Co-ordinator to support kowhai restoration

The Department of Conservation (Doc) has appointed Jess Clark as co-ordinator for Project Gold to support community restoration of kowhai woodland throughout Otago.

Ms Clark will work on Project Gold for the next three months, based in Doc's Wakatipu and Wanaka area offices.

She has worked mainly on remote island biodiversity for Doc over the past two years. She has also worked on the Waitakere City Council's Twin Streams Project, managing the restoration of Waikumete stream margins, and was an instructor with the New Zealand School of Outdoor StudiesAs co-ordinator, she will be contacting people engaged in Project Gold to support site preparation and planting.

Project Gold in Queenstown has received $10,000 a year for three years from Kiwi Discovery and had about 40 sites it is working with. More than 800 kowhai have been planted.

There were about 10 Project Gold sites in Wanaka. More planting was planned for autumn and spring.

''I'm also collecting information on what's working well and what the challenges are, such as protection from rabbits,'' Ms Clark said.

''Otago has endless kowhai woodland restoration potential and Otago people have lots of enthusiasm for restoration planting. It's the kind of thing that will become a long-term project.''

Doc will run a Project Gold stand at the Arrowtown Autumn Festival on April 13.