Spartina to be sprayed next month

The council has announced plans to carry out a second attack on the spartina grass along the Taruheru River, this time spraying from the Peel Street Bridge to Lytton Road Bridge in early March. Photo / Murray Robertson

Gisborne District Council will have another go spraying spartina grass on the mudflats of the Taruheru River next month.

The area from the Peel St Bridge to the Marina boat ramp was sprayed as a trial in January 2024.

“By March the sprayed area was dying off and the spartina banks clearly showed slumping and were starting to be broken down and removed by the normal tidal flow,” a council spokesman said.

“The use of the herbicide treated the spartina without causing adverse effects on non-target plants, fish or animals.”

The next area to be sprayed will be on the mudbanks of the Taruheru from the Peel St Bridge to the Lytton Rd Bridge.

“Spraying is scheduled for between Friday, March 7, to Sunday, March 9, if the conditions are suitable.”

The council plans to replace spartina over the whole Taruheru River in the next few years.

“After the silt washes away and the mudbank stabilises, we plan to plant native species on the bank,” the spokesman said.

“We’ll monitor and track the impacts of the spartina removal. This will measure the health of the river, species and habitats in comparison to data taken before its removal. The project includes native revegetation of some riparian and salt-marsh areas.”

The trial project is being coordinated by Haumanu Tū Ora (H2O) and funded through the Freshwater Improvement Fund by The Ministry for Environment and Gisborne District Council.