Haehaeata Natural Heritage Trust - Reviving the Central Otago Landscape

January 2026
How do more than 13,000 new native plants find their way into our unique Central Otago landscape?

Have you noticed that close to the start of the Rail Trail at Clyde there is a small nursery where, on an Autumn / Spring / Summer Thursday morning (and a winter afternoon) a bunch of people have pulled up to see what jobs Rach has listed for us.

Depending on the time of the year and how well plants are developing, Rach will guide us to laying some of the seed that she and Tim have gathered from outcrops of natives in gullies, with permission from land-owners. We label the trays carefully and they are placed in a sunny sheltered spot that has a watering system, built by our trustees who simply make things happen with their swag of skills and energy.

In the meantime a gaggle of laughter and chat is heard from the “potting on” area where seedlings are transferred into appropriately sized bags and pots for nurturing into their next stage. Depending on the plant species they may experience the loving hands of this group of volunteers several times, to be then placed in the shelter of the main nursery to mature. There, we find some of our people using ironing board frames to hold higher, the trays that require some fine weeding. Comfort is key.

Outside at the sink singing and yearning for food may be heard from our person cleaning pots. Soon G or JJ calls for coffee - it’s time to sit and chat - and, did anyone bake? Yes!

The Haehaeata Natural Heritage Trust achievements document of 2024 reports that 13,058 plants planted in Central Otago emanated out of the Clyde Railhead Nursery.