A group of land owners hit by the Port Hills fire have pioneered a New Zealand first - using a drone to spread grass seed as they begin the mammoth task of replanting their land.
The 17 landowners in the Lansdowne Valley area have pooled resources, to buy bulk seed and fertiliser, and have used a combination of a helicopter and drone to reseed 450 hectares.
Craigmore Sustainables general manager Dr Peter Klaassen helped the group navigate through the reseeding process, and co-ordinated the aerial sowing.
"I know a couple of guys in the Lansdowne Valley and had been talking with them. About a week after the fire the local landowners had a meeting because they knew they would need to kick on and do something like this.
I attended and because I had some contacts with Lincoln (University) and my background in farming, I offered to help co-ordinate it. It's meant a fair few phone calls, organising the seeds, pulling together what was needed, and mapping from Council.