By Stef Kincheff, Wai Kōkopu Forestry Restoration

Well it’s that time of year again - spring planting in the Wai Kōkopu catchment has just been completed and I just want to say a big thanks up front to all of those that made it such a success. It really was a team effort.
To all of the landowners, your belief in retiring sensitive land is where it all starts. The lead in to planting takes a lot of engagement with a lot of people! Nurseries, fencing, spraying, pest control, planting service providers, BOPRC staff, and Wai Kōkopu farm systems staff to name a few. Communication and fitting in with our landowners has been coordinated by the Wai Kōkopu Restoration team.

Infill planting commenced in mid-August with ~1000 replacement seedlings being put into a Quayside property where a late frost had done some damage to last year’s plantings down low. A further 2000 will be put into Martins farm ­and Maniatutu Heights this week to fill some gaps.

The bulk of our 2023 planting was undertaken last week across 10 properties ranging from Otanewainuku in the west (Prendergast’s) to central and eastern Pongakawa and south to the edge of the catchment close to Lake Rotoiti (Oliver’s and Fowler’s).

Seventy-seven thousand forestry grade seedlings were planted during the week and they should hit the ground running! There was good soil moisture and good temperatures at the time of planting followed by the current downpour in excess of 100 mm. You don’t get better than that for spring container planting!
The emphasis now will be tidying up round the edges with release spraying where aerial pre-plant desiccation did not reach, and of course keeping on top of weed and animal pests.

Once again, the restoration team thank everyone involved and look forward to nurturing what has been created.