February 2023 - The Harvest
The area of windblown pines had begun to resemble a giant game of pick-up sticks. With each passing storm, more trees toppled, and the damaged zone continued to expand. While the remaining timber was still commercially viable—and the ground finally dried out in late summer 2023—it became clear that the time had come to harvest the old pine plantation. Although the harvest was ultimately a forced decision, it created an unexpected opportunity: the chance to return the land to native bush. All proceeds from the harvest were reinvested directly into the project, helping to cover the costs of windrowing the slash, repairing fencing, developing the restoration plan, and purchasing seedlings for the first phase of planting.
April 2024 - Firewood
At the end of the harvest, a massive pile of log offcuts remained in the paddock. Turning this heap into usable firewood was a significant undertaking, requiring a sustained effort. The first step was to sort through the pile, separating and stacking the offcuts into manageable groups to make chainsaw work safer and more efficient.
Fortunately, helping hands were not in short supply.
Bud Law and his fantastic team from Little Ton Diggers generously donated a full day of work, disking and splitting the logs. With other residents and friends pitching in, the job progressed quickly. In total, approximately 160–180 cubic metres of firewood were processed and eventually sold to Dunedin households. The proceeds funded the second phase of planting in 2025.
September 2024
We began the first phase of the project in 2024. The initial planting area stretched across the upper edge of the rejuvenation area, running west to east. In total, 14 planting modules were completed—just under two acres. Considerable preparation work was required to make the site safe and accessible, allowing volunteers to move freely and enabling seedlings to be planted efficiently. Several planting days were organised, and we were fortunate to enjoy fine weather and beautiful views during
the lunch breaks. This first planting offered a clear sense of the effort required in the years ahead. The fantastic progress achieved in this initial phase would not have been possible without the generous help of friends, colleagues, and neighbours, all of whom contributed many hours of their time and energy.
September 2025
This year focused on the southwestern border of the project. A fence line was relocated earlier in the year to prevent stock access a waterway. This in effect enlarged the project area. Weed whacking the planting area was the first order of business. Again, friends and residents chipped to clear the area. A weedwhacker upgrade and investment in a larger blades paid dividends. The wet gully of the water course was planted with Tussocks and Cabbage trees. While dense forest areas surrounding the repelian zone were planted with Kanuka, Silver beach, Olearias, Lemmonwoods and ribbon wood.
