Ngaire George Sustainability Centre

The Nursery

Founded in 2010, the Tūaropaki Native Plant Nursery is an integral part of the Ngaire George Sustainability Centre at Mōkai. The original focus of production at the Tūaropaki Trust’s nursery was on native species suitable for planting in environmentally sensitive areas, such as along waterways. This is still important in what gets propagated, though the nursery also has a stock of larger grade trees for beautification plantings or landscaping.

Seed is sourced locally in the Central Plateau ensuring a better chance of survival and health when trees and shrubs are planted. The Trust has a long record of preparing and planting areas with nursery stock on its own farmland to assist in revegetation projects like waterway protection and soil conservation. In an average year between 50,000 and 60,000 natives are planted in riparian areas or blocks on both the Station and two Dairy units that are too steep or boggy to be farmed profitably and sustainably.

New laybys (standing out areas) and shade frames developed at the Native Plant Nursery have significantly increased the nursery’s capacity to accommodate more plants for hardening off. This process ensures that plants are well-prepared before being sold or planted on Trust whenua.

Heritage Seed Bank

Tūaropaki’s Heritage Seed Bank provides back-up support to other seed banks in Aotearoa and has been in operation since 2016, through the development of a relationship with the Koanga Institute.

Moving into a medium-long term storage plan for those species that can survive freezing or chilling (orthodox and intermediate seeds) has allowed the Trust to extend storage periods for some stock and reduce the Seed Bank’s operating costs. The Trust continues to assess the best way to manage the collection.

Many heritage seeds are recognised as offering greater nutritional benefits as mature, heirloom plants tend to bear produce with a lower sugar content.

The facility known as Te Pae o Tūaropaki at the Ngaire George Sustainability Centre incorporates the nursery office, staff kitchen and conferencing facilities including an atrium and board room. It is used for a range of activities such as meetings, owner engagement hui and workshops. Te Pae was purpose-designed to be a centre for the Mōkai hub with construction completed in 2018, forming a major part of the expansion and redevelopment of the centre.