Wilding pines are an ongoing issue for ecosystems across Aotearoa. The ubiquitous conifers crowd out native plantlife, taking up water and nutrients that would otherwise be used to support native ecosystems. The pines also present a fire risk, and shrink the available grazing land of farms.

The pines spread easily and rapidly, requiring intensive eradication efforts to both remove the pines from a region and ensure they do not return.

Earlier this week, the government announced a boost to wilding pine control funding of an additional $79 million over the next three years bringing the total spend to $109 million.

So, to discuss the war on Christmas trees and the destruction these pines wreak on our ecosystems, producer Theo spoke to Dr Justin Nairn, a plant protection scientist at Scion and the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science.