Local native plants and how to grow them in gardens, farms and reserves will be covered at the Haehaeata Natural Heritage Trust (HNHT) annual general meeting in Alexandra next week.

HNHT trustee and director of SeedNZNatives Tim Whittaker has extensive knowledge on broad scale native plant revegetation, for restoration and carbon sequestration.  

Attendees will hear about Tim’s background, from being a young farm worker to owning his own company using technology to create new native forests, revegetate and restore various landscapes.

Tim has called Central home for the past 30 years, and lives on a six hectare block near Alexandra primarily used for grazing and hay production. His property also has one hectare of protected wetland area. 

Tim said his “passion is native plants” and he has been through “the growing and planting scenario like [HNHT] is doing now”.

He began his career in agriculture, farming for five years from the age of 17.

“[I] got a degree in agricultural commerce from Lincoln University. 

“[Then I] started my career with Lands and Survey in New Plymouth doing land development, farm supervision and looking after new farmers in the government land settlement scheme,” Tim said.

What followed was almost 20 years at the Department of Conservation (DOC), where Tim worked mainly on high country tenure review.

He also provided advice to other government departments, particularly the overseas investment office and Treasury.

Alexandra’s Tim Whittaker will share his knowledge on sowing native seed using a labour saving direct seeding machine

His company purchased a Burford Tree Seeder from DOC following his involvement in six years of direct drill seed experiments around sites in Canterbury, Otago and Southland (in Methven, Ashburton, Wānaka, Alexandra, Gore and Invercargill). 

“My interest was in native restoration and DOC allowed me to follow this interest. 

“I had a study tour to Canberra in 2016 where I looked at large scale planting of native seeds using the Burford tree seeder. DOC agreed to import [one] and I experimented with it at [South Island] sites.”

The key lesson was how to use herbicides to overcome grass and broadleaf weeds, something not done in Australia.

Tim’s work is evidence that native species can be established using this direct seeding method, a cost effective solution for improving conservation on farms, riparian planting, shelterbelts, protecting our unique New Zealand environment and encouraging wildlife to thrive. 

Tim said his involvement with HNHT was rewarding as he gets a lot out of meeting like minded people and interacting with broad thinking about the environment. 

For more information and to register for the AGM click here.

Learn more about Tim’s company here.

HNHT is a not for profit trust which meets monthly and operates the Clyde Railhead Community Eco-nursery. The vision of HNHT is to see our communities thriving with landscapes and corridors rich in habitats of indigenous flora and fauna. See the trust’s website.