Three hectares of land on the Lake Hawea foreshore is undergoing a major rehabilitation, as wilding pines are removed and native plants established.
The land, between the lake and a coffer dam, is owned by Contact Energy but managed in consultation with the local community.
Contractors have removed about 100 wilding pines amd exotic scrub in the past month and are preparing the ground for further planting and restoration.
The timber will be turned into firewood for the elderly and mulch for local gardens.
The project is part of Contact Energy's foreshore landscape management plan, part of its resource consent allowing it to use Lake Hawea water for power generation.