Urban
What’s growing around the CRL?
City Rail Link is unlocking Auckland’s entire rail network by building 3.45km of new underground rail tunnels, two new stations, two redeveloped stations, three new bridges and numerous improved public spaces.
As part of our work, we’re also greening around train stations and creating four new green spaces on public land with 393 trees and over 4000 native plants.
With streetscape rejuvenation around stations underway this year and next and four new inner-city planting areas agreed to, we are excited to be moving to the final stages of the project’s public realm work.
In 2019, we planted 36 native trees in Albert Street, at Te Komititanga and around Waitematā Station (Britomart) as part of early works and have returned these areas to the public. Starting this year until the end of the project, we’re planting an additional 357 trees and 4,000 plants around Maungawhau, Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu stations, and at Britomart Place, as well as in four Auckland Council-owned spaces in inner-city Auckland.
What are we planting?
• Some 18 native tree species are being planted as part of the ngahere including pōhutukawa, totara, pūriri, kahikatea, mapou and māhoe, together with numerous native shrubs and groundcover plants.
• Trees, plants and planting areas have been chosen to create new habitat for wildlife and help to provide ecological corridors. We’re planting a wide variety of native species that reflect the trees and plants that traditionally exist in each area. This means they’ll be suited to local conditions and are more likely to thrive.
• All species and locations were chosen together with mana whenua and Auckland Council. Most species are eco-sourced which means they’ve been propagated from the local wild population from within Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Why are we planting?
• We know that trees and plants are important to local community. They have a myriad of environmental, cultural, wellbeing and aesthetic benefits.
• A number of trees were removed so that we could construct two new train stations, majorly reconstruct two train stations and build the tunnels underneath Albert Street and lower Queen Street.
• While we worked hard to minimise tree removals, some 206 native and exotic trees and shrubs were taken out of our construction zones. Where possible they were replanted in other areas in Auckland or offered to mana whenua and local craftspeople.
• Trees are being planted by the project at a ratio of almost 2:1 and there will also be significant additional greening through new shrubs and groundcover plants. Overall, there will be a net gain in tree canopy coverage created by the project once trees have matured.
Where will planting happen?
• Some 78 trees and almost 4,000 understory plants are being planted around CRL stations and surrounding streets.
• The team has been busy building tree pits and installing planting areas around CRL stations. These will allow trees and plants to grow bigger and healthier.
• The number of trees being replanted around stations is less than what was removed because of the space that the new underground station boxes and tunnels occupy. This is why we’ve chosen the four additional planting