Orion donates trees to Lincoln's Mahoe Reserve

Central Canterbury electricity network Orion trims more than 20,000 trees a year throughout the region in efforts to keep trees clear of power lines, and often needs to remove trees and vegetation near lines to help keep the community safe. So when an opportunity came recently to help restore a significant local reserve with fresh plantings, Orion's vegetation manager Tim Pow didn't hesitate to contribute.

“We’ve donated $300 worth of plants to Mahoe Reserve at Lincoln – this is a great way that we can give back to our community some of what we remove every day,” Tim says.

“At Orion we’re always working to minimise our impacts on the environment, and so we’re really pleased to be involved with the regeneration of Mahoe Reserve which is such an important community project,” he adds.

A planting day was held at Mahoe Reserve on Sunday 2 May, with about 300 plants added to the many varieties already growing at the reserve. Dr Sue Jarvis, from the Lincoln Envirotown Trust which helps to manage the reserve, says about $1,500 is spent on plants for the reserve each year. More than 4,000 native trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted there since 2003 when planting began.

Sue adds that Mahoe Reserve depends on community participation to survive and grow.

“It’s great that Orion supports our reserve. Community involvement is what is transforming an old shingle pit/illegal rubbish dump into a native plant reserve that’s treasured and valued by the whole community,” she says.

Mahoe Reserve is situated next to Orion’s substation at Lincoln, where a high voltage power line runs adjacent to the fence. Some of the trees donated by Orion will be planted along this fence line, with the species carefully chosen to ensure they won’t grow too close to the line.

“Not only are they dangerous, but trees touching lines are an ongoing cause of power line failure on the Orion network,” Tim says. “We work alongside property owners, contractors, designers and local authorities throughout our region to help them keep their trees clear of power lines and keep our community safe.”

Orion also educates landowners on planting distances near power lines and the right varieties of vegetation to plant, however landowners themselves are responsible for keeping their trees clear of power lines – find out more information about property owners’ tree responsibilities on the Orion website oriongroup.co.nz.

For more information about Mahoe Reserve, visit their website: http://www.lincolnenvirotown.org.nz/Mahoe_Reserve/Home.html