Feral pests like deer pigs are exploding in number across New Zealand, while wilding pines are marching across some of our most iconic landscapes. Farmers are seeing the fallout every day: destroyed pasture, lost production, biosecurity risks, and farmland slowly buried beneath unwanted trees.

In this episode we’re joined by Federated Farmers meat & wool chair Richard Dawkins and executive member Ruby Mulinder to unpack the scale of the problem and what it will take to turn the tide.

We look at why pest numbers have surged, the impact of neighbouring conservation and forestry land, and the critical gaps in current pest management settings. 

Then we dive into wilding pines – how fast they’re spreading, why Richard calls them “a ticking time bomb”, and the serious threat they pose to productive farmland and biodiversity.

Finally, we explore the solutions, like a national strategy, greater funding, and even practical changes on farm. 

Other podcasts on this topic: 

Carbon forestry crisis – the view from Southland | EP 49

The science of pest management | EP 21