PM in the park
The Prime Minister has given the thumbs up to Feilding’s most historic park despite being doused in a healthy Manawatu rain storm.
Bill English officially opened the new boardwalk at Kitchener Park on Friday during a visit that also included Feilding High School and the town’s stock yards.
The 1-kilometre track allowed the Prime Minister to get closer than ever to some of Manawatu’s oldest and most valuable trees.
The redirected loop takes visitors on a 30-minute stroll past one of the tallest kowhai trees in New Zealand, an 800-year-old kahikatea and an abundance of other natives.
Despite getting drenched, English wasn’t letting the weather spoil the party.
‘‘It’s not officially a wetland park, but it looks like it’s going to be for the next week or two. A couple of cars are going to struggle to get off the grass.’’
He said dedicated and passionate people, such as curator Gavin Scott, played a vital role maintaining New Zealand’s history.
While Scott was absent, English paid tribute to his efforts.
‘‘It’s been years and years of hard work from our absent friend to build this boardwalk,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s what’s going to preserve our ecosystems.
‘‘Everyone wants to conserve, they just want the opportunity.’’
The native park also reminded English of reserves on the Southern Plains, near his hometown of Dipton.
‘‘When children walk here in 20 years time with their kids they’ll look back and appreciate the efforts you’ve all gone to.’’
Awahuri Forest Trust chairman Geoff Lovegrove said the park contained several kahikatea, totara, rimu, pukatea and kowhai trees, including until recently, New Zealand’s tallest kowhai.
There are also many rare species of fungi and insect life, which have been the subject of intensive study by scientists.
The forest has fallen victim to several floods over the years, and sustained major damage in 2004 and 2015.
Lovegrove said the Mangaone and Makino streams, which meet at the park, had caused issues including the introduction of the weed tradescantia, or wandering jew, which smothered any seedling development.
When the Feilding Freezing Works closed in 1994, Scott gathered a group of unemployed freezing workers to help him maintain the park.