Prisoners roll up sleeves for Te Hoiere Project

Thousands of plants now in the ground as part of Te Hoiere Project have originated from Rolleston Prison near Christchurch.

The Corrections Facility houses lower-security prisoners and the nursery, established in 2000 as a horticultural training nursery, is one of several initiatives on site to upskill prisoners and provide employment.

Te Hoiere Project Catchment Care Co-ordinator Aubrey Tai said there was a Rolleston plant in nearly every part of the catchment.

“Over the past three years, plants from Rolleston had gone on to 17 properties in Te Hoiere catchment. They have really been instrumental in supporting the project and we appreciate everything those involved have done. It is a great fit for us,” Aubrey said. “The plants Rolleston supplied have also been eco-sourced locally.”

Rolleston Prison Corrections staff Wayne McDonald and Christine Franks visited the catchment late last year to see the prisoners’ handiwork firsthand. This included Havelock Causeway/Motuweka which now has 48,300 plants planted over the last two and a half years, with Rolleston providing around 10 per cent, primarily flax and carex.

Aubrey said it was great to host Wayne and Christine and show them some of the sites that have benefited from plants from the Rolleston nursery, and have them meet some of the landowners involved with the project.

The relationship between Te Hoiere Project and Rolleston Prison’s nursery began in 2021 although the nursery has been working with Council since 2018 to supply plants for other projects around the district including combatting hillside erosion.

Wayne, who is Principal Instructor for Rolleston Horticulture, said the facility currently had 18 workers who have the opportunity to achieve the NZ Certificate in Primary Industries Skills Horticulture (Level 2) and the NZ Certificate in Horticulture Nursery Production (Level 3).

“All our workers complete workplace health and safety unit standards along with workplace on the job training and they gain valuable life skills and work ethics. It’s been a pleasure supplying the Te Hoiere Project with plants and the prisoners have been greatly encouraged seeing photos of the plantings,” Wayne said.