Project
From Seeds to Trees
Converting pasture to native forest
We are restoring the coastal shrublands along the Otago coastline by transforming grazed pasture with native plantings. By enhancing and protecting habitats, we ensure hoiho have safe spaces to rest, breed and raise their young.
Your support helps us:
- Raise 50,000 plants ready for reforestation at our reserves and other community projects.
- Restore high quality nesting habitats for hoiho and other native species.
- Educate the community through events and planting days.
- Keep our people safe with the right tools and equipment.
What’s happening
At our native plant nursery, we raise thousands of eco-sourced trees appropriate to the climate and coastal conditions such as flax, tōtara, kōwhai, mānuka, ngaio, lemonwood, cabbage tree, black matipo and broadleaf. After three years of raising the seedlings, the plants are ready to reforest coastal wetlands and forests. With the help of community groups and volunteers, we put the plants in the ground at our six reserves from North Otago to the Catlins.
Reforesting with native plants enables the coastal biodiversity to bounce back and be resilient to changing environmental conditions. The native plants provide shelter for hoiho to nest, roost and moult. In our efforts to rejuvenate coastal habitats for hoiho, we also provide safety for other native species to thrive. Reforesting grazed pasture boosts biodiversity, sequesters carbon and buffers the impacts of erosion, flooding and increased temperatures.
Our top priorities
Eco-sourcing seeds
We collect seeds from the local sources to ensure the plants are appropriate to the climate and coastal conditions at each reserve.
Raising seedlings
At our plant nursery, staff and volunteers propagate seedlings and nurture them for three years until maturity.
Restoring coastal habitats
The planting of native trees provides sheltered breeding sites for hoiho, supports biodiversity, reduces sediment runoff and acts as a buffer for climate change.
How to help
At its heart, our nursery is a community venture. Its sustainability depends on the generosity of donations and our dedicated volunteers, who assist our Nursery Supervisor every Wednesday contributing their own garden skills and knowledge of native plants.
Invest in our Seeds to Trees project to increase our impact. All donations towards the nursery feed back into te taiao and support taonga species like the hoiho.
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