DOC’s only commercial nursery is trying to restore the Canterbury Plains and Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū/Banks Peninsula, one native plant at a time.
The nursery, based at Motukārara, 30 minutes southwest of Christchurch, is growing and selling plants with ‘superpowers’ with a mission to make the region more resilient to fires, floods and the impacts of climate change.
Nursery Manager Jess Ward says there’s only half a per cent of native vegetation left on the plains, and on Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū/Banks Peninsula it’s around 22 per cent. The dream is to grow forests and protect property through resilient planting.
“Climate change is a huge issue facing us all, and we need to start work to mitigate the effects, which include more fires and floods. We’ve put together special plant packages including a fire protection package with plants that are fire resistant, a package with plants to help stop erosion, and a wetland package to help farmers protect waterways on their property,” she says.
Jess says the seeds are eco-sourced so people can order plants with the best chance of flourishing in a particular area.
“We’ve done the research to work out which plants are best suited to where you live and which ones will help you mitigate the risks your land may face. It’s about helping farmers and others protect and enhance their land, so everything thrives.
“This is one way we can really make a difference for nature. You can create your own backyard forest, which will feed the birds and help at-risk species. You end up with a fantastic ecosystem,” she says.
Jess says the plant packages are available to order now, and the plants will be grown and ready for planting in the 2027 season. She says the plants are grown to order and that anyone interested needs to place their order by the end of the month.
“We need to start thinking about this urgently. Around the world we are seeing the devastating effects of the climate changing. Nature can really help us mitigate these effects if we act now,” she says.
You can start with a full package (1,000 plants for $4,400 + GST) or a starter pack with 100 plants for $460 + GST. There are six different packages – Riparian/Streamside/Wetland, Banks Peninsula/Port Hills Forest, Plains Forest, Fire Protection, Erosion Protection, and Dryland.
