Thousand seedlings planted in Bushy Park Tarapuruhi ecological restoration project

Volunteers, young and old, have planted over 1000 seedlings as part of an ecological restoration project at Bushy Park Tarapuruhi. Photo / Supplied

More than 1000 seedlings have been planted at Bushy Park Tarapuruhi this winter as part of an ecological restoration project.

Forest sanctuary manager Mandy Brooke said the seedlings had been planted in an area at the end of the Kapiti Track, known as Akatea ki Kāpiti, which previously was a paddock grazed by cattle.

"It is an area that can be accessed by a public walking track and, on fine days, the picnic tables and seating areas are being well used," Brooke said.

The planting is part of a project to revegetate four hectares of paddocks within the sanctuary over the next 3-5 years.

Brooke said the plantings would increase habitat for more rare species as well as provide carbon sequestration.

The punchbowl paddock is the next area to be planted.

Brooke said the wetland and homestead area was scheduled for planting next year.

Once the planting is completed, Brooke said the care and management of the newly planted seedlings will continue for several years and weed control in those areas was likely to be ongoing.

The extension of the sanctuary's plant nursery and construction of a shade house with raised benches for planting had also been completed.

Brooke said the construction of the nursery and shade house was necessary for the revegetation project.

"To progress to the scale of planting needed for this project, and to fully engage with volunteers safely and effectively, the small nursery needed extending, and a shade house and some raised benches were also required," she said.

Schools and volunteers had already begun using this space for potting plants.

Horizons Regional Council provided the funding for this construction project through the Kanorau Koiora Taketake Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant, and the project was a collaboration between the council, Bushy Park Trust, Forest and Bird, and Ngā Rauru Kiitahi.