Carbon Neutral Trust carbon offset funds help award winning Kerikeri project

Carbon Neutral NZ Trust carbon offset funds received up to June 2022 are being spent on native trees planted by the Kerikeri community as part of its award winning wildlife habitat restoration project along the Wairoa stream and tributaries.

The project started in 2013 and as of June 2022, more than 21,000 native plants have been planted along 5km of the stream banks. These join existing pockets of mature native forest into a contiguous wildlife corridor of around 5km. Friends of Wairoa Stream and Rotary have also created walking tracks that give the public access to the corridor and long lost features along the stream such as the Te Wairere waterfall and swimming holes. It is now a well used community asset that provides residents and visitors with a 'wilderness walk' that is just a short stroll from the CBD.

The project is administered by Vision Kerikeri with planting, forest and track maintenance being largely carried out by Friends of Wairoa Stream. However, the project has entailed a wider community effort with; Kerikeri Rotary, Kerikeri High and Primary Schools and the Kerikeri Shadehouse all being key and ongoing contributors to the effort that has recently been recognised by the Environmental in the Community award.

A well attended public planting day in May 22 resulted in another 1,050 plants - see coverage of day in Northern Advocate.

(Right to left) - Rod Brown representing Friends of Wairoa Stream & Vision Kerikeri, wife Christine, Rolf Meuller-Glodde & Inge Bremer ( representing Vision Kerikeri - also Trustees of Carbon Neutral Trust) - receive the Environment in the Community Award. Photo Credit: Northland Regional Council

The video below (15 minutes duration) was produced in April 2022 and showcases the project showing footage of the weed infested wilderness that has been converted into new forest.

The map below shows the location of the wildlife corridor and tracks. You can also click on any of the areas to see details of the plantings - including images and number of plants in that location.