As a result of proposed improvements and changes to its riparian planting programme, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council isn’t selling riparian plants to the community in 2021.

Regional council manager of catchments delivery Dean Evans said the council will review this activity to make sure it aligns more efficiently with its wider riparian programme that includes advisory services.

“To date, we have bought riparian plants in bulk and then sold them to the community at cost, as way for landowners to easily access relatively cheap plants. We always sell out of plants, yet we don’t know where the plants go and we need that bigger picture," he said.

"We want to make sure that the plants we sell are the right plants and going to the right places along waterways or on erodible land. We need to know where the planting is occurring to gain a region wide overview."

It would be good to align this activity with the Council’s wider riparian programme of providing advice to landowners about which species to plant for the best environmental outcomes, he said.

The Council will resurrect an improved riparian plant distribution programme in 2022.

Please engage with your local nurseries, who are aware of the change and are geared up to help, to secure plants for the year ahead.

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