Month left to apply for free native plants

Northlanders have a month left from today (subs: until Weds 11 May) to apply for a share of 8000 free native plants worth more than $20,000.

The Northland Regional Council is contributing about $6000 towards the annual scheme, set up by Waipu-based Alter-Natives Wholesale Nursery in 2007.

The plant fund’s main aim is to support/sustain the environment by providing native plants for projects which will increase and improve the habitat for native wildlife and improve water quality in streams and wetlands.

Residents and community groups from the Whangarei, Far North or Kaipara Districts can apply for a share of 8000 plants – which are given away in 100-tree lots designed to suit four different environments:

Coastal

• Saltmarsh and tidal river banks (salt water)
• Wetland areas and lowland flats (fresh water)
• Other - such as inland hillsides

Regional council Land Programme Manager Dean Evans says almost anybody can apply for trees but the primary purpose of the planting must be for the improvement of the environment.

“You can be a private land owner, school or other education provider, a club or youth group, community trust or a Landcare group responsible for the care of community, QEII or Department of Conservation land.”

However, Mr Evans says property developers or speculators aren’t eligible and plants can’t be requested to help people meet resource local authority resource consent or effluent field requirements.

People can visit the Alter-Natives website www.alter-natives.co.nz to apply.

Northland Regional Council and Department of Conservation representatives will check correctly completed entries on Thursday 12 May and decide the 80 Northland winners.

Meanwhile, another 10 lots of 100 plants will be given away separately to entrants from the northern ward of the former Rodney District.