Time to order poplars and willows from Northland Regional Council nursery

Nursery co-ordinator Matthew Mabbitt admiring the poplar and willow tree crop in 2019. Photo / NRC

Northland regional councillor Rick Stolwerk describes poplars and willows as the seldom-recognised heroes of Northland's hill country properties, delivering a host of benefits including stabilising land and helping hold fertile soil in place instead of polluting waterways as it washes into estuaries.

They also increased water storage, improved water quality, benefited stock and enhanced the farm environment.

Keeping fertile soils on the land was in the interests of all Northlanders, and without the protection afforded by poplars and other trees, hills simply washed away in severe rain storms.

Few people realised that while a natural phenomenon, eroded sediment was Northland's biggest natural pollutant, research showing the Bay of Islands alone had lost an average of 500,000 tonnes annually for the past century.

Preventing erosion at source, for both environmental and economic reasons, was one reason why the regional council had invested heavily in its 16ha poplar and willow nursery near Mata, south of Whangārei, in recent years. And every year, about this time, the NRC invited the owners of erosion-prone land to order heavily-subsidised poplar and willow poles from the nursery for the winter planting season.

Orders are were now open, nursery co-ordinator Matthew Mabbitt saying 3m poplar poles were selling for $4 and 1m shrub willow poles for $2, both plus GST. (A pole typically retails for about $12.)

Protective sleeves were available for $7.50 (plus GST), and, depending on contractor availability, the council would also heavily subsidise planting, at the rate of $5 (plus GST) per pole.

The council had about 7000 poles to sell, and while payment did not need to be made until May 21, demand usually outstripped supply, so it would be wise to lodge orders soon.

Orders would close on April 30 or when stocks were sold out, whichever came first.

Anyone wishing to place an order should contact a member of the council's land management staff on 0800 002 004, or email nursery@nrc.govt.nz to arrange a consultation and free planting plan.

Mabbitt added that, to save costs and comply with Covid guidelines, the council would no longer deliver poles direct to the farm gate. Buyers would have to collect them from one of four pick-up points instead, in the weeks beginning Tuesday June 15 (Far North), Tuesday June 22 (Mid North), Tuesday June 29 (Dargaville), and Monday July 5 (Whangārei).

Stolwerk said the fast-growing trees had broad, and binding root systems, and had been widely used in Northland for years.

Neither species was native, but their quick growth rates meant they could be controlling erosion within as little as three years. They also provided shade for livestock in summer, and in winter dropped their leaves, allowing grass to grow, making them ideal trees for pastoral farming.

General information about establishing poplars and willows was available at www.nrc.govt.nz/poplars