The transformation over 18 years
The southern slopes
The southern slopes of Selwyn Bush are another area that we have done extensive regeneration on the bush. This is an area that faces the hot sun to the north in the summer so plants do take longer to thrive than the northern slopes that face south. Much of the slope areas also have degraded land and drainage due to much of the ground on the upper part of the slopes being bulldozed clay from when they originally flattened out the land for the school buildings and playing fields. This has also led to fairly unstable land as shown by the slips in 2023 and as a result planting large trees is vital to try to stabilise the slopes.
To view the progress we have made so far please click on the centre of the slider to scroll back and forth as shown below. Click on the top right of the image to go to full screen.
Above, view from the Doug Bates track looking up the slope towards the playing fields. We used to call this slope 'The Banana Slope' due to a couple of large banana palms growing on it - see below. These have been removed and we now call this 'The Flame Tree Slope' due to a large flame tree on it. Flame Trees are not natives but this tree has a very large root structure which is handy in the mid term for holding up the bank until the natives trees take over. The Tuis also love the flowers!
View from the top of the north slope looking north down the 'Pipeline track'. As you can see dominated by the two large banana palms and in the background there was an avenue of pampas that by this stage we had reduced down.
Now we have a canopy of native trees gradually reducing the open area and as such suppressing the weeds.
View from the top of the north slope looking west. As you can see this was fairly barren of native trees. This now has a range of native trees from kowhai to cabbage trees.