Ribbonwood Translocation Highlights Challenges of Seasonal Planting

A recent effort to rehome 28 ribbonwood trees at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs has highlighted just how much timing matters in restoration work.

The young trees were moved from a nearby Queenstown Lakes District Council stormwater area, with the goal of giving them a new life within the wetland restoration site. It’s all part of ongoing work to boost native planting and biodiversity along Bullock Creek.

While not all of the ribbonwoods have survived the move, the result hasn’t come as a surprise. Transplanting in the warmer months can be tough on young plants, making it harder for them to establish in a new environment.

Even so, every project like this adds to what we know. Restoration is often about trial and learning, and this experience will help guide better timing and methods for future planting.

With cooler months ahead, and more than 600 native plants currently growing in the nursery, the team is looking forward to the next round of planting, with conditions much more in their favour