120 | Hardy and healthy plants key A huge push in establishing infrastructure and nursery resources has been a focus of the last 15 years. Rural Design T T Sue Russell “Today we’ve scaled up through automation and investment in our team and their working environment and propagate hundreds of different species.” LANDSCAPING As a family owned and operated business, stretching back several generations, from its birth-place and current abode at Kaiwaka, Northland, Rural Design, has grown into one of New Zealand’s leading ecological advisory, native plant nursery and landscape management entities. Today, run by three sons of original founders Bill and Bev Worsfold, who established Rural Design with passionate environmentalist Dennis Scott, the company still represents the founding values of caring for the land, nurturing nature, supporting sustainable and appropriate environmental development and delivering the best possible outcomes to their customers. Heath Worsfold, along with brothers Blake and Eden lead the business, each taking care of specific elements of its operation. Heath, has his head in the future to a degree in his role as Business Development Manager, while Eden implements various strategies on the ground as Ops Manager, leaving Blake to oversee the general running of the day to day as the company’s General Manager. And as busy as the company is, its working footprint is equally impressive, scoping projects from Kerikeri all the way down to Waikato. Plants are supplied all over the North Island. Heath says a critical challenge in the sector is a massive skill shortage in the horticultural sector. He believes the industry is often overlooked yet is one full of potential for those with an interest in being part of creating meaningful long-term change that only brings positives to the environment and its people. A huge push in establishing infrastructure and nursery resources has been a focus of the last 15 years. Beginning in 2013 when an onfarm nursery was officially opened and about 50,000 native plants were successfully propagated, Rural Design soon garnered a reputation for growing hardy and healthy plants. As a result demand grew, resulting, in 2018 with new planting pads and shed established on site. “Today we’ve scaled up through automation and investment in our team and their working environment and propagate hundreds of different species. We supply commercial landscaping projects from boutique to large-scale.” The company sub-contracts to Auckland Council, undertaking remediation and development projects on its behalf. A full-time fencing crew are kept busily engaged. “Ecological remediation is a big focus for Council and we welcome it because it means we’re a part of creating really meaningful environmental change, restoring special land areas back to how they are supposed to be,” says Heath. “Both our Ecological and Field crew teams work directly with Council on environmental restoration and monitoring. Rural Design is also one of the main landscape contractors at the new Taraiti and Te Arai Links Golf Resort Developments that have occurred in their local town Mangawhai. The company has supplied indigenous dune plant species for this project since its inception 1314 years ago. Rural Design has several fulltime landscape teams that specialise in dunescape landscaping and ecological restoration with works ongoing. As a resultit grows a large number of specialist dune species in its plant nursery. The firm also employs three fulltime ecologists that are based at the Rural Design office. The work the ecology team is engaged with is now very diverse. The teams is led by Jack Warden the Ecology Manager and two ecologists Christine Evans and Kyle Sutherland. Past and recent work includes: Supporting WSP with Hochstetter Frog Relocation as part of remediation work on the Brynderwyns Detailed Ecological Survey Work and Reporting for development and subdivision in the Auckland and Northland Regions. Pest Plant Survellance And Native Threatened Plant Surveys for Auckland Council and Northland Regional Council. Peer Review of Ecological Surveying and Reporting for Northland Regional Council, Whangarei District Council and Kaipara District Council. Assisting the revegetation teams with correct methodologies for pest control, plant species selection, planting and ongoing maintenance. Rural Design are members of the New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated (NZPPI), a representative body for engagement in the political sector and for advancing shared interests of its members. The organisation along with Biosecurity New Zealand pioneered ‘Plant Pass’, a voluntary certification scheme for New Zealand plant producers that uphold good biosecurity practices and passes on assurances for plant quality to their customers. Heath describes Rural Design as a one-stopshop for customers seeking quality plants, quality advice backed up with hands-on expertise in design, development and ongoing management of landscaping projects. “We can plan and administer all parts of a landscaping vision and because we are a one-stop-shop, clients get seamless advice and support, efficiently and cost-effectively delivered.” MOTORCYCLES Proud to be associated with Rural Design Suppliers of quality plants to retailers and the landscape industry Proudly supporting Rural Design 0274 734 379 bakerboysnursery@xtra.co.nz 60 Stanners Road R.D.2, Kerikeri 0295
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