Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi Pine) - Biosecurity New Zealand

There are about 20 species in the genus Araucaria, more than half endemic to New
Caledonia. The genus is more widely distributed than Agathis and is indigenous to Chile,
Argentina, southern Brazil, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Australia, and New Guinea.
The most commonly cultivated species in NZ is the Norfolk pine, Araucaria heterophylla.
Several other species are not uncommon in cultivation and do reasonably well, but the rest
are likely to be in specialist collections only.
Table 3.2 Araucaria species present in NZ
Araucaria angustifolia Araucaria excelsa Araucaria montana
Araucaria araucana Araucaria heterophylla Araucaria muelleri
Araucaria bernieri Araucaria humboldtensis Araucaria nemorosa
Araucaria bidwillii Araucaria hunsteinii Araucaria rulei
Araucaria biramulata Araucaria imbricata Araucaria schmidii
Araucaria columnaris Araucaria klinkii Araucaria scopulorum
Araucaria cookii Araucaria laubenfelsii Araucaria subulata
Araucaria cunninghamii Araucaria luxurians
3.3 Description of the Import Pathway
For the purpose of this risk analysis, it is assumed that Wollemi nobilis nursery stock will be
sourced from anywhere in Australia (open ground, enclosed nursery or laboratory areas). To
comply with existing New Zealand import requirements for soil, plants would need to be
prepared for export to New Zealand by removing all visible soil from the roots and
subsequently re-potted in a soil-less medium. Viable nursery stock could then be carried
(personal luggage), air or sea-freighted to New Zealand before being distributed to homes or
nurseries within New Zealand in the absence of any other import controls.
3.3.1 Summary of existing nursery stock import pathways
The current standard requirements (or “basic” requirements) for importing plant nursery
stock are provided in MAF standard 155.02.06 10 and are more involved than that mentioned
above. These standard or “basic” requirements that are applied to almost all nursery stock
require a number of pre-entry treatments and a period in post-entry quarantine 11 for a
minimum of 3 months. Assuming that the standard or “basic” requirements are applied to the
importation of Wollemia nobilis nursery stock, the import pathway would be as indicted in
the following diagram (figure 3.1) and explanatory text.
10 Standard 155.02.06 is available on the MAF web site at http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/imports/plants/standards/155-02-06.pdf
11 The standard for the registration of a plant quarantine facility is available on the MAF web site at
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/border/transitional-facilities/plants/pbc-nz-tra-pqcon.htm
Import Risk Analysis: Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi Pine) Araucariaceae Nursery Stock from Australia 14 March 2008 Page 21 of 193