Stream planting success despite wet
Landscaping season sees 485,000 plants now in the ground
The end of a successful landscaping season took place recently on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatu¯ Tararua Highway. Our three landscaping teams have done well this year, planting 485,000 plants across various sites throughout the rohe surrounding the project.
It’s been a tough winter, with almost constant wet weather, but they’ve braved the elements and have worked hard to achieve this impressive figure. Most of the planting this year has been stream riparian planting, with a mix of native trees, grasses and shrubs.
There has also been some wetland buffer planting. To make sure these new native plants get the best start in life, our teams will continue follow-up maintenance over summer to make sure they’re growing well.
We’re already preparing for the next planting season to start in May 2023 by confirming what plants we need — and how many — to give our suppliers enough time to propagate the massive quantities of plants required. At the Woodville end of the highway, we have started the utilities work needed for the construction of the eastern roundabout. The work, which began on October 17, involves relocating internet cables.
Construction teams are also making good progress on some of the major structures on the highway. The final pile (of 16) on the eco-viaduct bridge near the western end of the project will be drilled this month, and one column has been completed. The Parahaki Bridge over the Manawatu¯ River is also progressing well, with the second pier now rising out of the cofferdam in the middle of the river.
We’re excited about starting up a new summer internship programme for Ma¯ ori university students to gain experience on the project. The internship will be offered through a partnership between the Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance and Pu¯ horo STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Ma¯ tauranga), an organisation that aims to improve equitable access to careers in science and technology.
Representatives from Pu¯ horo STEMM visited our site in September to discuss how the internships might work. While the number of interns — or their work areas — have yet to be decided, we expect to have interns on site from November through to February. Partnerships like this help us meet our commitment to creating enduring community outcomes.
For information about the project, head to www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/ te-ahu-a-turanga/ or visit the Woodville Community Library and Information Centre for the latest flyover, project updates and the Drive the Highway simulator.