Wetland Restoration vs. Native Bush Plantings
From time to time I am asked this question.
In some circumstances they work well together, taking into account location and contour of the land. Wetlands work harder to clean water, they also create habitat for insects and birds alike. They can stop erosion and make sustainable use of unproductive boggy land at the base of a gully or where there is a spring with constant flow – if these areas lack native planting they can turn pretty messy and mucky once the cattle graze through it.
You may have a gully that is quite steep and hard to graze or when grazed it erodes quickly. Rule of thumb is this; if it can’t be mowed for silage or hay then this is an area which, potentially can be planted out.
So what do we plant?
So the objective is to obtain cover and stability as quickly as possible using a diverse range of sustainable natives. Plants like Manuka, pittos, coprosma’s, cabbage trees, kanuka, totara, rewarewa work really well. You’re looking at around a 3-year timeframe to then under plant with frost tender plants such as puriri and karaka.
And remember fore planting will save you $$$ in the long term, not to mention what positive impact your having on our Environment and efforts towards long term sustainability.
