New Zealand Councils Manage Thousands of Hectares of Public Land. We Wanted to Know What Herbicides Were Being Used.
Parks, reserves, sports fields, playgrounds, road reserves, footpaths, tracks, trails, cemeteries, ecological restoration areas, and other public spaces all require ongoing maintenance. In many cases, that maintenance includes the use of herbicides and other vegetation-management products.
Despite the scale of these activities, information about what products are being used, where they are applied, how often they are used, and what policies guide those decisions can be surprisingly difficult for the public to access.
The No More Glyphosate NZ Council Herbicide Transparency Project was created to help address that gap.
Why We Started This Project
The project began with a simple question: What herbicides are councils using in public spaces?
While many councils publish general information about weed management, the level of detail available varies considerably from one region to another. In some cases, information is spread across multiple documents. In others, residents may need to submit formal information requests to obtain details about herbicide use.
Rather than examining one council in isolation, we decided to build a nationwide picture.
By asking the same questions of councils across New Zealand, we hope to create a publicly accessible record of how herbicides are being managed in parks, reserves, roadsides, sports fields, and other community spaces.
What Information Are We Requesting?
Each council is asked a standard set of questions covering topics such as:
- What herbicides or weed-control products are currently used in public spaces?
- Where are these products typically applied?
- How frequently are areas treated?
- What policies, procedures, or guidelines govern herbicide use?
- When was the current approach last formally reviewed?
- Are alternative weed-control methods used?
- Are residents notified before spraying occurs?
- Can residents request exclusion zones or opt-out arrangements?
Where available, we also request supporting documents, product inventories, policies, operational procedures, and related material.
How The Information Is Collected
Information published through the Council Herbicide Transparency Project is obtained directly from councils using New Zealand’s official information legislation.
Most requests are made under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).
Each council profile is based on information supplied by the council and includes a summary of the key points identified from the response.
Councils sometimes provide additional information such as product inventories, policies, operational procedures, or other supporting material. Information from these materials may be reflected in the relevant council profile.
What The Project Is — And What It Is Not
The Council Herbicide Transparency Project is intended to improve public access to information.
It is not a ranking system.
It is not a campaign against individual councils.
It is not an attempt to determine whether one council is “better” or “worse” than another.
Different councils face different environmental conditions, weed pressures, budgets, infrastructure requirements, and regulatory obligations.
The purpose of the project is simply to make information more accessible so residents can better understand how public-space weed management is carried out within their own communities.
What We Are Finding
Although the project is ongoing, several themes are already emerging.
Many councils continue to rely on glyphosate-based herbicides as part of their vegetation-management programmes. However, glyphosate is rarely the only herbicide used. Councils often employ a range of products depending on the target weed species, location, environmental considerations, and operational requirements.
The level of public information available also varies significantly. Some councils provide detailed product inventories, policy documents, and operational procedures. Others provide only basic information unless specific questions are asked.
Notification systems, review processes, and opportunities for public involvement also differ between councils.
These differences highlight the value of having information available in a consistent and accessible format.
Why Transparency Matters
Public spaces belong to the communities they serve.
Whether residents support current weed-management practices, oppose them, or simply want more information, transparency helps foster informed discussion.
Understanding what products are being used, where they are being applied, and what safeguards are in place allows communities to engage more meaningfully with local decision-making.
Transparency does not require agreement.
It simply requires access to information.
About No More Glyphosate NZ
No More Glyphosate NZ is an independent New Zealand public-interest project focused on improving transparency around glyphosate and other herbicides.
Through independent product testing, research, public information requests, and educational resources, we aim to make information more accessible so New Zealanders can make informed decisions for themselves.
The Council Herbicide Transparency Project forms part of that broader commitment to public access, accountability, and informed choice.
Participating Council Profiles
The following council profiles have been completed and published as part of the Council Herbicide Transparency Project. Each profile summarises information supplied by the council regarding herbicide use, spraying locations, policies, review processes, and related weed-management practices.
North Island
South Island
Image Source & Attribution
The feature image on this page was created using AI-assisted image generation based on a concept developed by No More Glyphosate NZ and refined for publication in Canva.
