Central Otago deputy mayor Neil Gillespie and Frieda Smith (4) plant a kowhai tree to mark the opening of the Mokihi Reforestation Trust’s new nursery in Cromwell last week.
Trust chairman Blair Walter said it had three key sites near Cromwell and on the edge of Lake Dunstan, all chosen for their suitability for reforestation.
The volunteer trust - dedicated to the restoration of indigenous plants and biodiversity - opened its native plant nursery and base at McNulty Inlet in Cromwell last week.
Volunteers, trustees and members of reforestation trusts from throughout Otago and Southland attended the nursery opening, which involved a karakia and waiata, and opening speeches.
PHOTO: SHANNON THOMSON
‘‘We’ve removed a lot of the exotics - briar, gorse, willow - and then planted native plants and trees that were indigenous to this area previously anyway, but sadly over the last 100 years the area has lost these species so we’re reintroducing them.’’
The newly opened nursery would create a base for the trust with storage for equipment and plants.
