Whanganui's paddlesteamer to offset its emissions

The paddlesteamer Waimarie is fired by burning coal. Photo / Bevan Conley

The trust that operates Whanganui's Waimarie paddlesteamer is to carry out a planting regime with a Whanganui River marae in an attempt to offset the boat's carbon emissions.

The boat, New Zealand's only authentic paddlesteamer still in operation, is powered by high grade coal from Westport.

It uses 14 to 20 bags of coal for each trip to Upokongaro and back. Burning coal is one of the largest sources of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Pungarehu Marae is on the riverside at left in this photograph taken during a 2020 forest fire. Photo / Lewis Gardner

The Waimarie Operating Trust is to join forces with Pungarehu Marae to offset those emissions, chairman Stuart Hylton said.

The marae's Pungarehu Whenua Project Working Group wants to restore the area to its original state by planting pioneer native species, specimen trees and harakeke (flax) near the marae buildings, urupa and the banks of the Whanganui River.

The Waimarie's trust is to provide funds for the plants.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to partner with iwi in a project which will assist in achieving a number of objectives both for the working group, the trust and the environment," Hylton said.

"We look forward to assisting in similar projects in the future".