Thousands of native plants available to Peninsula landowners

A Waikato Regional Council scheme is making more than 18,000 native shrubs and trees available for planting on the Coromandel Peninsula this year.

Over the past five years the native plant supply programme has helped private landowners plant 120,000 native trees on the Coromandel.

The regional council purchases native plants in bulk on behalf of landowners to ensure good quality, eco-sourced trees are available at competitive prices.

The next delivery of 18,000 native plants and 500 poplar poles will be made to the Waikato Regional Council depot at Whenuakite this month for collection by landowners between 16 and 20 May.

Coromandel Peninsula landowners interested in accessing the plants should contact regional council land management officers Matt Highway or Warren Coffey on 0800 800 401.

Mr Highway said an excellent partnership had been established through the programme with landowners.

“The mix of trees and shrubs, flaxes and grasses can help to stabilise steep slopes and erosion prone areas, keeping the soil on the land and reducing downstream sedimentation.

“Trees promote stream bank stability and improve water quality by intercepting nutrients, providing shade and reducing bank erosion. They also help to increase biodiversity and aesthetics on properties,” Mr Highway said.

“We are working with numerous landowners who are conducting planting projects throughout the peninsula. They range from stream planting, wetlands, gully retirement, eroded land and steep hill country planting.”

Mr Highway said grants from the regional council may be available for these types of restoration projects. Landowners can find out if their project is eligible by contacting a Waikato Regional Council land management officer on 0800 800 401.