The Cook Islands National Environment Service is actively leading innovative work to control the invasive African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata), in Rarotonga in partnership with the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) Natural Enemies, Natural Solutions (NENS) programme, the Ministry of Agriculture and Te Ipukurea Society.
PRISMSS is led by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) while the NENS programme technical lead is Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research (MWLR) group of New Zealand’s Bioeconomy Science Institute. The NENS programme supports Pacific Island Countries and Territories restoring ecological balance using natural enemies from the weeds' native range.
The African tulip tree, admired for its striking orange-red flowers, was introduced in the 1920s as an ornamental plant. It has since become a major ecological threat, aggressively colonising forests, outcompeting native species, and reducing biodiversity, and threatening food security.
