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Pest Plants: Recognise, Report, Remove, Restore
Pest weeds have invaded Kaipātiki!
Invasive weeds are trying to take over our precious reserves and gardens. If left, they smother native bush, take over backyards and damage our native ecology. They can also harbour rats and some can be a health issue for us too.
Are these pest weeds taking over your backyard or neighbourhood?
It’s time to take them out and restore Kaipātiki!
Have you seen these pest weeds?
Help free your backyard and neighbourhoods of these pest weeds
For pest plants, remember the Four R's:
Recognise - Learn to recognise pest weeds using the iNaturalist app or the Forest & Bird Weed Guide 2021
Report - Report pest weeds and the weed control work so that fellow volunteers and restoration groups can achieve more – to find out more about reporting weeds, go to EcoNet CAMS Weed App
Remove - Remove pest weeds
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Use our Worst Six Pest Weeds - Recognise and Remove flyer
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Follow best practice outlined in the Forest & Bird Weed Guide 2021
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Borrow tools or herbicide gels from us at the PFK Toolshed
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If you are not able to do the work yourself, here is a list of Weed Control Contractors familiar with handling pest weeds
(be aware that some garden contractors do not have the relevant knowledge and experience) -
Volunteer to help with weed control in your area
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Dispose of pods, roots and seed heads in our community pest plant bins
Restore - Restore native biodiversity by planting native plants in your backyard, your workplace or school, by yourself, with your whanau, or by joining a restoration group
Health & Safety
Before beginning pest weed control activity, please read our Health & Safety during Weed Control guide. This will ensure that you, your family, pets and environment stay safe and healthy. Feel free to contact us with any enquiries also.
Pest plant information
Pest weed factsheets
If you want more details on some of the worst weeds to view or download, use the fact sheets below to learn how to recognise and remove these pest plants.
And please click on this link to see our latest fact sheet: Madeira vine fact sheet (PDF)
moth plant pods and vines
aka moth vine, cruel plant
Moth Plant advice in Chinese?
If you have neighbours who would welcome some moth plant information in Chinese, click here for the Auckland Council brochure Moth plant brochure in CHINESE
Council also has a range of weed brochures in Chinese - ask at your local library.
wild ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum)
aka Kahili ginger
woolly nightshade (Solanum mauritianum)
aka tobacco plant, tobacco weed
For information on a wide range of pest weeds and ability to search and view photos, try the two following resources:
Moth plant
Wild ginger
Woolly nightshade
Disposal of seriously invasive pest weeds
There are many ways to dispose of pest weeds safely and effectively.
For more information, please see our Pest plant disposal page.
See PFK on Facebook for updates and Events page for community activities
Auckland's Regional Pest Management Plan
What is the Auckland "Regional Pest Management Plan" (RPMP)?
The RPMP or Regional Pest Management Plan includes rules about all sorts of pests - animals, plants and pathogens. It is written within the context of the Biosecurity Act and takes into account the Good Neighbour rules.
The RPMP will introduce a new approach to controlling environmental weeds in buffer zones around high value reserves. It has selected Pest Free Kaipātiki to work with it to develop a community led education and encouragement approach to controlling the weeds which do the most damage to ecological reserves.
Under the RPMP, property owners/occupants will be required to control the following highly invasive weeds if they live within a "buffer" zone - an area of 500 metres around high value ecological reserves. The RPMP is based on the "Good Neighbour" principles of the Biosecurity Act - but we hope that people will control invasive weeds across Kaipātiki to protect our native bush reserves and SEAs as well as their neighbours' gardens.
How can I do more to help control pest weeds ?
How do I become a street champion or join a pest weed Hit Squad?
Click on the Volunteer button and fill in your details.
Want to help with pest weed hit squads or weeding bees?
Go to this page: Where and when are pest plant hit squads and working bees held
How does the Pest Weed Campaign help with wider environmental issues?
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Environmental weeds destroy biodiversity by smothering native and food-producing plants
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They suppress native regeneration - meaning that the ecology under old trees gradually dies out
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Our pest control programmes complement native restoration and tree planting programmes
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Some environmental weeds have adverse health effects - eg moth plant, woolly nightshade, privet
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Controlling environmental weeds is a step in making for a healthier neighbourhood and planet.