Government doubles funding for wilding pine control efforts under a Budget 2026 boost

Funding for wilding pine control efforts will more than double under a Budget 2026 boost.

The government has pledged an extra $79 million for the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme over the next three years, taking its total spend over that time to $109 million.

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour and Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard in Queenstown on Sunday.

Hoggard said the spend was aimed at protecting farmland, water supplies and native biodiversity, as well as reducing wildfire risk in affected areas.

"This is a smart investment in rural productivity and will back those working hard on-the-ground to contain wildings," he said.

The announcement would lift annual spending to around $36 million a year on average, up from about $15 million in the 2025/26 financial year.

In Queenstown earlier this year, the Whakatipu Wilding Control Group warned that without a major increase in funding, wilding pines could decimate the local scenery, threaten tourism and curtail productive land use within the next decade.

Speaking at the announcement on Sunday afternoon, Luxon said there there could be an estimated $3.6 billion in economic loss as a result of wilding pines over the next 50 years, if steps were not taken.

"Every day, every month, every year that we go by not doing much is another year these things start winning, and we can't have that."

Across New Zealand, it was estimated that more than two million hectares of land had been affected by wilding infestations.

Hoggard said there would be nine priority areas for the spend, including Queenstown and the Whakatipu Basin, the Mackenzie Basin, Molesworth Station in South Marlborough and the Central Plateau.

About $30 million of the funding over three years would come from the International Visitor Levy, he said.

"Tourism is a key part of our plan to grow the economy and create jobs, lift wages, and help Kiwis get ahead. This funding will help protect our unique natural environment from the spread of wilding pines," he said.

The Ministry of Primary Industries would also begin developing a National Pest Management Plan for ongoing control of wilding conifers, he said.

"This will further strengthen national coordination of wildings management, ensuring efficient and effective control work and establishing nationally consistent rules to prevent their further spread," he said.

The National Wilding Conifer Control Programme was led by Biosecurity New Zealand in partnership with councils, landowners, iwi, industry, community groups and other government agencies.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.