Project Parore moves to bigger base ahead of funding end

Katikati environmental restoration group Project Parore has shifted to a new one-hectare site at 48 Church Street, after outgrowing its previous 0.2-hectare space on Mulgan Street. The new base, officially opened on 26 November, provides more room for the group's nursery, office and equipment, with over 200,000 plants on-site at various growth stages and more than 100,000 planted annually across the northern Tauranga Harbour.

A key feature of the new site is an automated tray-filling machine, which allows the crew to pot plants into reusable trays far more efficiently than handling individual pots. In just two and a half days, the team potted nearly 60,000 plants using the machine — a significant leap in productivity. A new post-and-wire system also raises trays off the ground to improve airflow and support healthier root development.

The move comes as Project Parore looks to secure its future beyond its five-year Jobs for Nature funding, which concludes in June 2026. General manager Brodie Davis said the group had recently won a commercial contract through a tender process at Te Mata wetland in Waihi Beach, and would need more such contracts going forward. The operations team has grown from three staff in 2021 to nine full-time and six seasonal workers. Anyone considering planting native trees or retiring marginal land is encouraged to get in touch, as the group is already booking jobs for next season.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).