Some trees in MPI's programme actually weeds - Forest & Bird

The Ministry for Primary Industries has had to remove a dozen species from the list of trees it was pushing people to plant as part of its Billion Tree Programme after some were revealed to be pests. Forest and Bird says some of the trees suggested by MPI are classified as weeds, and one, the Japanese Spindle Tree, is even illegal. The group's chief conservation advisor, Kevin Hackwell, told RNZ reporter Kate Gudsell if the trees had been planted, it would have undone the countless hours by volunteers and millions of dollars spent trying to remove them from local environments.