Latest News
Newsletter No. 7 September 2025
Posted on September 04, 2025
Hope everyone has had a successful planting season. Winter has bought us a mixed bag, starting with warmer than normal conditions in June - August, with some regions getting more of their fair share of rainfall, including the storm events in Tasman. Th Continue reading
Newsletter No. 6 July 2025
Posted on July 09, 2025
It has been a bit of a soggy week in parts of New Zealand recently, and today is no exception. The ground in places is fairly sodden and with more rain, the ground becomes quite susceptible to slippage or earth flows. Look around for existing cracks in Continue reading
Newsletter No. 5 March 2025
Posted on March 21, 2025
Wow! 2025 seems to be racing along, as we head into autumn. Some parts of the country are starting to certainly feel the effects of the dry. While it might be hard to contemplate, this is a great time of year to think about your winter planting Continue reading
Newsletter No. 4 December 2024
Posted on December 19, 2024
The NZ Poplar Research Trust would like to wish all our readers the merriest of Christmases. The office will shut down from 20th December to 6th January, but feel free to leave a message/email and will get to it as soon as we can. For many in t Continue reading
Features
Factsheet 8: Is Cabbage Tree a Soil Conservation Species?
Cabbage trees dense root system helps stop soil erosion on steep slopes and because the tolerate wet soil, they are a useful species for planting along stream banks.
The NZ Farm Pole Planting Guide
A four-part guide to establishing your own pole nursery. Covers planning, management, and pests and diseases.
Poplars and willows as bioengineering solutions – learnings from Cyclone Gabrielle
Read the report from a survey of the bioengineering works (primarily mature willows and poplar trees) on the Tūtaekurī River within the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme and the Te Ārai River from Gisborne City water intake to its integration into the Waipoua Flood Protection Scheme, conducted 13 months after Cyclone Gabrielle.
Check out our new newsletters
Recently we started a new series of newsletters. Our focus is to get four newsletters out to you all that has a cross-section of information. We are always open to feedback, so let us know what you liked - what do you want to see more of or what you’d like to see less of. Enjoy the read.
Let's stop erosion!
Retaining fertile soil on the land is in the interests of all New Zealand. Without tree protection hills fall apart in severe rain storms. Poplars and willows planted for erosion reduction stabilise our pastoral hill country, increase water storage, reduce sediment transfer, improve water quality, benefit stock and enhance the farm environment.
There are poplars and willows to suit each region and location.
Working in close association with regional authorities and industry partners, NZPWRT develops adaptable planting materials (poplar & willow), provides technical support and promotional information to assist landowners to reduce soil erosion, lower sediment transfer off farm, and improve water quality.