Development
Omarino residential subdivision (Originally Bentzen Farms Russell)
Ecoland Ltd was invited to present Bentzen Farm with a Sustainable Land Management concept plan using generational planning and landscape design that enabled the current farming activity to transform to one that was more sustainable. The design concentrated on the 150ha coastal portion of Bentzen Farm of which is now the Omarino Residential Subdivision.
The Eco-land Sustainable landscape design was implemented 2003 – 2006. Restorative and productive landscaping was carried out whilst maintaining a historic farming element. Plantings enveloped the land in keeping with the surrounding islands and general Coastal edge between Rawhiti to Russell.
Over 400 thousand native plants were either planted on contract by Eco-land or planted by farm employees supervised by Eco-land Ltd. The plants were used to revegatate steep non-accessible slopes and wetland edges. In addition further under-planting of existing (cattle browsed) kanuka canopy with native tree species was done.
Plants were supplied by a temporary nursery onsite at Bentzen Farm, constructed and supervised by Eco-land Ltd. Plants were also supplied from Eco-lands own nursery at Kaeo, Keri Keri Plant Production, Supreme Trees, Forest Floor, Te Hana Nurseries, Oratia Nurseries and several other smaller suppliers.
Farm employees under the supervision of Eco-land constructed 15km of new 8-wire fencing to insure livestock remained out of planted areas and water bodies. These fences were non intrusive and in harmony with the landscape. Pest control was also done enabling the first successful breeding of N.Z Brown Teal in many years.
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| Bentzen Farm 2003 | Bentzen Revege 2007 |
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| 2007 Bentzen Farm reveg & paddock | Bentzen Revege 2007 |
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Manuka Plants |
In 2005 local residents with concern to the forestry clearance operation and residential development bureaucratically delayed the project for several years. As a result earth works and storm water projects were halted in an incomplete state by the Council prior going into winter and the projects environmental foot print was dramatically increased.
Boffa Miskell was commissioned as Landscape Architects to get the project moving again. Lacking the understanding of “Sustainable Land Management” and wishing find the fastest resolve in the quickest possible manner they chose to remove all sustainable land management design elements with the exception to that of ecological enhancement. Effectively limiting the ability of future residents to be self-sufficient and energy efficient by reducing the ability to feed and warm one’s self from the land.
Boffa Miskell promoted the native planting of the full landmass excluding each individual house sites curtilage area. The historic picturess of the Bay of Islands being that of contrast between green hills, blue water and forest will continue to fade into the darkness of native forest.
If Boffa Miskell and the Councils had vision they would have assessed the landscape differently, they would have considered the existing Sustainable Land Management plans promotion of energy efficient development, self sufficiency, communal land sharing, generational resource creation, environmental protection and local community support and involvement.
Sadly Boffa Miskell has facilitated the development of yet another socially dependent, energy intensive and sterile environment. As a consequence to the difficulties experienced with the development and associated compounding costs the number of individual dwellings to be sited at Omarino has increased significantly.
I would complement the owners of this development for their patients, diligence and ability to complete this project to such a high standard regardless of the difficulties presented. It may not be the original dream of living in a sustainable landscape but I’m sure it will meet and exceed the residential market demands of today.
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Paroa Bay, Russell
Eco-land was invited to design plan and implement a sustainable land management plan, for the 64ha coastal property, that enabled a fast transition from conventional grazing to sustainable land use.
Storm water management was also a requirement as buildings were proposed in the lower reaches of the valley and flood had traditionally been a problem.
The owners chose to manage the property organically from the start and as a result the project implementation was carried out using organic methods. Luckily all the internal fences were in a bad state of repair. This enabled the total remodeling of paddocks and securing of planting zones. Fences were done in a manner that did not dominate the landscape. With the new fencing sheep were brought on and cattle numbers were reduced to a minimum. Paddocks were reseeded with clover and fertiliser was applied.
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| Before Revegetation | After Initial Planting |
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| 2008 Paroa Bay Revegetation and paddocks | 2008 Paroa Bay storm water retention pond |
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| 2008 Paroa Bay Reveg & exotic |
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The planting of 80,000 trees both native and exotic timber trees was a difficult task done organically on such scale. The Northern Regional Council declined an application to the Environmental Fund on the basis that revegetation could not be successful done organically in Kikuyu grass. Guess we proved them wrong!
Storm water control was initially given to Boffa Miskel to remedy. They proposed a single large dam and construction would have seen vast amounts of soil scrapped from the surrounding hillsides. The cost to design, gain consent and construct was significant. Instead a plan promoted by Eco-land was implement. A series of retention ponds were dug and low dam walls meant no consents were required. The hills were not disfigured the valley was not blocked by a high dam wall.
Due to other business commitments the clients ceased developing the property in its third year. They maintain it for about another 18 mths and then were forced to cash it in. The property was split into 4 titles and sold. The survey was not complementary of the land use plan. Sadly the value of 4 beachfront house sites and water access out weighed that of a sustainable unit.
The property is now worked as 4 different entities. Livestock management became unworkable and further planting of the productive green space has occurred.