Ambassadors

Ken Haywood - King Country

Ken and Rebecca Haywood farm a 440ha dry stock property at Piopio, west of Te Kuiti. 270ha is in grass. There is a small area of pines and an extensive area of native bush and QEII National Trust blocks. Ken and Rebecca previously had a property subject to extensive land movement where poplars and willows were integral in stabilising the land. On their present property they are targeting the more vulnerable areas first, including the provision of shade for stock. He says understanding why the land is moving, planting the poles in the right place and the ongoing management required is important for successful and attractive plantings.

Ken is happy to talk to farmers about the benefits of planting poles.

Telephone: 027-276 8540
Email:

Tom Mandeno - Raglan District

Tom and Anna run sheep and beef farm, Far Fields, at Waikaretu, north of Raglan. They are passionate about the many benefits delivered by poplars and willows on the 670ha coastal hill country property, which is not an easy environment for tree planting. Three blocks of native bush are protected with QEII covenants. Tom is a founding trustee of the Poplar and Willow Research Trust, hosts a poplar trial on the farm, and served as a member of the Waikato Regional Council West Coast Catchments Committee.

Tom is available for talking to farmers on a one to one basis, showing farmers his property and undertaking speaking engagements.

Telephone: 09-233 3160
Email:

Brent Mountfort

Puriri Farm is located at Matata, Bay of Plenty. It is a traditional sheep and beef farm finishing up to 90% of what is bred on farm. On the 267ha property (157ha effective) Brent has 28.2ha in QEII covenant and 31ha in pine on its 2nd rotation. The balance is regenerating bush and wetlands largely protected through an environmental plan with the BOP Regional Council. In addition, poplar and willow trees have been planted to help with erosion and provide shade and shelter. They are past supreme winners of the BOP Environment Awards.

Brent is happy to talk to others who may be interested in assessing the value of planting poplars and willows on their property. He is also happy to show people over the farm.

Telephone: 07-322 2040
Email:

Philip Holt - Napier

Maraetara is located on the coastal hills north west of Napier city. The Holts have four generations of the family living on the farm. Maraetara originally had very few trees but Philip has been a passionate tree planter for forty years and now realises how important it is to plant the right tree in the right place for the right reason. Poplars and willows have multiple benefits, although a wide range of other species have also been planted. In addition, the farm has a large open space QEII covenant plus two other separate QEII covenants. Their land stewardship helped them to become the supreme winner of the 2017 East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Philip is happy to talk and/or show examples of their plantings.

Email:

James Hunter - Central Hawke’s Bay district

James farms Rangitoto, 660 hectares of coastal hill country north of Porangahau. Notable farm features are extensive poplar and willow plantings, the work of three generations as lessons of past slipping and slumping of unstable clay soils have been absorbed. Carbon positive is the theme with significant areas of these plantings in the PFSI and ETS systems. Additionally, there are 51ha of regenerating natives and wetlands in QEII covenants, and 32ha of pine forestry. James was Hawke’s Bay Farm Forester of the Year in 2004 and supreme winner of East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards in 2012.

James is happy to discuss pros and cons of planting poplars and willows and to speak at events.

Telephone: 022-671 9275
Email:

Ash Rodie - Manawatū

Ash is a commercial beekeeper in the Manawatū and has beehives on many different farms throughout the Manawatū and Wanganui areas. Willows in New Zealand are a great source of nectar and pollen for hive development in the early spring. Where appropriate Ash encourages farmers owning land where he sites his hives to plant willows. Before beekeeping Ash was dairy farming for eight years and he also has experience with sheep and beef on hill country stations.

Ash is happy to speak to farmers and beekeepers about what has worked for him – available by email initially please.

Email:

Shane Carroll - Ashhurst district

Shane and his wife Nicola have farmed Westview, a 1600ha equity partnership in the Pohangina Valley, for 34 years. They also farm two other equity partnerships and have had two forestry equity partnerships. They are committed to farming sustainably and trees have always played a big part in this. Westview has 25% of its land area in native/production forestry of various species, plus planting at least 200 poplar or willow poles a year for the past 30 years to protect against erosion while still supporting grazing. One of the dairy run offs has two small QEII blocks. Westview was the winner of the 2016 Horizons Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Shane can be available for occasional field days or just one on one advice or farm visits.

Telephone: 06-329 4822
Email:

Guy Williams - Masterton

Guy and Kim Williams farm Te Parae, a 650ha property 15km east of Masterton. They plant 250 to 300 poles a year plus 1000 to 2000 native trees. Poplars and willows are used for stability in the hills, shade for stock and feed for stock in dry years (summer dry, winter wet). They also have 12ha of eucalyptus trees as part of a New Zealand trial and 10ha of native bush.

Guy would be welcome to talk to people one on one, speak at the occasional field day or show people around Te Parae.

Telephone: 06-372 2822
Email:

Neil Cullen - Catlins

Neil has had experience with growing poplars for many years, firstly on a farm at Lovells Flat, planting on a low lying flat, poplar poles at 10m by 9m spacing. These trees, now 31 years old, have a DBH of more than 60cm and have excellent form. Subsequently, poplars are being used on the family’s farm in the Catlins area, where they play an important role in providing shelter and in riparian planting. This 650ha property also has 130ha of indigenous and 155ha of exotic plantings. Neil is a former President of NZFFA.

Telephone: 027-415 8416
Email: