Regional Pest Management Plan
Pests are unwanted plants and animals that have significant impacts on our environment, economy and our people.
Regional Pest Management Plan
The Biosecurity Act 19963 requires regional councils to ‘provide regional leadership in pest management” The Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) sets our priorities and goals for managing animal and pest plants in the region. The plan also details rules that must be complied with from the Biosecurity Act. The current plan has been in place since December 2020. It has effect for 10 years and can be viewed here.
Annual operational plans and reports
Each year we produce an annual operational plan that sets operational targets and specific performance measures that link to the outcomes and objectives in the long-term Regional Pest Management Plan. At the end of the year we report on the highlights and issues from the previous year as well as progress against the specific targets.
Operational Plans
- 2025 Operational Plan for the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan 2020-2030
- 2024 Operational Plan for the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan 2020-2030
- 2023 Operational Plan for the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan 2020-2030
- 2022 Operational Plan for the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan 2020-2030
Annual reports
- Regional Pest Management Plan Annual Report 2023-2024
- Regional Pest Management Plan Annual Report 2022-2023
- Regional Pest Management Plan Annual Report 2021-2022
- Regional Pest Management Plan Annual Report 2020-2021
See more about Council’s role in managing pests within the region.
Regional Pest Management Plan Exemptions
The Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) sets our priorities and goals for managing animal and pest plants in the region. The plan also details rules that must be complied with from the Biosecurity Act.
Section 78 of the Biosecurity Act allows Bay of Plenty Regional Council to issue exemptions under certain conditions such as undertaking research or to allow for management of pest species.
View a summary of exemptions
A summary of existing exemptions is recorded in the Exemptions Register. To view the Exemptions Register, contact our Contact Centre between 6am – 6pm on 0800 884 880.
Apply for an exemption
To apply for an exemption contact our Contact Centre between 6am – 6pm on 0800 884 880.
If you are granted an exemption, we will add it to this register, but no personal details will be publicly visible.
Application to the Environment Court
Navigating your way through the RPMP
Pests included in the RPMP are listed alphabetically in plant and animal groups. Each pest can sit in one or more “programme”.
These programmes set out what we want to achieve in managing these pests and how the pests will be managed.
The pest programmes chosen for each pest depends on a number of reasons. Essentially the management goal must be achievable, there must be enough funding to support that programme and the benefits to manage the pest at that level must outweigh the costs.
For some pests, there will be rules that require action from landowners and occupiers. Please contact us if you’d like to know what pest programmes apply to individual properties.
Some rules require immediate action while others might come into force on a ‘need for action’ basis. For example, if in time Council decides a particular pest has become more of an issue or needs a higher level of management, it will provide written direction to relevant occupiers to remove it.
A number of well-established pests that did not meet the thresholds prescribed by the Biosecurity Act 1993 to be included in the RPMP’s pest management programmes have been added as Advisory pests.
Council has a strategic direction for pest management in the region. This sets out Council’s overall biosecurity objectives and aspirations and illustrates how the Council intends to achieve them, including leading pest management responses, supporting other agencies and initiatives and providing advice.
The detail of how pests will be managed will be set out in an operational plan which must be developed within three months of the RPMP becoming operative. This plan allows for adaptive management and innovative solutions.
For a hard copy of the RPMP, please contact Rachel Thaugland on 0800 884 880. To discuss any aspect of the RPMP, please contact Lisa Power on 0800 884 881 ext 9322.