The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Hi, I just sent a comment to McGregor's suggesting they remove the species from the NZ Native section and suggesting they sponsor the recovery of an endangered species. I will let the forum know what I hear back from them. Perhaps the Network council could organise a campaign via the newsletter.

Hi Graeme. Foxgloves too? AMAZING! Your suggestion is a good one.

Hi Graeme. Foxgloves too? AMAZING! Your suggestion is a good one.

Buongiorno John. All good ideas but Graemes idea is also valid and should be explored further. NZPCN neex to be more proactive on these sorts of issues than we have been in the past. Ciao

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Peter. I should have added "politely" to my initial suggestion.
I like Johns suggestion of sponsorship which would fit nicely into DOC's new Partnership vision. There would be a certain irony if seed companies were to support weed control in the McKenzie.
I also don't see a problem with NZPCN members bringing matters such as this to the attention of other members via the newsletter or the web-page but I don't think the founders saw NZPCN as another NGO lobby group. There are plenty of activist/lobby groups already for that. What I'm trying to say is that the NZPCN should think long and hard about its core business before becoming directly embroiled in any causes. It's one thing to bring something to members attention and let them act according to their own conscience, another entirely to lobby under the NZPCN banner

Agreed, John and Graeme are right. I've posted this on our Facebook account asking people to write to McGregor Seeds and providing the link to McGregor's website. So far several people have reported back on this post saying they have written to the company.

I also wrote to McGregors asking they pull lupins and foxgloves from the native range and have spoken to two garden centres about these species.

1 week on, I have had no response from McGregors and no change on the website

Hi guys, I note that Russell lupins aren't an unwanted organism, but I'm not clear if they feature as a pest in any regional pest management plans. If they do, the relevant councils would probably be able to put some significant pressure on citing s53 of the Biosecurity Act.

Good idea to go to McGregors and complain. These seeds are at every Mitre 10 and Warehouse also. I don't think they were the only ones doing this sort of thing, though. I don't know if theyr'e still around, but I recall a range of seeds marketed as "kiwi favourites" (a title that really got my back up) and I'm sure they had a few other weed species also. But if you look at seeds and plants in general being sold at garden centres now, there seems to be a constant stream of species that may be new to New Zealand, and potentially weed disasters waiting to happen. Anyone know who regulates these things?

Just another update: still no response, I have widened my efforts by makeing a formal complaint to the commerce commission on the basis that the the web-site is in breech of the False Advertising rules, while the logo on the packets is Misleading (other exotic flowers have a different logo).
I have also written to the Ministers of Conservation and Environment. The latter, Amy Adams, member for Selwyn (or a staffer on her behalf) considers it a matter for the Minister of Conservation. Unfortunately DOC has no weed jurisdiction outside Conservation lands. Happily a better response from Dr Nick Smith's office, to whom I passed on the sponsorship suggestion as well.
Sonya, I think ERMA regulate new organisms but if it is here already and not on the National Plant Pest Accord list or the local authorities lists, anything goes.