Tasman-Nelson Regional Pest Management Plan

The Tasman-Nelson Regional Pest Management Plan 2019-2029 (the Plan, or RPMP) is a joint plan developed by Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council under the Biosecurity Act 1993. The Plan provides a coordinated framework for the efficient and effective management of specified pest plants, animals, and diseases across the Nelson and Tasman regions.

The RPMP came into force on 1 July 2019 and remains in effect until 30 April 2029.

Purpose of the Plan

The purpose of the Tasman-Nelson Regional Pest Management Plan is to:

minimise the actual or potential adverse and unintended effects of pest organisms, and
maximise the effectiveness of pest management through a regionally coordinated approach

While many organisms may be undesirable or a nuisance, regional intervention is only applied where:

a pest is capable of causing significant environmental, economic, social, or cultural harm
coordinated action is more effective than unplanned or voluntary management
the benefits of regional management outweigh the costs

Pests Managed Under the Plan

The RPMP identifies 84 priority pest organisms that pose significant risks to the region, including:

60 pest plants
20 animal pests
4 plant diseases

Each pest is assigned a management objective, such as:

exclusion
eradication
progressive containment
sustained control
site‑led management

Council reports annually on actions taken to implement the Plan and progress toward achieving these objectives.

Plan Coverage

The Plan applies across the full administrative areas of Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council, covering approximately:

15,222 km² of land
5,513 km² of marine area

This ensures pest management is coordinated across urban, rural, freshwater, and marine environments throughout the region.

Partial Review of the RPMP (2024)

A partial review of the Regional Pest Management Plan was completed in 2024. Amendments to the Plan were adopted by:

Tasman District Council on 12 September 2024
Nelson City Council on 10 October 2024

The changes came into effect on 12 December 2024.

The partial review considered updates to the management of the following pests:

These changes respond to emerging risks and aim to strengthen the effectiveness of regional pest management.

Paper Copies

Hard copies of the amended Plan are available for viewing at:

Nelson City Council offices and libraries
Tasman District Council offices and libraries

Further Information

For enquiries about the Regional Pest Management Plan or pest management responsibilities, contact:

biosecurity@ncc.govt.nz