Establishing Waipori Memorial Bush Reserve - ideas

Thanks goldy. I have just returned from down in Mahinerangi/Waipori. We have a rather daunting task as there is a major gorse issue. Although landcorp have sprayed there are the seeds taking root. It could look stunning if we can get it right. but a LOT of work. Be great to see the old native trees coming back again. Black Beech, kana, olaria, tussock, flax and cabbage trees are the natives of the area.

As part of an event next Easter, we have been gifted the use of a bit of land below a cemetery on the hill overlooking Lake Mahinerangi where the old town of Waipori lies under the lake. We hope to establish a Bush Reserve where some old macrocarpas have been removed as they were old, tall and threatening the graves in the lower part of cemetery.
So I am hoping to get ideas on how to protect new plantings from rabbits, drought, wet, cold and lots of wind, as we get all weathers in this place!
We have a nursery person who has worked in the area and she has been growing on some seed that has been gathered in the area such as mountain beech and olaria, also some kowhai that is local. I want to make sure it has a good start and wonder about mulching now? I would appreciate your assistance with ideas.

Use rabbit repellant around all trees, ( eggs, acrylic paint and water) mixed strained to remove anything which will block the spray nozzle.
Use this mixture, in multiples
6 eggs, 60mls acrylic paint, 600mls of water.
We get reject eggs from a poultry farm near here at no charge this works a treat and can be sprayed right up to and onto the trunks of the trees but be careful not to cover new buds and leaves, good luck with your project, we have a block gong well, over five acres of it.

The new plantings around reserve margins here near Wellington, in rabbit prone areas seem to have a planting sleeve around them done at planting, I think they may called combi guards. Anyway I googled 'native planting sleeve' and got quite a few hits of the sleeve that I was meaning. They are about 300mm tall are recyclable

When you Google have a look at the ideas from Kapiti Coast District Council on revegetating.

Thank you shanreagh (once again) and Annie3. I have never heard of such a deterrent before - very interesting. The rabbit problem is considerable so we shall be doing everything possible to protect the trees.
Any other types of trees or shrubs can people recommend?

Hi Devine going on my experience setting up a new property in Rolleston, you will need sleeves ( I used the green ones and cane sticks to keep them on) or netting wire hoops. Rabbit deterrent is also essential . You can get these from Southern woods Main south Road. As there is no one in the area to look after these would work better than something that needs doing regular. If someone could water every now and then, a bit of black nova hose down to roots so that you can tip water down. Some sort of mulch, newspaper then stones are good if nothing else. A good spade as that land will be hard as rocks. Frost hardy plants would be good. Flaxes, tussock type grasses. Southern rata maybe, look around the district and see what grows there. Good luck