Community the driving force behind planting projects
Reforest Southland’s Daniel Jones and Josie Blackshaw tend plants at their home nursery in Lumsden.
The importance of the project has been enhanced with the discovery of both Gollum Galaxias and Southern Flathead Galaxias in the Lumsden Creek. Both native fish species are threatened and found only in Southland.
“It’s really exciting to find these wee guys living in our area, and knowing that the work we are doing replanting the creek will help provide shelter and reduce water temperature and pollution, giving these little guys a bit of extra protection they deserve,” Daniel says.
Reforest Southland started quite naturally, with a group of Lumsden residents looking for a local planting project. The vision and idea grew from there and the group formed a trust to help with fundraising.
They applied successfully for funding for the nursery from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ One Billion Trees Programme. Josie says they’ve also had generous support from Community Trust South, their local community board and councillor, and local businesses.
Environment Southland’s land sustainability team has been “awesome” with advice and support, and helped out at a planting day at Lumsden School, Daniel says. A replanting project with Northern Southland College is also germinating.
The Trust wants its Lumsden work to act as a blueprint for people to activate community planting projects in their own areas.
For more information check out reforestsouthland.co.nz
You can read the full Envirosouth magazine as a PDF online here.
