The goal is to achieve sufficient plant density within Izone to also support a thriving bird and invertebrate population
9 March 09
Izone is New Zealand's largest ecologically sustainable industrial development, according to Lincoln University's Professor Ian Spellerberg.
"I came across Izone in the course of researching my next book and was really struck by what's being created from a social, environmental and ecological perspective. With less than 0.5 percent of vegetation remaining in Canterbury being native to the area, this development is nationally significant in terms of restoring our natural heritage."
Professor Ian Spellerberg (wearing tie) and Izone chair Jens Christenson hold one of 50,000 native plant seedlings being planted at Izone near Rolleston.
Owned by Selwyn District Council, Izone has been designed to mitigate the loss of a large area of rural open space to industrial use by establishing a landscape with multiple benefits to the district. For example it features large public reserve areas and interlinked accessways which facilitate pedestrian access throughout the site and double as jogging routes.
Landscape architect, John Marsh, has also specified species native to Canterbury's dry plains ecosystem in order to establish ecological corridors throughout the site. In the latest stages being developed, business owners must create a three-metre wide strip of native planting along their building frontage to the road. He estimates that by the end of 2009 Izone will have introduced around 50,000 native plants.
"The goal is to achieve sufficient plant density within Izone to also support a thriving bird and invertebrate population," says John Marsh. "It's pleasing to see the early plantings are now well established, creating virtually a complete ground cover and microclimate for new seedlings to germinate in and add to the biodiversity."
Thanks to Professor Spellerberg's interest in the development, Izone has recently become a key element of the Te Ara Kakariki Canterbury Greenway Project, a large-scale community initiative that aims to connect and expand the region's last remaining native plant communities. Its long-term vision is to make connections between Banks Peninsula and the Southern Alps along rivers, through farmland and in urban and reserve areas.
"It's possible to bring back native plants at many levels, from small plantings in local gardens to substituting the use of heritage plants in shelterbelts and along roadsides," says Professor Spellerberg. "Once established, greenways support native wildlife such as tui and kakariki to move freely between the previously isolated pockets of suitable vegetation that they need for food, shelter and nesting."
While greenways are common in many countries, Te Ara Kakariki was only established in 2006. Its potential scope covers nearly 650,000 hectares and is understood to be the largest project fostering the voluntary use of native plants and wildlife on public and private land in New Zealand.
NOTE:
The Te Ara Kakariki Greenways project is the largest project fostering the voluntary use of native plants on public and private land in New Zealand. Izone, one of the country's largest industrial developments, was recently incorporated into Te Ara Kakariki's vision of re-connecting native plant communities between Banks Peninsula and the Southern Alps.