Let’s love our scrub
I feel it is a bit sad when the Department Of Conservation describes native coastal vegetation as ‘‘scrub’’ (Letters January 27) . Surely this is an attempt to minimise the scale of the illegal vegetation clearance at Penzance Bay. The term scrub has historically been used to denigrate native forest in order to be able to clear fell it for farming. Scrub, stunted, scrawny, worthless — clear it.
Ironically, a scrub tree has become exceptionally valuable as the source of the manuka honey industry.
The native coastal regeneration forest at Penzance Bay was varied and at one stage provided habitat for little blue penguins, and no doubt was a valuable habitat for many vertebrates and invertebrates.
All this habitat and accompanying niches cruelly demolished at the blade of a small digger.
As diseases such as kauri dieback fungi and myrtle rust decimate our native forests, perhaps well funded research may find the disease resistant solutions in ‘‘scrub’’. So let us love scrub and honour its place in the forest.
And no, DOC, there has been no replanting of native vegetation at Penance Bay. While the depart- ment may have required it, this requirement has been ignored. The lawn is still being mowed. Penguins don’t like lawns, they love scrub.
JUNE HARNEY
Christchurch, February 12.