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Sphagnum Moss grows naturally in the
swamplands of the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand.
The annual rainfall in this area is 300 inches with a temperate
climate - the ideal growing conditions for our variety of
moss - Sphagnum Cristatum.
Sphagnum Moss grows in a dense mat to
a length of about two feet. When harvesting, only the moss
above the water level is taken, so the plant can continue
to grow and be harvested again in three to five years. The
heavy bags of wet moss are lifted out of the swamp by helicopter,
thus eliminating any environmental damage to the swamp.
With most swamps being on Department
of Conversation land, the moss resource is well managed.
Permits to harvest are required and DOC staff oversee
harvesting operations.
This is a unique feature of the New
Zealand moss industry where private enterprise and a Government
agency (DOC) work together to ensure that the moss supply
remains a sustainable renewable resource for the benefit
of the environment and industry.
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