Thousands of native plants heading out the door

Farmers and community groups are adding thousands of plants to streams and rivers throughout Hawke’s Bay this winter.

This year Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has more than 55,000 plants available through its riparian planting scheme, which encourages farmers to retire and/or plant stream margins with native plants that would have naturally grown there in the past. HBRC’s land management team coordinates the orders, making this more cost effective operation for farmers and enhancement projects than single orders would be.

Around 12 thousand native plants are heading to farms across the region, while the Cape to City Project will use around 32,000 at Maraetotara. This planting is in conjunction with Hohepa Homes the Maraetotara Tree Trust and Habitat BPN. A further 8,000 plants are destined for the Karamu Stream. HBRC’s Open Spaces team will use around 3,200 for community plantings throughout the region during the coming winter months.

HBRC Riparian Planting Scheme coordinator Erica Smith says this year there has been a larger uptake in Central Hawke’s Bay with many farmers saying they are undertaking the planting as part of their farm environment management plans, which are required by many farmers under the Tukituki Plan by the end of May next year.

9 June 2017

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