Napier gets even greener

Napier has got even greener over the winter months with 600 young trees planted out along major roads and open spaces in the city.

More than 200 of the trees, two metres or more tall, were part of the “Greening of Napier” scheme launched by the Napier City Council last year. This project is aimed at enhancing the cityscape by establishing more trees.

Trees from the first year’s planting are now well-established along the Marine Parade reserve, in Westminster Avenue and flanking the Prebensen Drive extension.

This winter, the programme continued in the southwest of the city, with scarlet oaks and upright oaks and hornbeams planted between Church Road and Prebensen Drive and on the Church Road green belt.

Upright oaks and hornbeams were also chosen to grace the length of Gloucester Street. The median strip in Kennedy Road has been planted in upright oaks and coastal banksia.

In coming years, Napier’s newest residential subdivision, Parklands, will enjoy the benefits of a selection of 68 trees planted on the Orotu Drive greenbelt.

The area provides harsh growing conditions and the mix of hardy native and exotic species– river birch, a rata and pohutawaka hybrid, pinoaks, great white cherry trees, coastal banksia and Norfolk Island hibiscus – are varieties that are tolerant of both wet and drought conditions.

The selection of trees is also intended to attract native bird life as Park Island and Poraiti have thriving populations of tui, bellbird and wood pigeon.

Six pohutakawa will add Christmas colour to Pandora, extending the native planting theme from around the Ahuriri waterline where there are a number of specimen “New Zealand Christmas trees”.