Transforming a weed-infested riverside into a forested paradise has been a labour of love for Ross Hawthorne.
The semi-retired meatworker, aged 69, has almost finished planting out 700m of the Ashburton/Hakatere River Trail, between Chalmers Ave and Trevors Rd.
Now he is looking for someone to hand the baton to.
That ‘‘someone’’ would continue the incredible work Hawthorne has done, but along a neighbouring stretch, from Chalmers Ave to the State Highway 1 bridge.
‘‘Probably a nutcase,’’ Hawthorne said when asked who that someone might be.
‘‘Well people thought I was a bit mad at the start,’’ he said.
Hawthorne began clearing weeds and planting along the section of walkway in 2022.
Living nearby and enjoying walking in the area, he had been motivated by the sight of weeds smothering native trees.
He began alone, but many volunteers, organisations and nurseries later came board, giving time, plants and donations.
They included his employer Anzco who provided seven workers for a day, and Ashburton Water Zone Committee granting about $11,000.
The project has included installing picnic tables and bench seats, enhancing the trail for its many walkers and cyclists.
Now Hawthorne has reached more than 8000 plants.
He believes he will have reached his goal of about 8500 by autumn next year, when the whole area will be covered with natives.
He said getting to the 8000th plant earlier this month, on a day when volunteers from Ashburton 1st BB helped out, had felt like a milestone.
‘‘I never envisaged it even getting this far. It’s well beyond anything I visualised, I’m quite rapt with it all,’’ he said.
He said he will be staying on board to maintain the area and keep weeds down.
Plants have included broadleaf, totara, comprosma, cabbage tree, flaxes, pittosporum, kowhai, hebes, lancewoods, ribbonwoods, beech trees, cottonwoods, wineberries, flax, manuka and native broom.
Once the trees and shrubs get higher, he expects they will attract native species such as kereru, tui and bellbirds, alongside many fantails already in the area.
– If you think you have what it takes to extend the forested area established by Ross Hawthorne, give him a call on 0284098185.
