Department of Conservation Otago botanist John Barkla
(left) and Doc Central Otago area manager Mike Tubbs watch
as Otago Polytechnic senior lecturer in horticulture Jo
Wakelin gives the crowd tips on planting kowhai as part of
Doc's Project Gold in Clyde yesterday. Photo by Sarah
Marquet.
From this week, hundreds of kowhai trees will be planted
throughout the Otago region under the Department of
Conservation's Project Gold scheme.
The scheme was officially launched at the Otago Conservation
Awards in Cromwell on Thursday night and will be followed by
a series of related events in different Otago regions.
Yesterday afternoon about 50 people gathered at the Clyde end
of the Otago Central Rail Trail, to hear about Doc's plans
for the scheme.
They also received kowhai propagating and planting advice
from Otago Polytechnic senior lecturer in horticulture Jo
Wakelin.
After a short speech by Doc Central Otago area manager Mike
Tubbs, Doc Otago botanist John Barkla, who initiated the
scheme, talked about his dream to see kowhai once again
flourish in Otago.
Mr Barkla said kowhai had fared better than most other native
trees in Central Otago, but only small patches and isolated
trees remained and they were threatened by old age and pests
such as rabbits.
Kowhai was "a hugely important seasonal food source for
nectar feeders like the tui" and an increase in the number of
trees would attract these and other native birds, such as
bellbirds and wood pigeons, he said.
The project aims for mass plantings of kowhai in parks,
reserves, school grounds, backyards and farms and along
tracks.
Mr Barkla said Doc hoped to plant the trees along the rail
trail as well.
Kowhai plantings will take place at the Lake Wanaka outlet
today.
Next Sunday afternoon kowhai will be planted as part of the
Living Legends Muck-in at the Orokonui Scenic Reserve in
Dunedin.
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