Many of New Zealand’s most pristine natural waterbodies exist here on the West Coast and are threatened by invasive plants such as Egeria, Lagarosiphon and Hornwort. Each year, West Coast Regional Council, supported by the Department of Conservation, Fish & Game, and Manawa Energy run a Lakes Surveillance programme, which aims to detect new incursions while they are still at a manageable size. This involves surveying lakes by snorkel, scuba, and environmental DNA.
