Councillors will consider options for some native planting on the district’s rural road reserves.

There are strict rules about planting on road reserves, but the Ashburton District Biodiversity Advisory Group asked Council recently to consider if some plantings could be allowed for biodiversity reasons.

Council staff will now prepare an issues and options report, which will go back before Councillors for discussion and a decision.

Council Group Manager of Infrastructure and Open Spaces Neil McCann said there were a lot of things to consider about rural roadside planting, including road safety, Council’s need for access to maintain its roads and drainage, existing services, and what happens when a property changes hands.

“The report will cover those things, and any concerns raised by our roading and Open Spaces teams, as well as benefits that roadside planting could have for the environment.”

At its meeting last month, the biodiversity group heard from Mel Brooks, chief executive of MHV Water, who proposed that some low native plantings on wide road reserves might be appropriate and boost ecological values across the district.

She said MHV Water was not just an irrigation company, and had experience in planting to improve biodiversity, and ran programmes for its 206 farmers to help them with their environmental footprint.

“We are not road safety experts but biodiversity comes in all shapes and sizes and roadside planting could allow for some positive outcomes for the whole district.”

The biodiversity advisory group recommended Council consider options for native planting on rural road reserves using appropriate plants with a maximum height of less than 1.5 metres.