A planting strategy for Tāhuna, Ōtepoti, and Central Otago.

Boffa Miskell was engaged to create a planting strategy document that can be used internally by Aukaha, a mana whenua-owned organisation, on their various projects.

Aukaha delivers social, economic, environmental, and cultural services across the takiwā of Papatipu Rūnaka shareholders. Their role is strengthening relationships between mana whenua and local and central government, sector partners and businesses across the takiwā.

The planting strategy document provides decision makers and collaborators with an illustrated overview of the environment types of the Ōtākou region as well as providing guidance on planting typologies that best acknowledge and reinstate habitats of cultural and ecological value to mana whenua.

Client

Aukaha

Location

Otago

Project date

2020 - 2020

The Ōtākou Region Planting Strategy illustrates a native plant palette presenting cultural and ecological value for:

• Ōtepoti (Dunedin)

• Tāhuna (Queenstown)

• Central Otago

The document includes a brief description of each of the three districts including historical, cultural and ecological significance. Plants for each area were selected based on cultural values, ecological benefits, and visual appeal; a planting schedule outlines species information along with pictures, a description of their traditional cultural uses and typology use.

The Ōtākou Region includes a variety of landscapes such as the inland ranges and basins of Central Otago, the southern peaks of the Kā Tiritiri-o-te-moana/the Southern Alps, coastal lowlands, and the Catlins hill country.

Ōtākou, in particular Central Otago, has some of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s highest and lowest temperatures, as well as its lowest rainfall. As an elevated region, relatively distant from the ocean, Central Otago has a more continental climate than any other area of the country.

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