Canopy thinning and bleeding lesions on kauri trees as a result of kauri dieback. Photo courtesy Auckland Department of Conservation (DOC) Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and Regional Council. and four regional councils, Auckland at DOC reserves at Great Barrier and Regional Council, Northland Regional Trounson Kauri Park in Northland. further spread. The research will be Council, Environment Bay of Plenty Symptoms of kauri dieback have also contracted and take place over the and Environment Waikato – have been observed in other areas within coming months as environmental set up a response team to identify the greater Auckland region. conditions make it feasible. and manage the risks to kauri. Formally identified in April 2008, this Until more is known about PTA, one Kauri is a nationally and regionally Phytophthora is new to science and of the strongest chances of containing significant species that is a Taonga there is limited information on its it lies with public education. The Joint of great significance to Māori and impacts, how it spreads and effective Agency Response team has been liaising has cultural value for many New treatments, and there is currently no with iwi, local councils and landowners Zealanders. Kauri are among the known cure. A technical advisory group in the Upper North Island, as well as worlds tallest trees and once covered (TAG) has been established to provide members of the public using kauri much of the upper North Island. They the Joint Agency Response team with areas, asking for their help in stopping are part of New Zealand’s history, and information and advice as to the biology, the disease from spreading further. an essential part of the ecosystem as ecology and potential surveillance and Information sheets and track signs have they are home to many other trees, management tools for this Phytophthora. been distributed encouraging simple plants and threatened wildlife. The TAG has identified areas of behaviours people can adopt right A collaborative effort is needed to research that need to be undertaken now to stop further spread – namely ensure the survival of kauri as a species. so that a better understanding of the keeping to defined tracks in parks and The six agencies working together to disease is obtained and appropriate reserves, and cleaning footwear and protect kauri, known as the Joint Agency measures are put in place to manage it. tyres, or any other equipment that Response team, have committed to “This information will allow us to comes into contact with soil, before co-ordinating a management approach develop future management plans and after leaving kauri forest areas. across all land in affected regions. and a co-ordinated way forward that A specially created website – While each agency involved has ensures kauri ecosystems and individual www.kauridieback.co.nz – has been set unique expertise to offer the response, trees are protected. We are aiming to up by the Joint Agency Response team all share a common mandate to have these plans finalised by the end to provide more information, including protect New Zealand’s environmental, of February,” Joint Agency Response details about particular regions. A free social and cultural values. Manager Fiona Bancroft says. phone number – 0800 NZ KAURI – has PTA, or kauri dieback as it’s more The Joint Agency Response team also been set up so that the most up- commonly known, is a serious threat to has prioritised immediate research to-date information is readily available kauri forest and individual kauri trees in three particular areas: getting 24 hours a day, seven days a week. in the upper North Island. Believed good methodology in place by The Joint Agency Response team to be a soil-borne disease caused by a optimising sampling and diagnostic is striving to ensure the integrity of soil pathogen, PTA is specific to kauri techniques; defining symptoms that kauri ecosystems, protect high value and can kill trees and seedlings of all can be linked to PTA; and developing kauri areas and iconic kauri trees. ages. Affected trees show yellowing detailed best practices, including ■ Lisa Gibbison, Communications Adviser, MAFBNZ, leaves, canopy thinning, dead control/hygiene methods to limit any [email protected]

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 21 89 FRONTLINE NEWS Show jumpers help with influenza project

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) staff visited the Central Districts Show Jumping event in Foxton at the end of November – not for the fun of horse riding but to help be prepared should equine infl uenza ever be suspected in New Zealand.

MAFBNZ Incursion Investigator Andy McFadden and Principal Adviser Reinhold Kittelberger, both vets, needed to collect blood samples from New Zealand horses that hadn’t been overseas and so weren’t vaccinated for equine influenza. MAFBNZ’s Andy McFadden takes a blood sample while Reinhold Kittelberger writes In all, 300 samples were needed so that four down the details. Photo: Cathy Getafe. different methods of testing for equine influenza could be evaluated. At the Foxton event, 159 Analysis of the blood samples will take place in samples were collected over two days. contained conditions at the Animal Health Laboratory in Wallaceville. One of the key things to work out is the The support of the event organisers was invaluable, sensitivity and specificity of each of the four test methods. in particular Trish Pearce, who represents Equestrian Sport New Zealand on the New Zealand Equine Health Because equine influenza isn’t present in New Zealand Association and is a keen show jumper, and her husband horses, any “positive” result will be considered false. Tim Pearce, twice vet for the New Zealand Olympic Samples from infected Australian horses will be used Show Jumping Team, who had advertised MAFBNZ’s as the positive controls. Based on testing the negative presence and asked horse owners for their co-operation. and positive control panels, the sensitivity and specificity of each test method can be determined. Since the Foxton event, Dr Pearce has collected another 115 samples during his veterinary rounds in the The method that performs best will be selected and Rangitikei and Manawatu, and Dr McFadden another kept available for use. While MAFBNZ hopes the test 62 samples in the South Island from standardbreds. will never be needed, it needs to be prepared. The MAFBNZ now has all of the samples it needs from Australian equine influenza outbreak in 2007 required non-infected, non-vaccinated horses. Other samples more than 70,000 blood tests to be carried out. (vaccinated, non-infected New Zealand horses and MAFBNZ’s work means an informed decision on previously infected Australian horses, but not carrying test methods can be made well ahead of any possible the live virus) have been also been obtained. episode of equine influenza in New Zealand.

BIOSECURITY SURVEILLANCE STRATEGY UPDATE Public consultation on the draft Biosecurity Surveillance The majority of submitters agreed favourably with the Strategy was held in October and November last year. statements made in the strategy document, with more than 95 percent supportive of working together on biosecurity surveillance. In order to achieve the agreed goals, a s part of the process, MAF Biosecurity New common theme is the recognition that more resources are Zealand (MAFBNZ) held six public meetings in required, and most groups are eager to get on and clarify ANovember – two each in Auckland and how all participants envisage balancing competing Wellington, and one each in Christchurch and Rotorua. objectives. At each meeting MAFBNZ staff outlined the draft strategy, explained the approach taken and answered questions. MAFBNZ has also taken the recommendations for priority Over 100 people with a role or interest in biosecurity actions and used them to start planning the next stages, so surveillance participated. that when a final strategy is approved work can commence. More details on this work will be provided in the future. Fifty-four submissions were received, and MAFBNZ has since been reviewing the feedback and assessing where ■ If you have any questions or comments, or to receive updates on the Biosecurity changes to the draft strategy are required. Surveillance Strategy, please email [email protected]

22 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND FRONTLINE NEWS 89 GO-AHEAD FOR LYTTELTON MARINE PEST ELIMINATION

The Government has given MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) the green light for a fi ve year local elimination programme to rid Lyttelton Port of the marine pest Mediterranean fanworm, signing off on $3.5 million to carry out the operation. Mediterranean fanworm specimens from Lyttelton Port. Photo courtesy G. Read, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). he fanworm (Sabella spallanzanii) was detected in the port last year through MAFBNZ’s targeted Tmarine pest surveillance programme. It is a notifiable and unwanted organism under the Biosecurity Act 1993. Fanworm Response Manager Dr Peter Stratford says the fanworm can have significant negative effects, being an invasive species with no known predators and an ability to thrive in a wide range of habitats. “The fanworm could displace existing native species, threaten high value conservation and biodiversity areas, and foul port structures, vessels and aquaculture farms. This pest generally thrives in sheltered bays and harbours where it is likely to successfully compete with scallops, oysters and mussels, amongst other species, for food and space. It may also alter the fish species present in an area. “It is important that we carry out these measures to try to rid the Lyttelton Port of this pest and prevent its spread to other high value areas such as the wider Divers working on initial surveying for the fanworm. Pictured left is Chris Denny, who Lyttelton harbour, the Marlborough Sounds, Fiordland was with the Cawthron Institute when the photo was taken, and is now a MAFBNZ and even many areas of the North Island.” Marine Adviser based in Auckland. MAFBNZ has so far undertaken diver search and removal of existing populations, which research has shown to be an effective method to treat the pest. Information There will be a communications programme to obtained from these removal operations indicates encourage the owners of moored vessels in the area to that the fanworm arrived in New Zealand relatively keep their boat hulls clean to avoid spreading the pest. recently and appears to be confined to Lyttelton Port. “To date we have distributed information packs to all owners From here, search and removal treatment work will of vessels moored in the port and have also held a meeting continue for up to two years as long as the methods remain with local boaties to bring them up to speed with the viable. Regular monitoring for populations will provide situation and how they can play their part,” Dr Stratford says. information on the effectiveness of the treatment, as well “Fouling pests such as the Mediterranean fanworm as identify any new populations that may establish during hitchhike rides to other locations on dirty boat the course of the programme. During this time the overall bottoms – large or small – so it’s vital boat owners effectiveness of the elimination programme will be closely support this elimination programme.” monitored. The programme will also be reassessed if Further information is available at: http://www. the fanworm is detected outside of Lyttelton Port, if the biosecurity.govt.nz/pests/mediterranean-fanworm treatment rounds are not reducing the population by ■ Lesley Patston, Communications, MAFBNZ, [email protected] an acceptable level, and after an evaluation in 2010.

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 23 89 BIOSECURITY SYSTEMS WOOD PACKAGING IN SEA CONTAINERS While wood packaging in sea containers can potentially contain forestry pests and pathogens, a new study indicates that contamination levels are low thanks to generally good adherence to a New Zealand import health standard introduced about two years ago.

ood is one of the most bark and pests. The stamp consists The survey common packaging of the IPPC symbol, a two letter Wood packaging material was sampled materials used in sea country code, a unique number W from FAK containers devanned at containers. It includes dunnage, crates, assigned to the treatment provider, Auckland Transitional Facilities fillets, spacers, pallets, drums, reels and an abbreviation relating to (TFs) between February and April and peeler cores. Wood is used as a the type of treatment applied 2008. Most containers sampled packaging material because it is cheap (See Figure 1: IPPC, 2002). contained wood packaging materials and durable, however, the often low (91 percent), with twice as much quality of wood used means it is also Figure 1: Generalised ISPM-15 stamp wood packaging present in 40-foot a potential host of timber pests and containers (1.18 m3) compared with diseases. As a result, an international 20-foot containers (0.57 m3). standard (ISPM-15) was introduced in 2002 to decrease the likelihood A very high percentage (89 percent) of all wood packaging sampled was that forestry pests are transported Note: The stamp contains the IPPC logo (left), the country of internationally in packaging materials. treatment (XX), the treatment facility code (000), and the stamped according to the ISPM-15 treatment type (YY). standard. The most common ISPM- In this article, we summarise the Purpose 15 treatment in the sample was heat results of a survey examining both the treatment. The two most common quantity of wood packaging imported MAF Biosecurity New Zealand origins of stamped wood packaging into New Zealand and compliance (MAFBNZ) does not currently materials were Australia and the with the ISPM-15 standard. The survey record wood packaging materials in United States of America – two of New was conducted on a sub-category sea containers unless they are non- Zealand’s largest trading partners (see of containers that carry goods for compliant. When non-compliant Figure 2). It was common for a single multiple importers – Freight of All wood packaging is found it is sent for container to have wood packaging Kinds (FAK) sea containers, and which treatment, destruction or reshipment from several different countries, with are believed to contain particularly by a MAFBNZ Quarantine Inspector some of the wood heat treated, some high levels of wood packaging. or Accredited Person. Even in these cases, information is not recorded on methyl bromide treated, and a small ISPM-15 standard the type of packaging material, or the volume of wood not treated at all. Wood packaging materials imported volume of wood. As a consequence, The role the wood packaging plays into New Zealand are governed there is no ready source of information in the container is a good indication by the “Import Health Standard: relating to wood packaging of the likelihood of whether or not Wood Packaging Material from materials entering New Zealand. the wood is ISPM-15 stamped. The All Countries”, which was first This study assessed wood packaging most common function of wood introduced in May 2006 (Biosecurity in FAK sea containers, which contain packaging is for holding goods – New Zealand, 2006). This Import multiple consignments for different either in the form of pallets, or other Health Standard (IHS) is based on importers, and were believed to types of products. These types of the international “ISPM-15” standard be potentially higher risk for non- packaging material had very good for wood packaging materials under compliant wood packaging than Full compliance with the standard (see the International Plant Protection Container Load (FCL) sea containers. Figure 3). Although wooden bracing Convention (IPPC), 2002. The main There are several reasons for this and cable reels constitute only a small purpose of the ISPM-15 standard perceived high risk: FAK containers percentage of the wood packaging is to provide a consistent basis on are believed to contain higher volumes in FAK containers, more than half of which to assess both the origin of wood packaging than other sea the wood packaging found in these and phytosanitary status of wood containers, and the wood is expected forms (56 percent and 100 percent, packaging material, and thus to reduce to come from a wider variety of respectively) was unstamped. the worldwide spread of timber pests sources. In addition, FAK importers A pleasing result from this study was and diseases through wood packaging. are often private individuals or small that wood packaging materials were The ISPM-15 standard requires businesses, which are potentially less very clean, with little contamination that wood packaging materials aware of New Zealand’s biosecurity found. Only one piece of wood are treated, stamped, and free of regulations than larger importers. sampled had bark as a contaminant.

24 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND BIOSECURITY SYSTEMS 89

In addition, there were only six interceptions Figure 2: Countries recorded on ISPM-15 stamps of wood packaging of hitchhiker organisms, and no wood-boring material for those countries with more than 2 m3 of wood packaging insects or fungal contaminants were found. 25 )

Two of the organisms found were seeds (Panicum 3 20 sp. and Sonchus oleraceus) – one of these is an unregulated species (S. oleraceus), and the 15 regulatory status of the other is unknown as it was not able to be identified to species level. There 10 were four spiders identified, one of which was a 5

regulated species (Crossopriza lyoni). The remaining Volume of wood packaging (m three spiders could not be identified below family 0 Italy India Japan China France Sweden America Thailand Germany Australia Malaysia level and thus their regulatory status is unknown. Indonesia Singapore South Korea Unstamped New Zealand Taiwan (China) United Kingdom United States of Unknown country While wood packaging can potentially contain People's Republic of Country of ISPM-15 stamp forestry pests and pathogens and will continue to be monitored closely by MAFBNZ, this study indicates that contamination levels within wood Figure 3: Volume of stamped and unstamped wood packaging packaging material are low. It also shows that according to function in the container consolidators of FAK containers generally adhere 80 to the ISPM-15 standard. The ISPM-15 standard 9.7% Unstamped 70 ) appears to be effective at ensuring a reasonably high 3 6.2% Stamped level of cleanliness for wood packaging materials. 60 References 50 Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ), 2006. Import health standard for wood 40 packaging material from all countries. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand. 30

International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), 2002. Guidelines for regulating Volume of wood packaging (m 20 wood packaging material in international trade. International Standard for 10 17.4% Phytosanitary Measures No. 15. 56.1% 26.2% 100% 100% ■ 0 Anthea Craighead, Senior Data Analyst, MAFBNZ, Pallets for Holding goods Not recorded Bracing Dunnage Cable reel Mixture of [email protected]; holding goods holding goods Lisa Rowsell, Monitoring Surveyor, MAFBNZ, Function of wood packaging and bracing [email protected] Note: Percentages refer to the proportion of wood packaging that was unstamped for a given function.

UPDATES Notification of consultation: 155.02.06 Vaccinium spp. nursery Submissions on these changes should be forwarded to MAFBNZ by close of stock from all countries business on 6 March 2009. MAF encourages respondents to email comments to: [email protected]. Written submissions can be sent to: Vivian Dalley, MAFBNZ is proposing changes to the specific schedule for Vaccinium spp. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, PO Box 2526, Wellington. (blueberry) nursery stock from all countries. The proposed changes can be viewed at: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/biosec/consult/vacciniu m-consult Import health standard for horses from Australia Submissions on these changes should be forwarded to MAFBNZ by close of now available business on 20 February 2009. MAF encourages respondents to email comments to: [email protected]. Written submissions can be sent to: The import health standard for horses from Australia is now current and Vivian Dalley, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, PO Box 2526, Wellington. available for use. The standard may be found on the MAFBNZ website at: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/animals/standards/horaniic.aus.htm Notification of consultation: 155.02.06 Persea spp. nursery ■ Animal Imports, [email protected], phone 04 894 0459 stock from all countries MAFBNZ is proposing changes to the specific schedule for Persea spp. (avocado) nursery stock from all countries. The proposed changes can be viewed at: www. Public consultation on UK budgie imports biosecurity.govt.nz/biosec/consult/persea-consult The draft import risk analysis for budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) from Submissions on these changes should be forwarded to MAFBNZ by close of the United Kingdom was released for public consultation on 6 January 2009 business on 20 February 2009. MAF encourages respondents to email comments and is available at www.biosecurity.govt.nz/biosec/consult to: [email protected]. Written submissions can be sent to: Vivian Dalley, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, PO Box 2526, Wellington. This risk analysis was conducted according to the domestic and international requirements for the effective management of biosecurity risks under the Notification of consultation: 155.02.06 Rubus spp. nursery stock Biosecurity Act 1993. Copies have been sent to key stakeholders. from all countries Submissions are welcomed, closing Friday 27 February 2009, and should MAFBNZ has made the draft import health standard (IHS) schedule for Rubus spp. (raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry) nursery stock from all countries available for be addressed to: Risk Analysis Team Support Officer, MAFBNZ, PO Box 2526, public consultation. The draft schedule can be viewed at: Wellington. Phone 04 894 0310, Email [email protected] www.biosecurity.govt.nz/biosec/consult/draft-ihs-rubus

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 25 89 DIRECTORY

Pest watch: 15/11/2008 – 19/12/2008 Biosecurity is about managing risks – protecting the New Zealand environment and economy from exotic pests and diseases. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand devotes much of its time to ensuring that new organism records come to its attention, to follow up as appropriate. The tables here list new organisms that have become established, new hosts for existing pests and extensions to distribution of existing pests. The information was collated between 15 November and 19 December 2008. The plant information is held in the Plant Pest Information Network (PPIN) database. Wherever possible, common names have been included.

ANIMAL KINGDOM RECORDS 15/11/2008 – 19/12/2008 Validated new to New Zealand reports No new to New Zealand records during this period. Significant find reports No significant find records during this period. New host reports No new host records during this period. New distribution reports No new distribution records during this period. ■ Ranuka Robinson, Team Support Officer – Surveillance, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, phone 04 894 0281, [email protected]

PLANT KINGDOM RECORDS 15/11/2008 – 19/12/2008 Validated new to New Zealand reports Organism Host Location Submitted by Comments No new to New Zealand records during this period. Significant find reports Organism Host Location Submitted by Comments No significant find records during this period. New host reports Organism Host Location Submitted by Comments Chaetomium trignosporum Pinus radiata Bay of Plenty Scion (high risk site surveillance) (fungus: no common name) (radiata pine) Hylastes ater Cedrus atlantica Nelson Scion (public enquiry) (black pine bark beetle) (Atlas cedar) Priates optandus Pittosporum tenuifolium Auckland Scion (high risk site surveillance) (beetle: no common name) (pittosporum) Trachymela sloanei Eucalyptus johnstonii Nelson Scion (high risk site surveillance) (Australian tortoise beetle) (eucalyptus) Leucaspis morrisii Meryta sinclairii Auckland Scion (high risk site surveillance) (insect: no common name) (puka) Acizzia hakeae Grevillea rosmarinifolia Marlborough Sounds Scion (high risk site surveillance) (insect: no common name) (rosemary grevillea) Hakea salicifolia Wellington Scion (high risk site surveillance) (willow-leaved hakea) Grevillea banksii Wanganui Scion (high risk site surveillance) (grevillea) Cephaleuros virescens Cunonia capensis Auckland Scion (high risk site surveillance) (algal leaf spot) (butterknife bush, spoon bush) Lindingaspis rossi Callistemon viminalis Bay of Plenty Scion (high risk site surveillance) (Ross’s black scale) (weeping bottlebrush) Osmanthus heterophyllus Waikato Scion (high risk site surveillance) (holly osmanthus) Knightia excelsa Hawkes Bay Scion (high risk site surveillance) (New Zealand honeysuckle) Ceroplastes sinensis Callistemon viminalis Bay of Plenty Scion (high risk site surveillance) (Chinese wax scale) (weeping bottlebrush) Corymbia ficifolia Hawkes Bay Scion (high risk site surveillance) (red flowering gum) Saissetia oleae Encephalartos longifolius Hawkes Bay Scion (high risk site surveillance) (black scale) (plant: cycad, no common name) Syzygium sp. Auckland Scion (high risk site surveillance) (plant: no common name) Pseudaulacaspis eugeniae Chrysanthemoides monilifera Hawkes Bay Scion (high risk site surveillance) (white palm scale) (boneseed) Furchadaspis zamiae Encephalartos longifolius Hawkes Bay Scion (high risk site surveillance) (cycad scale) (plant: cycad no common name) Coccus hesperidum Pomaderris apetala Wellington Scion (high risk site surveillance) (brown soft scale) (tainui)

26 MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND DIRECTORY 89

Organism Host Location Submitted by Comments Aspidiotus nerii Pomaderris apetala Wellington Scion (high risk site surveillance) (oleander scale) (tainui) Garrya elliptica Marlborough Scion (high risk site surveillance) (silk-tassel bush) Grevillea alpina? Nelson Scion (high risk site surveillance) (plant: no common name) Hemiberlesia rapax Pomaderris apetala Wellington Scion (high risk site surveillance) (greedy scale) (tainui) Epiphyas postvittana Psidium sp. Auckland Scion (high risk site surveillance) (light brown apple moth) (guava) Parlatoria fulleri Callistemon citrinus Hawkes Bay Scion (high risk site surveillance) (insect: no common name) (crimson bottlebrush) Coccus hesperidum Corokia buddleioides Bay of Plenty Scion (high risk site surveillance) (brown soft scale) (korokio) Coccus longulus Buxus sempervirens Auckland Scion (high risk site surveillance) (long brown scale) (box) Epelidochiton piperis Coprosma acutifolia Auckland Scion (high risk site surveillance) (peppercorn scale) (plant: no common name) Monteithiella humeralis Pittosporum eugenioides Wellington Scion (high risk site surveillance) (insect: no common name) (lemonwood) Oemona hirta Alnus incana Wellington Scion (high risk site surveillance) (lemon tree borer) (grey alder) Seiridium cupressi Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Marlborough Scion (ad-hoc collection) (fungus: no common name) (Nootka cypress) Parlatoria pittospori Grevillea alpina? Nelson Scion (high risk site surveillance) (pittosporum scale) (plant: no common name) Callitris rhomboidea (Port Jackson pine) Phoma exigua Ajuga reptans cv. Black Scallop Waikato IDC (general surveillance) (fungus: phoma leaf spot, phoma rot) (carpet bugle) Aphelenchoides fragariae Sisyrinchium bermudianum Auckland IDC (general surveillance) (foliar nematode) (blue eyed grass) Puccinia iridis Iris ensata Auckland IDC (general surveillance) (fungus: no common name) (Japanese iris) Aphelenchoides ritzemabosi Nicotiana sp. Auckland IDC (general surveillance) (chrysanthemum foliar nematode) (tobacco) Nepovirus (Group A) Tobacco ringspot virus Hemerocallis fulva Auckland IDC (general surveillance) (TRSV) (orange day lily) Sophora microphylla Auckland IDC (general surveillance) (kowhai) Bactericera cockerelli Solanum laciniatum Auckland IDC (general surveillance) (tomato/potato psyllid) (poroporo) New distribution reports Organism Host Location Submitted by Comments Chaetomium trignosporum Pinus radiata Bay of Plenty Scion (high risk site surveillance) (fungus: no common name) (radiata pine) Trachymela sloanei Eucalyptus johnstonii Nelson Scion (high risk site surveillance) (Australian tortoise beetle) (eucalyptus) Acizzia hakeae Grevillea rosmarinifolia Marlborough Sounds Scion (high risk site surveillance) (insect: no common name) (rosemary grevillea) Anisoplaca cosmia Lagunaria patersonia Nelson Scion (high risk site surveillance (Norfolk Island hibiscus moth) (Norfolk Island hibiscus) Furchadaspis zamiae Encephalartos longifolius Hawkes Bay Scion (high risk site surveillance) (insect: cycad scale) (plant: cycad no common name) Acrocercops laciniella Eucalyptus nitens Kaikoura Scion (high risk site surveillance) (black butt leaf miner) (eucalyptus) Frankliniella intonsa Actinidia deliciosa Bay of Plenty IDC (export pre-clearance) (European flower thrips) (kiwifruit) Pseudonectria rousselliana Buxus sempervirens Bay of Plenty Scion (high risk site surveillance) (fungus: no common name) (box) Rhypodes sericatus Actinidia deliciosa Bay of Plenty IDC (export pre-clearance) (insect: no common name) (kiwifruit) Creiis liturata Eucalyptus botryoides Gisborne Scion (high risk site surveillance) (jumping plant lice) (eucalyptus) Luteovirus Barley yellow dwarf Microlaena stipoides Auckland University of Auckland virus strain PAV (BYDV-PAV) (weeping grass)

■ Jane Hedley-Stevens, Technical Support Officer, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, phone 04 894 0752, [email protected]

MAF BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND 27 Exotic disease and pest emergency hotline: 0800 80 99 66 Animal welfare complaint hotline: 0800 32 70 27 www.biosecurity.govt.nz