Ngarimu Mana checks the one-year final height of a wineberry tree (Aristotelia serrata), established using a 700 ml Ellepot Ellebag, at one of Scion’s Lake Okareka field trial sites.
The possibility of commercial scale production and establishment of indigenous tree species is opening up as tree species propagated in small paper pots survive and thrive as well as, or better than, those grown in larger plastic containers. Source: Timberbiz
Nurseries are not currently well-equipped to meet the forestry scale deployment of indigenous species required for the One Billion Trees program and other planting and revegetation projects
Producing large numbers of indigenous species is currently a slow, expensive and uncertain process. Problems include collecting and germinating seed, inefficient small scale and dated production practices and producing robust and vigorous plants that establish quickly. Pot sizes tend to be large, which adds to the cost and logistical challenges of establishment compared with smaller ‘forestry grade’ pots.
Scion has been working since 2019 on improving propagation techniques and technologies to accelerate the deployment of high-quality indigenous trees. The work has specifically addressed: identifying taxa suitable for production as a containerised forestry crop system; alternative growing systems for slower growers not suited to forestry crop systems; improved seed germination protocols and propagation via cuttings; mechanisation to address production bottlenecks; and using enclosed grow-out tunnels for faster growth and healthier, more vigorous plants.
Scion’s trials have shown that 700 ml Ellepot paper growbags, formed and filled using automated Ellepot propagation technology, can be used to replace 1200 ml plastic bags, normally used for native tree production for all native species tested. Results were based on six field trial sites established in and around Rotorua. Apart from healthy plants, the advantages include reducing plastic waste by 90% (or more) and growing media/ container volume by 50% (making planting much easier and nursery growing more efficient).
Most indigenous tree species could also be established as seeds or cuttings in forestry grade containers (125 to 310 ml) using the current industry standards or paper-pots. This opens the possibility of commercial scale establishment of these species.
Scion ran several open days demonstrating the Ellepot paper pot propagation technology. Several New Zealand nurseries have subsequently invested in Ellepot machines.
Recommendations from this project will help all growers of indigenous plants and help boost the supply of trees for forestry, revegetation and restoration projects. Increased mechanisation also brings extra advantages to an industry challenged with labour issues, and nurseries’ long term social licence to operate will be bolstered as single use plastics are replaced with paper-based options.
Nursery partners involved in the establishment of the trees will benefit from easier, faster, and cheaper planting. There are also considerable advantages to the environment, and the whole country with more trees to establish, enhanced indigenous biodiversity and increased carbon sequestration.
Ngāti Whare, which runs Minginui Nursery, and many other iwi groups interested in similar projects, will also benefit from a successful nursery industry built on sound best-practice recommendations. Nurseries such as Minginui create jobs and boost local employment and participation…
Scion is currently looking at ways to build national nursery capability, particularly with hapū and iwi using what they have learned.
