Project Overview
In 2021, Riverside Horticulture partnered with the Hurunui District Landcare Group on a catchment restoration project in the Canterbury High Country. This two-year initiative, funded by government environmental programs, aimed to restore and enhance the natural biodiversity of the area through the planting of 80,000 native plants.
Project Scope and Challenges
The project required collaboration with multiple farmers within the catchment area, each with unique needs and land conditions. Challenges included managing the contract growing of plants, selecting appropriate species, coordinating timely delivery, and ensuring effective pre-spraying, planting, and guarding to protect the young plants from environmental stressors.
Riverside Horticulture's Approach
Riverside Horticulture was responsible for overseeing every aspect of the project, from plant selection to final planting. The team’s extensive knowledge of native species and their adaptability to the local environment was crucial in ensuring the success of the restoration effort. The project involved:
- Coordination with Farmers: Working closely with several farmers in the catchment to align planting efforts with their land management goals.
- Contract Growing and Plant Selection: Managing the contract growing process to ensure a steady supply of healthy, native plants that were well-suited to the local climate and soil conditions.
- Pre-Spray and Planting: Executing pre-spraying operations to prepare the land, followed by careful planting and the installation of large EnviroGuards to protect the young plants.
- Delivery and Guarding: Ensuring that all plants were delivered on time and in excellent condition, with proper guarding to support their growth in the challenging high country environment.
Client Testimonial
“We chose Riverside due to their scale, plant knowledge, ability to deliver on-time, and to-budget. Andrew and Ferg have been very helpful the entire way along, from planning to delivery; with excellent plant species knowledge and planting advice. Delivery of plants has been to spec and on-time. Very easy and open communication, which is very important to us. Knowledgeable staff and flexibility to make our project work within our constraints.”
– Josh Brown, Hurunui Land Care Group
Outcome
The successful completion of this project within the two-year timeframe demonstrates Riverside Horticulture’s capability to manage complex, large-scale planting operations. The collaboration resulted in the establishment of 80,000 thriving native plants across the Canterbury High Country, contributing significantly to the region's ecological restoration efforts.