Workshop Report: Poplar and willow planting for Land Overlay 3A, Gisborne, East Coast region
Introduction
In 1992 the East Coast Forestry Project (ECFP) was established, as a continuation of projects from 1961 onwards, to tackle the severe erosion problem in Gisborne District. ECFP is funded by central government and administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). The project administrators are responsible for ensuring that erosion control treatments funded by ECFP deliver the desired outcome at the least cost to the Crown.
The experience gained from the project confirms that the afforestation option using Pinus radiata is still considered a very effective, large-scale, erosion control option on severely eroding country. In some situations reversion to indigenous tree species offers superior long-term protection on suitable sites. Poplars and willows are an option where soils, soil moisture and erosion (type and severity) are conducive to establishment.
However, there has been disagreement between various parties about the efficacy and effectiveness of some regimes of wide-spaced poplar/willow planting as an erosion control approach on unstable East Coast land. The Gisborne District Council (GDC) and MAF recognise the desirability for agreed guidelines for spaced poplar/willow pole plantings for effective erosion control. As a first step towards developing a set of guidelines, GDC and MAF jointly organised a workshop on 11–12 December 2006, which brought together practising soil conservators and researchers with good collective knowledge of the performance of poplars/willows in mitigating different forms of erosion. See the list of participants in Appendix 1 of this report.
Following the workshop, a draft version of Poplar and Willow Planting on Land Overlay 3A, Gisborne, East Coast region was circulated to workshop participants for comment.
The report outlines the contextual framework behind at times differing philosophies, perspectives and approaches by soil conservators and foresters to erosion control, and documents the status of current research on erosion control practices, both of which were key considerations behind initiating this workshop. In addition, comments provided by workshop participants are discussed and a consensus is reached on planting density requirements for poplar and willow plantings to achieve successful erosion control within Land Overlay 3A.
Contact for Enquiries
East Coast Forestry Project
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Cnr Grey St & Childers Rd
1st Floor ZGFM Building
PO Box 2122
Gisborne 4040
Tel: +64 6 986 8691
Fax: +64 6 986 8697
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