Poplar poles offer for area's farmers

Northland Regional Council environmental management committee chairman Joe Carr (left) and land management adviser Wayne Teal inspect stock at the council's poplar and willow nursery near Whangarei.

Thousands of poplar "poles" are being sold cheap by Northland Regional Council to help control erosion and protect the region's waterways.

The council has about 5000 three-metre poplar poles available shortly to qualifying landowners to plant along waterways across the region.

The council sells the poles, which usually retail for more than $8.50 each, for $5 provided landowners agree to a farm water quality improvement planting plan to ensure the trees are planted appropriately and future maintenance is allowed for.

Joe Carr, who chairs the council's Environmental Management Committee, a farmer who uses his own poplar stocks extensively across his land, said they have been used widely in Northland for many years to prevent and control erosion, nutrient losses and cut waterway pollution.

"Poplars and willows have broad root systems that help bind soil and prevent erosion and as a council we've long promoted their use both as part of our soil conservation and water quality work with the community," Mr Carr said.

He said while the use of non-native species like poplar and willow for erosion control surprises some people, the trees are specifically chosen because their fast growth rates means they can begin working as intended much more quickly.

"These trees play a key role in stabilising land and cutting erosion and sedimentation in Northland, the latter - while a natural substance - still being one of our biggest contaminants of our streams and waterways," he said.

The best time to plant the trees in Northland is typically from June to mid-August. The bulk of this year's pole supply is from the council's own poplar and willow nursery near Whangarei as well as selected local partners.

The council set up its six hectare nursery in Flyger Rd, Mata, several years ago after becoming frustrated with the limited supply of suitable poles in Northland and being unable to find anyone able to grow large numbers on its behalf.

Interested landowners can contact the Land Management Team on 0800 002 004 to allow time to arrange a farm visit to undertake a required planting plan.

- People wanting to know about establishing poplars and willows can go to the council's website via: www.nrc.govt.nz/poplars.