TOSSI – Planting, planting and more planting!

It’s the time of year when community groups, parks and reserves are organising their planting days. The winter months are traditionally the preferred time of year because the ground is moist and the trees get a good start. Ironically, this year we could have been planting since the end of last planting season.

However, the bountiful rainfall has meant that the Tāwharanui planting in swede paddock last year is looking amazing. Since its inception over 20 years ago, Tossi has been planting all manner of native of species. In our first year, seeds were collected from the park, propagated, raised, and then subsequently planted in 2003, and so it began.

There is a vast array of natives that were raised from eco-sourced seeds. Large numbers of flax, cordylines, manuka and kanuka are easily seen. Then, in smaller pockets, on dunes or in wetlands you can find mahoe, five finger, karamu, puriri, pingao grasses, kahikatea and pohutukawa.

Public planting days have been organised over the last 16 years – over 70 planting days with hundreds of volunteers. This probably conservatively represents the equivalent of 7000 planter days! The main species used are manuka, kanuka and flax, as these lend themselves very well as nursery crops. They encourage wildlife to come to the land, drop seeds from other species that then naturally germinate under cover of the nursery canopy. It also brings in the beneficial bugs to the soil that go on to create a permeable forest floor for sustaining life.

On asking a long-standing volunteer to comment on the number of trees planted in this time, the estimate is over 300,000, equivalent to 35 hectares or six per cent of the park. Quite something! In essence then, the more native species we can get in the ground and allow to bloom and grow, the more native wildlife we can support and attract. This year we are heading to the West End, and our public planting season is underway, with one down and two to go.

If you, a group of you or your family feel like doing your part, check out who’s holding planting days in your area, or join us at Tāwharanui on July 2 or August 6.

If you wish to find out more about being part of Tossi, contact news@tossi.org.nz