| Come and join us for a celebration of the Waihōpai planting project on Monday 20 February 2023 from 10am - 2pm. Click here to find out more.
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The Waihōpai planting project has been underway since 2013, with hundreds of students and numerous community groups getting involved over the years.
The vision, developed with students and staff from Environment Southland, is to transform a former sheep paddock below Invercargill’s Waihōpai dam into a native bush reserve. The end goal is to put a walking track in, which will branch off from the top of the stop bank and provide an optional loop for dog walkers, runners and cyclists.
The project started off small. The initial plan was to fence out stock and plant native plants along a ditch that drains the farmland and feeds into the Waihōpai River. This work can provide multiple benefits, including trapping sediment and nutrients before they reach the water, stabilising the bank and shading the water. Riparian planting like this can also improve water quality and native fish habitat.
Environment Southland owns and maintains approximately 4700 hectares of land surrounding stop banks around Southland, most of which is in flood ways and leased to farmers. The stop bank network is over 500 kms long, and is designed to protect people, property and livelihoods.
