Queen Elizabeth II
National Trust

For many of the covenants there are cleared areas within the fenceline that landowners may feel they would like to give a helping hand.
If grass is well established it is hard for local natives to get started due to competition and shading.

If you decide to undertake some revegetation work the Community Nursery recommends you start with fast growing species like Pittosporum, wineberry, fuchsia or manuka, and for wetter or more exposed sites flax and cabbage trees.

If possible it is good to spot spray the site you're planting in to, however if you are worried about damage to nearby natives, to chip the grass away and then surround the plant with old carpet or sacks/woolpacks is another effective way of keeping the grass down.

Rabbits, hares or possums can be a problem,and may well look upon your revegetation area as specially planted for them. Because of this it is a good idea to put protectors around the young plants. A soft plastic mesh tube can be used and held out from the plant with wire hoops. Another option ( see left ) is the solider plastic mesh used in poplar pole planting, held open with a 15cm length of novaflo - this can be placed over the plant and fastened down with wire.

Ideally seed should be collected locally, however the Community Nursery has seedlings of the basic revegetation plants propagated from Southland seed. Limehills School pupils last year potted up native seedlings and rooted cuttings for planting into Kowhai Reach. PB3 bags and potting mix were provided by the Community Nursery for this project. Gorge Road School has been involved in potting up plants for their own native revegetation area, as well as for the O'Neill Block A project.

Contact Chris Rance at rances@es.co.nz for further information on plant propagation.