Give a gift your country will thank you for

When the pohutukawa flower early we are in for a hot summer. Well, that’s the theory anyway, and probably as good a reason as any for having this colourful native planted in volume throughout the Bay of Plenty.
Its brilliant crimson bloom, which conveniently appears in December has cemented this native treasure in the role of “NZ Christmas tree”. And it’s a great pointer to how Kiwis can make a virtue of this country’s unique biodiversity – its range of plants and animals – while maintaining traditions brought in from other places and times.
While the red berries and glossy foliage of holly and pyracantha look great on the Christmas cards of European countries, they and other imports are a proverbial fish out of water here – often pushing out those plants that have been here for millions of years serving a vital role in the foodchain of our unique birds and insects.
Sadly, in many areas, the former native cover has gone. But with Christmas now approaching, the Department of Conservation, Environment BOP and local councils concerned about biodiversity say it’s an ideal time to consider gifts which will continue giving well after the season (and many of us) are long gone.
Trees such as kauri, totara, miro and rimu make attractive gifts which will add to the region’s biodiversity. Just beware the Labrador puppy effect – some will get very big!
Kowhai (Sophora sp p.) is now available in a range of hybrids selected for size, form and flower. It’s a great one to plant to bring tui, one of our great songbirds - into your garden.
Department of Conservation (DOC) BOP botanist Paul Cashmore says "there are now a huge range of native plants of every size and shape imaginable to suit even the smallest city garden through to larger properties which can handle bigger trees such as the podocarps, kauri and pohutukawa specimens, for example."
Talk to your local nurseryman or garden centre for advice on what suits best in your area.
Another line of traditional gifts is also another that has played havoc with our native biodiversity and the transition from pets to pest is almost as easy as a typing mistake!
The recent discovery of a young wallaby on the loose at Mt Maunganui is a powerful example of how something cute can weasel its way into a home and quickly become an escapee.
Wallabies do an enormous amount of damage and are an unwanted pest in the Bay of Plenty, but it seems likely the Mt Maunganui one was being kept as a pet.
Fortunately wallabies are not generally on the gift list, but certainly a number of other animals are – including red eared slider turtles, cockatiels, rabbits and, of course, puppies and kittens.
All have the ability to have serious impact on native New Zealand once out of their domestic setting.
DOC BOP pest animal advisor Matt Hickson says "many pet species such as cats, dogs and rabbits have been let loose in the wild for many years and their impacts on native species are well known. However there are also the less common species such as eastern water dragons, red-eared slider turtles and shingleback lizards which could have major impacts on native species through the introduction of new diseases and predation. But most of what is known about the impacts of these less common species is based on overseas experience and we do not want to find out these impacts first hand”.
The simple message is to think carefully before making a gift of any animal.
Remember it’s a commitment for a lifetime (usually the animals, but sometimes the owners!) and if there’s any chance it might be dumped or set free to roam, multiply and destroy think again.
Come back to our New Zealand Christmas tree and its glorious display along the Bay of Plenty coastline. Then consider this: Without a concerted effort, we could have lost this all thanks to a cute furry little possum pair that someone let go.
Our biodiversity is struggling to bounce back from that one and a carefully chosen gift this Christmas could certainly be a helping hand that your country will thank you for for generations to come.