Waikato RiverCare Inc. Completes Largest Planting Yet
After some unfortunate delays due to heavy rain and flooding in October, Waikato RiverCare Inc. has completed another successful planting season. The 2016 planting season has been our biggest ever, with approximately 25,000 more plants purchased and planted than last year. A total of 58,375 plants were planted throughout 10 different projects. Four of these project sites received in-fill planting to ensure the continued development and success of established planting projects.
The planting of Waikato RiverCare Inc.’s largest project to date was also completed this season. Taupiri Ki Waenganui, which covers 5.63ha, had 12,523 plants planted at the site in September. This included 10,143 new plantings, as well as 2,110 in-fill plants to supplement the plantings completed last year by volunteers and Waterside Planters Limited.
Another highlight of the season was having over 80 volunteers help us out on three different projects over September. The volunteers included a mix of corporate, primary school, high school, and tangata whenua groups, they all did an incredible job and planted approximately 4,500 plants.
The crew from Huntly College planting at Te Awa River Ride project.
The 2016 planting season has not been easy to manage with interruptions caused by surface flooding, boggy ground conditions and torrential rain. The soft ground conditions required Waikato RiverCare Inc. to bring on additional contractors with side by side ATV’s and tractors with trailers to support the planting team in transporting the plants onto projects. The use of these vehicles meant that, despite the conditions, there was minimal damage to paddocks and the riverbanks.
Despite the challenges, the team from Te Whangai Trust, including their nursery staff, delivery drivers, planting team and nursery management, all did a wonderful job supplying great quality plants and planting them without issues or incidents. Te Whangai Trust has also won the contract to supply plants for the 2017 planting season, so we look forward to continuing working with them in the future.
We would like to recognize all of our sponsors, partners and volunteers for helping us to complete such a fantastic planting programme this year. Their support is what makes all this possible.
