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Out of the closet Sonia Richter’s ‘Longandi Kuldi’ and Lesley Davies ‘Shotgun Wedding’, both from the 2012 wearable creation show, are part of a new display at the Warbirds and Wheels attraction. Story page 9
Fourth time down for old boat PAGE 2
V8 Supercar driver wants ‘bloody legends’ PAGE 3
PHOTO: WANAKA.TV
Chemical spraying challenged Tim Brewster Wanaka Sun
Rainbow trike PAGE 7
sunviews PAGE 13
Brothers top at Heli Challenge PAGE 16
A local push to reduce the application methods of chemical sprays on walking tracks, native plantings and public-use areas such as playgrounds in the Wanaka area could be gaining momentum. Local registered landscape architect Anne Steven and Te Kakano nursery manager Andrew Penniket are preparing a proposal to present to the Wanaka Community Board for improving spraying practices. “Council and DOC need to improve all-round from a health and safety perspective and from an environmental perspective,” Anne said. “Weed control around water should be done by hand but the ultimate solution is to have the right plant cover so no weed control is necessary and as far as spraying around paths, drains, buildings etc, if vegetation is not wanted then a permanent inorganic cover needs to be installed - such as a hard surface or clean dry gravel and rock-chip that
plants will find it hard to establish in and are easy to pull out of. Continuously spraying the same area is not a solution.” The QLDC has guidelines for specific spray activities for different areas with different contractors used. “We haven’t done any reassessment for this year and there is no plan to change,” QLDC general manager of community services, Paul Wilson, said.
the herbicide was “not ideal’ but if another council in the country had success with alternative methods, the QLDC would certainly consider it if it was more cost effective, he said. Andrew Penniket said the use of Roundup itself was not necessarily the issue as it was a proven agricultural product which worked well in the environment it was designed for, but
Council and DOC need to improve allround from a health and safety perspective and from an environmental perspective. Asphlundh is primarily responsible for walking tracks and public recreation areas by the lakeside with EDI Downer responsible for footpaths and roadsides. The use of Roundup with the active ingredient of glyphosate is still extensively used for council contracts, with the timing of the application done to minimise the impact on people using the areas. Paul said the use of
the sometimes indiscriminate spraying done around native plants and areas where people gathered, such as the tracks and playgrounds, needed to be addressed. “It’s all in the way they do it. Backpack spraying is not a problem, but spraying an entire track, sometimes indiscriminately with a quadbike with four nozzles, can do a lot of damage.
What’s wrong with using the old mechanical choppers? It’s just a bad mindset really.” He said the damage was often discovered months later when plants start to die. A “no spray” campaign to ban herbicidal spraying in the Auckland and North Shore area is currently underway with some Rodney residents claiming ill health, depression and sick and dying animals as a result of the application. The campaign cites a recent study published in the peer-reviewed scientific online journal Entropy which suggested links to a range of health problems and diseases, including Parkinson’s, infertility and cancers due to the excessive use of weed-killer in populated areas. Authored by a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists, the study found evidence residues of “glyphosate,” the chief ingredient in Roundup, has been found in food.