Story

Case study: Restoring erosion-prone land with purpose, perspiration and partnership

Woman with seedlings and planting equipment on hilly farmland.

Antoinette Le Vaillant planting manuka and kanuka.


Antoinette Le Vaillant is living proof of the difference one determined person can make.

Since she and her partner Darren moved into their 20 hectare Oakura property in 2021, Antoinette has almost single-handedly planted 7,200 manuka and kanuka, after painstakingly transplanting 4,000 of the young trees from a neighbour’s driveway.

As soon as the pair arrived, Antoinette knew what she wanted to do.

“There was a lot of erosion, and the grass growth wasn’t great. It just looked quite neglected, and I wanted to return it to bush and restore the whenua,” she says.

A self-confessed novice at rehabilitating erosion-prone land, Antoinette began to research the costs of weed control, trees, tools, and planting. She saw an advert for Northland Regional Council’s Hill Country Erosion Fund, and buddied up with a like-minded neighbour to put in a joint application.

“My neighbour wanted to plant their place too, so we could have a larger bush area. Doing the application jointly made it more attractive for the council, as did the fact that the back of our place is at high risk of slips,” Antoinette says.

Working with Land Management Advisor Holly Chappell, Antoinette calculated that council funding would cover about half of the costs. The first step was a $9,400 grant for a kilometre of fencing to keep stock out of the proposed planting areas.

While partner Darren installed the fencing, Antoinette set about getting the trees she needed once her application for a $14,400 planting grant had been approved.

“I wanted to grow the trees myself,” says Antoinette. “It takes about a year to get trees grown from seed ready to plant out, and I was three months short when the grant was approved, so I got a head start by collecting seedlings growing in my friend’s driveway. It was hard work – even with friends chipping in to help, it took months. To ensure the young trees survived, I worked out a system of taking a clump of soil to avoid damaging the tap root, and soaking it in water before transplanting.”

Antoinette obtained over 4,000 trees that way, and bought the remaining 3,500 from a nursery – half kanuka, and half manuka.

“I started planting in the second week of May, as soon as the ground had softened up enough. My partner and friends helped me plant about 250 trees, and the rest I did myself.”

Devoting her weekends to the project, Antoinette planted about 500 trees each week.

“A professional could do it more quickly, but the trees they plant are smaller. The ones I grew were bigger and they take longer to plant because you can’t carry as many and you need to dig a bigger hole. But the bigger trees are thriving – they’re hip-height already.”

Antoinette says the support from Northland Regional Council has been vital not only financially, but in keeping the project on track.

“It’s made the project happen. I don’t think we’d have achieved what we did within that timeframe – or at all – without the set deadlines, structure, information, and financial support. They’ve been great – really accommodating and friendly.”

Despite the hard work involved, Antoinette is keen to continue progress towards her vision for returning the land to nature.

“Planting is rather addictive! It’s rewarding seeing the trees come up and heal the land of the damage that’s been done in the past. I’m applying for the same amount to plant another three hectares this coming year.”

If you would like more information about council funding for fencing and planting hill country, please contact the Land Management team on 0800 002 004 or [email protected]

Manuka and kanuka seedlings in a nursery.

Antoinette’s nursery.

Aerial view of planted farmland.

The area being planted.