Allegations of livestock hunting, pest management mismanagement in Clutha bushland

There have been allegations of poor pest management in the Clutha bushland area. File photo.
photo: RNZ/Kate Newton

• Tensions in the Clutha community have been heightened by allegations of livestock being hunted, poaching and poor pest management in forest areas.
• Farmers near Lawrence and Tuapeka want changes, but communication issues with forestry companies
• Local police held a public meeting on Tuesday afternoon to voice their concerns to forestry representatives.

Lawrence farmer Jim Crawford was tired of dealing with the costly damage caused by feral hogs destroying prime pasture.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Lawrence Golf Club was packed with people eager to ask questions and hear directly from the forestry company.

Crawford told the meeting he wants better communication and collaboration with forestry companies near his land and to help them deal with pest issues.

“We have to deal with them, but we can’t even go back to that place – your land (forestry area) – to get them because you said it’s trespassing,” he said.

“But we have been taking the losses and it has to stop. You have to take some responsibility.”

Hamish Fitzgerald, Rayonier Matariki Forest District Manager, said forestry companies were working hard to control the pest animals.

In one area, they culled 2,000 possums, more than 1,000 pigs, 150 deer and 100 goats.

“We did a lot. But one of the things we might have achieved today is better collaboration because everybody has to do their part.”

They also have to ensure the safety of their employees, which means knowing who is on their land, he said.

Lawrence Senior Constable Paul Alden, who organised the meeting, said he wanted to start a dialogue and hopefully move towards collaboration.

One landowner said she wanted a good neighbor who would deal with pests. She has had to deal with poachers.

“Now, your trees are fine. They don’t come in, they don’t kill livestock. They don’t attack with guns, they don’t have tracking collars, and … they don’t dig up our paddocks.

“If there are no pests, there will be no poachers. There will be no poachers’ dogs killing livestock, and no poachers showing up at my house in the middle of the night with guns.”

One farmer asked a forestry representative if he would be willing to shoot livestock that trespassed on their land.

The Lawrence Golf Club held a public meeting following allegations of livestock shooting, poaching and poor pest management in nearby wooded areas.
photo: supply

David Cormack, chief executive of Wenita Forest Products, said a flock of sheep were nibbling on trees they were replanting.

“Unfortunately, one of the contractors was instructed to shoot the sheep and did so without speaking to Murray (the farmer) first,” he said.

“We have spoken to Murray. We acknowledge that we should have spoken to him beforehand. We will not do that again.”

Cormack said they want to listen and learn what they can do because they can’t solve a problem they don’t know about.

“We see ourselves as part of this community and one of the messages we really want to convey at this meeting is that we want to be good neighbors, and that’s why we’re here looking at how we can be better neighbors.”