Sunday, 03 December 2023
NapierHastings
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDRIVEN Car GuideThe CountryPhoto SalesiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub
Voyager 2023 media awards
Subscribe

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Local Focus: Halfway to paradise for ambitious Maraetotara riverbank tree-planting project

Patrick O'Sullivan
By
Patrick O'Sullivan
13 May, 2019 02:03 AM3 mins to read
Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail
The Maraetotara River is reverting back to its former glory. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

It's an ambitious project that, after 17 years, has reached the half-way mark.

The Maraetotara Tree Trust plans to fence, plant and protect nearly 90km of the Maraetotara riverbank in Hawke's Bay.

The project was first launched by local angler John Scott, who was appalled at the river's decline.

He set up the trust and moved on to become a major advocate for the region's waterways.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

And while he's been battling, the Maraetotara River has started a remarkable transformation.

Its native plantings are providing a corridor for wildlife from Te Awanga on the coast, through Cape Sanctuary and towards Central Hawke's Bay.

Maraetotara Tree Trust secretary, Alec Olsen.  Photograph / Patrick O'Sullivan
Maraetotara Tree Trust secretary, Alec Olsen. Photograph / Patrick O'Sullivan

Maraetotara Tree Trust secretary Alec Olsen said half of both sides of the 43km stream have been fenced and planted.

"We've perhaps picked the easier pieces, where we could get fences," he said.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"We used to chug along with two or three thousand trees a year, but recently through the generosity of the Department of Conservation's public funding, we've been able to lift that up to about 15,000 trees a year."

Hawke's Bay Regional Council has an important role to play, removing willow trees which slow the river flow and cause flooding.

 Maraetotara River has started a remarkable transformation. Photograph / Patrick O'Sullivan
Maraetotara River has started a remarkable transformation. Photograph / Patrick O'Sullivan

The third partner is neighbouring landowners, who agree to covenant riparian margins – losing some grazing and stock access to water.

Maraetuna stock manager Paul Maher said the trust had helped make the process smooth.

"The cost side of things is really good, they've helped out a lot and we haven't had to put much into it," he said.

Related articles

Sport

Local Focus: Kids loving cunning running

23 Mar 05:46 PM
New Zealand

Fun times as fire-busting brigade tops a ton

02 Apr 11:30 PM
New Zealand

Local Focus: Hawke's Bay's craft beer hot on wine's heels

23 Apr 10:00 PM

Local Focus: Exciting extensions to Napier-Hastings cyclepath coming

08 May 09:29 PM

The farm lost 4ha of grazing but he wasn't concerned.

Maraetuna stock manager Paul Maher said the Maraetotara Tree Trust has made the protection of riverbanks an easy process.
Maraetuna stock manager Paul Maher said the Maraetotara Tree Trust has made the protection of riverbanks an easy process.

"You don't want to graze that close to the river anyway, there's the whole effluent-going-into-the-river side of things.

"It's going to build up the bird life which is going to trickle down the ecosystem to all the fish in the river. It's going to rejuvenate everything."

With tougher country yet to fence, it could take 20 more years to complete the project, depending on the generosity of donors.

Local resident, internationally acclaimed designer David Trubridge, has committed his company as a permanent sponsor.

"We are a clean company," Trubridge said.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"We do everything we can in the company to reduce our environmental impact.

"But there are some things we can't do anything about. We are responsible for a certain amount of carbon emissions so our idea is to offset those carbon emissions we can't do anything about, by planting trees. So our relationship with Maraetotara Tree Trust evolved out of that."

David Trubridge's company has become a permanent sponsor of the Maraetotara Tree Trust. Photograph / Patrick O'Sullivan
David Trubridge's company has become a permanent sponsor of the Maraetotara Tree Trust. Photograph / Patrick O'Sullivan

The lay of the land is not the only tough aspect of the second half of the project.

Both sides of a section of river need to be protected at the same time because cattle can wade across. Some landowners were reluctant to take part, but Olsen said there were shifting views.

"Public attitude now is a little bit more generous towards the rehabilitation of rivers and just the planting of native trees, for all the benefits that they have.

"We are absolutely dependant on the co-operation of the landowners and we are grateful for that."

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Made with funding from

Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Watch: Driver walks away after sickening speedway collision

03 Dec 03:29 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke’s Bay news in brief: 'Unexplained' fire at property in Raupunga

03 Dec 12:29 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Napier speedway crash

Hawkes Bay Today

Man in hospital after falling into Napier harbour while intoxicated

02 Dec 09:32 PM

Top toys of 2023 for kids & ‘kidults’

sponsored

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Watch: Driver walks away after sickening speedway collision

Watch: Driver walks away after sickening speedway collision

03 Dec 03:29 AM

The crowd cheered as the driver climbed from the car uninjured.

Hawke’s Bay news in brief: 'Unexplained' fire at property in Raupunga

Hawke’s Bay news in brief: 'Unexplained' fire at property in Raupunga

03 Dec 12:29 AM
Napier speedway crash

Napier speedway crash

Man in hospital after falling into Napier harbour while intoxicated

Man in hospital after falling into Napier harbour while intoxicated

02 Dec 09:32 PM
Toy trends for Christmas
sponsored

Toy trends for Christmas

About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to Hawke's Bay TodayHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionHawke's Bay Today E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2023 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP