The next session will be held on Thursday 5 December 2024.
Presenter: Emma Simpkins – Senior Regional Advisor Flora, Auckland Council.
Title: Local government enabling community-led recovery of Myrtle Rust impacted species.
Emma will discuss the actions implemented by local government to support threatened Myrtaceae in Auckland, primarily by engaging community to build capacity to support species and ecosystem recovery.
Their conservation actions include funding mana whenua (indigenous people) and community groups to lead monitoring of Lophomyrtus obcordata (rōhutu) and Syzygium maire (maire tawake) populations and carry out fungicide treatments in order to collect seed for propagation, establishing ex situ collections of threatened species including rōhutu and rātā moehau (Metrosideros bartlettii), creating awareness of Myrtle Rust through workshops and training, and advocating for nursery suppliers to have a nursery biosecurity accreditation (Plant Pass) to ensure healthy plants are used in restoration.
Auckland local government manage threatened species in the wild through regionally prioritised sites to ensure long term survival of species. Restoration of ecosystems is another important conservation activity and Myrtaceae are one of the key components of our planting palettes. The advice we provide for planting lists and biosecurity ensures our community are following best practice.
This quarterly series of free, informal virtual get togethers is a collaboration between the ANPC, University of NSW and the BGANZ Collections and Records Management group (BCARM).
Image: Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa). Credit: Emma Simpkins