Otago Native Planting Guide
About
This guide aims to assist Otago residents to restore our native vegetation and habitats by providing native plant species lists that reflect the natural ecology of Otago.
It’s been designed to encourage native biodiversity in your backyard, farm, or local area. By choosing to plant ecologically suitable native plants in your garden or run a native revegetation project you will be helping to enhance the indigenous biodiversity and natural character of Otago. In many cases you will be contributing to better water quality and helping towards our climate change response too.
Otago is a large and naturally diverse region covering 3.1 million hectares. It includes the high peaks and beech forests near the Southern Alps; the drylands, shrublands, alpine cushion fields and tussock grasslands of central Otago; the podocarp-broadleaved forests of the Catlins and coastal Otago hill country; large wetland complexes of the upper Taieri and Waipori-Waihola; coastal environments with estuaries and sand dunes; and much more.
Before humans arrived, much of the region below treeline was covered by native forests, of which only a small proportion remains today. When we want to contribute to restoring some of those areas, it is important that the natural diversity of our region is reflected in our projects.
A few of Otago's diverse natural landscapes.
The Guide
The Otago Native Planting Guide has species lists matched to potential ecosystems for the Otago ecosystems and native vegetation types most likely to be the subject of restoration efforts – forest, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems.
Potential ecosystems are an estimate of the likely indigenous ecosystem coverage across the Otago region if there had been no human influence. Additional lists are provided for riparian areas and central Otago shrublands that are not matched to the potential ecosystems map.
The Otago Native Planting Guide is a guide to species choice rather than an instruction manual for native revegetation projects. It is intended as a supplement to existing resources where they exist, and to assist where they don’t, and we have included links to other robust sources of information.
Who is this guide designed for?
Anyone doing native revegetation, to ensure appropriate local native species are planted to increase indigenous biodiversity, and reduce the risk of establishing non-local native weeds establishing.
This includes:
Urban landowners - choose some local native species for your backyard to attract wildlife
Rural landowners – riparian or wetland restoration, plant to enhance a native bush block
Community and catchment groups – get good information to inform ecological restoration projects
Local and central government – Use the guide to inform grants funding, consenting, compliance, and other work streams that include or require native planting
How do I use the Otago Native Planting Guide?
Use the guide as starting point for what native species to plant in your area.
Use the Address Look Up or Slider Map scroll tools to find out what potential ecosystem is at your site and download a native species list put together by expert local ecologists.
To find out more about each species see the plant profiles on the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network website .
Address Lookup
This tool works best on a desktop. If you experience any issues using it on your mobile please try it on a desktop computer
Slider with properties
Move the slider left to right to toggle potential ecosystems layer on and off
Riparian Zone & Shrubland Plants
Use these lists as a guide for riparian planting; or for areas in central Otago where native forest is not a desired outcome, or a mix of shrubland and forest species is appropriate.
Native Planting in Otago
Principles of ecologically appropriate native planting
Eco-sourcing — where the seed is sourced from
Eco-sourced native plants are grown from locally sourced seeds and cuttings. This is considered to maintain the genetics of local species and result in plants that are better adapted to local conditions.
Species choice — what types of plants to plant
This native planting guide is based on the principle of planting what naturally occurs, or previously naturally occurred, in the local area. If you want to contribute to Otago’s native biodiversity then avoid buying garden varieties or hybrids of native plants, non-local natives e.g., pohutukawa and Chatham Island akeake, or exotic/introduced species. Some non-local natives have already become weeds in parts of Otago.
Plant procurement — where you buy your plants from
We recommend using local and community nurseries that specialise in native plants because larger chain stores and online nurseries are more likely to use stock from outside your local area and Otago. Local and community nurseries are also a great source of local advice and connections.
Planting location — where you plant
Be careful not to compromise existing biodiversity values. Many of Otago’s ecosystems have undergone extensive change and loss but some areas that look degraded can retain important biodiversity values, particularly in Central Otago. We want to avoid accidentally planting over small rare native species and replacing them with plants that are common already. If in doubt, seek advice.