Huge kowhai planting project about to begin

The planting of more than 2000 kowhai at two Waitaki Valley sites will launch a project for the natives trees to be planted throughout North Otago.

It is part of Project Gold, a Department of Conservation (Doc) Otago-wide scheme to have kowhai once again flourishing after undergoing a huge decline.

North Otago's involvement in the project will be launched as part of Conservation Week at the Oamaru Farmers' Market this Sunday from 9.30am with a display and Project Gold botanist John Barkla fielding questions.

In the afternoon, Mr Barkla will be at tree planting at the Oamaru Community Gardens in Chelmer St.

Doc is joining forces with the Waitaki District Council, North Otago Forest and Bird, community groups and landowners to undertake massive plantings in parks, reserves, school grounds, backyards and farms.

There are also plans to plant alongside tracks, including the 312km-long Alps 2 Ocean cycleway from Mt Cook to Oamaru Harbour.

Doc partnerships ranger Andy Powazynski said more than 2000 kowhai would be planted initially at the Gards Rd reserve and Earthquakes, both near Duntroon, to start the programme.

He did not know how many would be needed after that to achieve the huge scale of planting proposed in North Otago.

That would depend on community meetings to identify potential planting areas.

Doc and council staff had visited several public places and private sites to determine whether they were suitable for starting off kowhai.

A joint project with the community gardens has reached an agreement with the council to use former propagating houses at the Oamaru Gardens for starting off kowhai.

Mr Barkla said kowhai were not hard to grow. People would be given planting information and seeds which were suited to their area.

''Kowhai have undergone a massive decline, but are highly valued and treasured by New Zealanders. They are ingrained in our history and Maori culture.

''Only small groves of kowhai and isolated lone trees now remain and they're threatened by pests and old age,'' he said.

Project Gold was initiated to ensure a future for kowhai in Otago. Doc was facilitating and supporting it, but hoped it would ultimately be taken up by the community.

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