Ngawha Innovation and Enterprise Park
The details
Ngawha Innovation and Enterprise Park is a development led by Far North Holdings Ltd, transforming a 240ha greenfield site near Ngawha, close to Kaikohe, into a centre for innovative business and processes. Of the total site, 60ha has been set aside to protect and enhance forests and wetlands.
We’ve been involved with the development from the very beginning, providing guidance to minimise exposure to potential contaminants and avoid negative impacts on the forest and wetland areas.
The challenge
Developing a large greenfield site while protecting a significant proportion of it for forest and wetland conservation meant understanding the site’s ecological and contamination risks from day one, rather than reacting to issues once construction was underway.
Our approach
We carried out a broad programme of environmental assessment and ongoing management, including:
- A HAIL assessment across the site, including remediation
- Assessment of Environmental Effects reporting
- Water quality baseline and freshwater fish survey
- Weed and pest management plans
- Restorative and landscape planting using seeds collected within the rohe
Our ongoing work has included collecting seeds from native species within the rohe for use in landscaping, helping build ecological linkages between the wetland and forest areas.
Outcomes
Our early and ongoing involvement has helped Far North Holdings develop the site while protecting and enhancing its forest and wetland areas, with restorative planting using locally-sourced seed helping reconnect habitat across the property.
