Plants of the Kaipatiki Area

Restoration

Planting native trees to supplement the bush reserve is an integral part of the Kaipatiki Project.

The Kaipatiki Project's goal is to restore the local forest reserve by replanting native trees to provide new habitat for species. New plantings also help protect the stream by providing shade. New Zealand has thousands of native plants, all of which can be easily identified by people who take the time to learn about them.

We grow all our own plants for the Reserve and we also supply some to our volunteers for planting at home. We have our own shadehouse at Kaipatiki Environment Centre. This provides an opportunity for students to learn more about growing plants from seed and the ecology of New Zealand native bush.

The plants that we grow are mostly "early" forest species, that is to say they tend to be the first plants to grow when the forest is damaged. They are also generally hardy, quick growing and attract birds so that their seed will be spread quickly- ideal plants for restoration of bush! Some thought has also been given to providing a year-round food source for birds so that they can remain in the area all year.

You can download a description of the Native Plant Communities of the Kaipatiki Stream area

Seed Collection times are available HERE in Word format - these cover the key plant species.