Local partners chosen for poplar supply scheme

Half the estimated 4000 poplars poles needed annually for Northland erosion control work are expected to be sourced through new partnerships between the Northland Regional Council and six local growers.
Members of the council’s Environmental Management Committee recently approved a deal that will see the council work with local growers; three based in the Far North, two in Kaipara and one to be established in the Whangarei District.

Poplars have extensive root systems which help bind soil and prevent erosion and their use is actively promoted by the Northland Regional Council as part of its soil conservation work and supported through its Environment Fund.

But the closure last year of Northland’s only specialist poplar nursery at Parakao, northwest of Whangarei, left locals – and the regional council – looking for an alternative supply of poplar poles

Earlier this year, the council called for expressions of interest from people interested in working with it to develop a local source or sources of poles.

Council Land Programme Manager Dean Evans says 14 expressions of interest were received from people with a variety of backgrounds, from farmers with existing small nurseries set up to supply their own needs through to farmers, orchardists and two commercial nurseries.

All were carefully assessed against a variety of criteria with six – capable of providing a combined 2000 poles annually on average – recommended as suitable partners. (The new Whangarei partner has yet to set up their poplar nursery and is not expected to supply stock until 2013.)

Mr Evans says under the partnership, the poles will be secured for about $6 a pole.

The council plans to obtain the remaining 2000 poles needed annually either through commercial nurseries from outside Northland or through further new partnerships, additional to the six just agreed to.

Mr Evans says although the official period for expressions of interest closed last month, inquiries were continuing to trickle in to the council at the rate of one or two a week, some of which could still be considered.

He says poplars are typically planted in late Autumn/Winter each year as 2.5m to 3m long ‘poles’, which are encased in plastic sleeves to protect them from stock damage. They cost roughly $6 per pole and $4.50 per sleeve.

Mr Evans says the most popular hybrids in Northland are ‘kawa’, a dense, fast-growing poplar with good pest-resistance, a narrow crown and excellent soil conservation abilities and 'Veronese', which is better suited to drier sites.

He says poplars provide timber, good shelter and stock fodder and can remove pollutants from the soil. Information on poplar poles is available from the council’s website at: www.nrc.govt.nz/poplars

Mr Evans says he expects most of the poplars provided under the new partnerships will probably be distributed through the Environment Fund process, which sees the council meet up to half the costs of qualifying projects.

Soil conservation projects are one of several funding streams given priority through the Environment Fund.