Southland Community Nursery Supports Restoration Projects

Forest and Bird, Issue 300, 1 May 2001, Page 42

Southland Community Nursery Supports Restoration Projects

Southland

Forest and Bird

— Chris Rance

he Southland Community Nursery, supported by Southland Forest and Bird, has produced thousands of native plants for restoration schemes around the region since its establishment in 1996. Some of the larger projects include Southland Forest and Bird’s Te Rere Penguin Reserve, the Riverton Estuary Care Society’s wetland and estuary plantings, Otarara Landcare Group’s ‘2000 in 2000’ planting scheme, and planting in QEII National Trust covenants around Southland. The nursery was first funded by Forest and Bird’s J.S. Watson Trust Fund in 1996. It is now a community scheme run by volunteers and the contribution made by different Conservation Corps groups cannot be underestimated. Anyone who has run a nursery will vouch for the fact that from time to time things

‘get away’ on you! At the beginning of the growing season in Southland many of the plants which have had the protection of the shadehouse over winter have to be moved out, so people can ‘pot up’ new seedlings which then need protection. In October 2000, the Southland YMCA Conservation Corps made one of its regular visits to the Southland Community Nursery. Such major tidy ups by the Conservation Corps are vital for the continued success of the community nursery. In the year 2000, Environment Southland funded the community nursery from

The Southland YMCA Conservation Corp moving plants around the community nursery set up with funds from Forest and Bird’s J.S. Watson Grants.

their ‘millennium fund. The regional council chairman, John Matheson, told me recently that the scheme was successful because of the quality of the application and the innovative concept of the community nursery involving many community groups, individuals, schools and conservation groups in restoration. Because the infrastructure of the nursery (shadehouse, potting sheds, plant-standing areas, some irrigation) had been funded previously from environmental grants, this year’s grant provides mainly for potting mix and pots. All native seed is collected locally and people are able to pot up their own native plants and take them away for free. Help with running the nursery, such as weeding, is also appreciated. The Southland Community Nursery has also been a popular

The Gladstone Scout Group planting for their conservation badges at the Southland Community Nursery. The nursery is a popular place with visiting groups, including school children helped by a teacher from the Department of Conservation. place for school visits, open days (QEII National Trust and Southland landcare groups), scouts and guides, and garden club. Training days are also held throughout the year, teaching people how to propagate native plants — collecting seed, taking cuttings etc. The scheme is free for anyone in Southland to use: the only catch is that you have to do the nursery work yourself — but that can be fun too! Phone Chris Rance (03) 2131161 if you want to find out more.