Bid to preserve trial exotic tree plantation
A BANNOCKBURN couple have taken up the cause of an abandoned Ministry of Works botanical experiment in Central Otago.
Scientists John and Gillian McLaren are trying to find a way to ensure a small plantation of hardy exotic trees on the hills at Bendigo is retained, maintained and made use of.
The trees include many varieties of eucalypt and acacia (wattle) and other exotics such as saltbush and mountain mahogany.
The first were planted on the dry, exposed hillside by the ministry in 1972 as part of a trial to find trees that would survive the Central Otago climate.
Despite wind, snow, frost, rabbits, a lack of irrigation and years of neglect, many have thrived, although part of the trial plot was removed to make way for a vineyard.
Mrs McLaren said on Saturday she and her husband had tried to have the plantation protected with a QEII covenant, but without success.
The McLarens suspect the lack of interest is because the trees are exotic rather than native.
‘‘It’s just falling between the cracks at the moment but there is a very interesting collection of plants here,’’ Mrs McLaren said.
Mr McLaren said the trees were sourced from Australia, the United States and Europe and some would be the only examples in New Zealand.
‘‘It would be difficult to get a lot of this stuff back into the country now because of the biosecurity, which is understandable.
‘‘We need to propagate off them because some of them would be very suitable for shelter.’’
The ministry was also interested in the trees’ potential for erosion control, and the trial included plant species that could be useful for winterhardy animal feed.
The remains of the plantation are on the road to the old Bendigo goldmining area, and in their bright yellow spring colours contrast dramatically with the neighbouring areas of kanuka.
Mr McLaren said those involved in the experiment were now retired and there was noone to carry it on.
Mrs McLaren said there was fossil evidence to show eucalypts were a native of New Zealand 23 million years ago, although evidence of acacias from that time was yet to be found.