Rare Plants Trip 7th July

A very efficient and cheerful group of 17 joined the Trust on the 7th July to help with the kākābeak and threatened plants project. Five different planting sites were prepared, with grass sprayed back and weeds removed. The nursery team planted fresh new kākābeak into empty tubs in the nursery, as well as pricking out another 74 kākābeak seedlings. All the plants are looking great and we can't wait to begin planting them.
The Trust's threatened plant project has been generously funded by DoC. It is a three year project to build on the Trust's work to establish Kākābeak (Clianthus puniceus) on Motuihe. This is one of two species of kākābeak and it is now extinct in the wild. We feel very privileged to be part of efforts to save this beautiful plant from extinction. We are also shining a light on other nationally and regionally threatened species and are working to establish new populations of these on Motuihe in order to build on conservation efforts and advocate for our wonderful native plants. At the moment we have Koheriki (Scandia rosifolia), Tauhinu (Ozothamnus leptophyllus) and Coastal Harebell (Wahlenbergia vernicosa) growing in the nursery alongside the kākābeak. We hope there will be more to come. 
A big thank you to all the volunteers who have helped with this project so far, especially Chris and Monica, who collected the coastal harebells from the Rakino nursery last week! If you are interested in being part of the project please email operations@motuihe.org.nz
Bella Burgess


Kakabeak flowering in the nursery. (photo Bella Burgess)


Rare plants team working in the nursery. (photo Bella Burgess)