The big news is that, after decades of advocacy by many of our Trustees—particularly our Chair, John Oswald—and by the Trust since its inception, the Government has finally acknowledged that the Branch and Leatham catchments should be included in the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme.

This is a significant milestone for the Trust and has been made possible in large part through funding from the Rātā Foundation, which enabled the Trust to undertake sustained advocacy with government officials and ministers.

Given that that the Branch & Leatham catchments are clearly a major seed source for infestation of wildling pines in Molesworth Station and beyond, this is a real breakthrough. Significant effort is currently focused on securing funding opportunities arising from the Government's May 2026 Wilding Conifer Control Package.

The Trust is working closely with Marlborough District Council, DOC and regional partners to ensure Marlborough receives appropriate funding allocations for priority management units including the Branch/Leatham and emerging project areas.

At our recent Trust meeting Trustees also discussed the need for clear policy positions regarding the spread of wilding conifers, in particular Pinus contorta, Douglas fir, and radiata pine, particularly where tensions exist between carbon forestry objectives and landscape restoration goals. Engagement with Marlborough District Council and government agencies will continue to ensure these issues remain a priority.

Rural Exchange Podcasts - Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1E88NycTVS/  Dom interviews Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the Trust is acknowledged.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1D1dZkgDXn/  Dom interview John Oswald after the Governments announcement of increased funding.

Funding & Financial Position

The Trust remains in a sound financial position and continues to strengthen its financial reporting systems.

The Trust also continues to develop a long-term funding strategy aligned with its new Vision and Mission, helping build a sustainable platform for future restoration work.

Operational Progress

Field operations have continued across several priority catchments with strong progress achieved over recent months.

Awatere Catchment - Using Department of Conservation, Ministry of Primary Industries and Marlborough District Council funding, extensive control work and surveillance has been completed throughout the Black Birch catchment. Known infestations of Contorta and Douglas Fir have been targeted, with encouraging results. Several previously undetected mature Contorta trees were located and removed, preventing future seed spread.

The initial knockdown of wildling pines in the northern Black Birch area has now been largely completed, with only a small area of coning Radiata and Douglas Fir remaining. Additional opportunities have also emerged through collaboration with local landowners and forestry interests, resulting in further control work being undertaken across high-priority sites.

The Ned / Te Hau - The Ned and Te Hau project area remains one of the Trust's larger and significant restoration projects. Initial control operations continue to progress well, supported by landowner funding, strong cooperation from participating properties and from Marlborough District Council.

Boom spraying operations have now been completed across several key areas, with visible impacts already evident. Significant Douglas Fir infestations remain and the project will require ongoing investment over several years to fully achieve restoration goals. Planning is also underway to position this landscape for future government funding support.

All this work is not possible without the support and funding from Marlborough District Council (MDC) through the Significant Natural Area funding where we received $10,000 for Ned East - Matched 50:50 with landowners from Tempello and Rossmore.
SMLRT also applied and received $10,000 from MDC through Working for Nature - Matched 50:50 with landowners from Brancott.

BIG THANK YOU to the Seddon Lions who donated $2000 towards equipment for our volunteer days - The SMLRT team gave a talk about the work we do and the challenges ahead.

If your business would like to know more the SMLRT team would love to come and present and chat to you!

Contact: info@marlboroughrestoration.org.nz

Above image: The Ned Te Hau - SMLRT progress. The Ned Te Hau is part of a new plan to give the Marlborough Boys College Y13 leavers an experience to climb Te Hau so they can see their region. Jo Grigg will join them and educate them on wilding pines.

Partnerships remain central to the Trust's success.

The Trust continues to work closely with:

• Department of Conservation (DOC)

• Marlborough District Council

• Ministry of Primary Industries

• Landowners and farming businesses

• Regional wilding conifer programme partners

• Community organisations and volunteer groups.

• Top of the South Community Foundation (TSCF)

Partnerships remain central to the Trust's success. Strong relationships with landowners continue to unlock access, co-funding opportunities and long-term commitment to landscape restoration. Trustees also acknowledged positive engagement with forestry stakeholders and regional programme managers as future management priorities are developed.

VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHTS

The next volunteer day is scheduled for Sunday 6th September

Volunteers continue to make a valuable contribution to restoration efforts across Marlborough. Two very successful volunteer days were held 3rd May and 19th July in the Blowhard, Branch-Leatham area, with the 30 plus volunteers helping tackle priority wilding infestations while gaining first-hand experience of the challenges facing these landscapes, managing to eradicate 6,116 wilding pines - Amazing!

The Trust is continuing to strengthen volunteer health and safety systems through improved training, equipment, post-event reviews and feedback processes. Additional investment in first-aid kits and safety equipment is planned to support volunteer teams.

Discussions are also underway with businesses interested in corporate volunteer and team-building opportunities, creating new pathways for community involvement.

The next volunteer day is scheduled for Sunday 6th September

Contact: Sarah info@marlboroughrestoration.org.nz

Seasoned adventure racers Lisa and Cam Algie are doing their bit while introducing their children to their favourite past time.

The coming months will be critical as the Trust works to secure funding allocations from the Government's new wilding conifer package and position key Marlborough projects for delivery. Priority areas of focus include: Securing funding for Branch-Leatham and other priority Management Units.

Expanding volunteer and corporate engagement opportunities, advancing long-term restoration work across Awatere, The Ned/Te Hau and emerging high-risk landscapes. Developing a sustainable fundraising strategy that complements government investment and enables greater restoration outcomes.

With strong partnerships, dedicated volunteers and increasing recognition of the Trust's work, South Marlborough Landscape Restoration Trust is well placed to continue protecting Marlborough's iconic landscapes from the threat of wilding pines.

Screes are a feature of the landscape in South Marlborough and eastern South Island in general.  In the past, they were mistakenly perceived as an erosion problem, which needed to be stabilised.  This was one of the drivers for much of the pine planting by early catchment boards and the NZ Forest Service.

We now know better.  Screes have been part of the landscape for a very long time.  So long that a suite of plants has adapted to grow on them.  These plants have developed root systems and life cycles to survive the harsh, exposed living conditions on the mobile rock surfaces.  Some of these species are found throughout eastern South Island, but for eight species their entire population is within South Marlborough and/or adjacent ranges. This means that rather than all being recent human induced erosion slopes, screes in this region have been functioning ecosystems for a long time.  Long enough for the plants growing on them to evolve and adapt into unique species.

South Marlborough is an area of active faulting where mountains have been uplifted.  Being in the rain shadow of the Southern Alps these mountains have less rain than other western areas.  Loose rock material is not sluiced off in the same way as happens further west.  The material accumulates forming the distinctive scree slopes that are part of the South Marlborough landscape.

Screes are one of the ecosystems we could loose as wilding pines spread over the landscape.

Above:  Some of the species that are only found on screes within South Marlborough and it’s nearby ranges (some species may extend into the top of north Canterbury or Nelson Lakes). Clockwise from top left:  Rachelia glaria, Raoulia cinerea, ahlenbergia cartilaginea, Epilobium forbesii.