Planting transforming landscape
Regional council hails restoration projects in wetlands
Five years, 116,000 native plants, several landscapes transformed. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council says its significant environmental restoration projects in Ahuriri Estuary, Lake Tū tira, Lake Whakakī, and Lake Whatumā over the past five years are starting to bear fruit — or, at least, trees.
The projects — which have resulted in the planting of 116,500 native plants, and fencing of 31km of wetlands and waterways — were
highlighted at an Environment and Integrated Catchment Committee meeting at the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council in Waipawa.
Regional Council chairman Rick Barker says the projects shows the strong and positive partnership between the council, landowners, iwi and community groups.
“In 2017, we developed a work and funding programme to accelerate on the ground action in high priority environmental spots — Ahuriri Estuary, Lake Tū tira, Lake Whakakī, Lake
Whatumā and our marine environment.
“As this three-year term comes to a close, these enduring projects are living statements of council’s work, they restore our environment and enhance our community.
“I’m sure council will in the next and succeeding terms continue this good work, like the growth rings on a tree — layers of restoration and enhancement.”
At Lake Whatumā in Central Hawke’s Bay, the council partnered with landowners and the local Jobs for Nature, Mauri Oho team to remove a hectare of willows and put 5000 native plants in the ground. The council is supporting the Whatumā Management Group on a wider plan to restore the environment.
The council have worked with rural landowners in the Ahuriri Estuary to reduce the high sediment and nutrient loads entering the estuary and to boost indigenous plantings and habitat.
As a result, 69,000 native plants are in the ground and 18.4 km of fencing is protecting the estuary’s waterways and wetlands.
The council’s partnership with Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust has also resulted in the planting of over 33,000 native plants and 6.3 km of fencing to protect vulnerable waterways at Lake Tū tira. Sediment ponds, and fish passages have been installed on the tributaries to the lake.
The council, in partnership with the Whakakī Lake Trust, has held multiple community planting days with 8000 plants going in around Whakakī Lake.