Native Plantings Investing In City’s Future

Dunedin (13 September) - The Dunedin Amenities Society, in conjunction with the Dunedin City Council, is undertaking further native tree planting at the Craigieburn Reserve in Tanner Road, on 20 September 2007.

Craigieburn Reserve is a joint project between the Society and the Dunedin City Council that has been operating since 1949. The property goes back to the 1860’s when the Sherriff family imposed a ban on the logging of some of the significant native forest on the property. The property was purchased by the Dunedin Amenities Society and the Dunedin City Council in 1949 and is now controlled by a deed of trust that seeks to ensure the land is replanted in native trees and utilised for environmental education.

The project has gone through various phases of activity over its 58 year operation, but significant progress has been made on planting, weed eradication and, latterly, grazing retirement. Planting in recent years has been undertaken by volunteers and students from the Otago Polytechnic as part of their horticultural training.

The Society have recently sought Council approval to sell a portion of the Craigieburn block not used in the project to assist in raising funds to improve and expand the forest restoration project. The proposal includes an interpretative walk, interactive science activities and an acceleration of the planting programme to create a significant forest habitat. The sale of the property and the development proposal is due for public consultation in the near future.

The 119 year old Dunedin Amenities Society is one of New Zealand’s oldest environmental groups and has been active in many important projects in Dunedin. The Society hopes that Craigieburn will be a significant ecological and educational asset to the city, which provides an important site for people to engage with the natural and historical environment.