Community planting day at Half Mile Reserve
The Haehaeata Natural Heritage Trust began the second stage of planting at the Half Mile Recreation Reserve on 11 August with community planting day. The Trust has a five-year memorandum of understanding with the Central Otago District Council (CODC) to plant out the reserve and will start with the area above the state highway.
SHARED VISION
The Half Mile Recreation Reserve is located on the hillside above the SH8 entranceway into Alexandra from Roxburgh, approximately a half mile from the Alexandra Bridge. While there are differing views about the future of the reserveContinue reading
Community planting day at Half Mile Reserve
The Haehaeata Natural Heritage Trust began the second stage of planting at the Half Mile Recreation Reserve on 11 August with community planting day.
The Trust has a five-year memorandum of understanding with the Central Otago District Council (CODC) to plant out the reserve and will start with the area above the state highway.
SHARED VISION
The Half Mile Recreation Reserve is located on the hillside above the SH8 entranceway into Alexandra from Roxburgh, approximately a half mile from the Alexandra Bridge. While there are differing views about the future of the reserve, everyone agrees that this space should continue to be a valuable resource for the community to enjoy.
The vision is that the Half Mile be restored as much as possible to its original state, free of wilding conifers, but also enhanced so that it can be enjoyed by our current community, our children and their children. Maintained walking paths and scenic outlooks ensure that it attracts a wide variety of users to experience the rugged, sunny, Central Otago landscape. At night it will be a place where dark sky enthusiasts gather to watch the Aurora Australis that streams across our skies in the winter months.
This project is supported by Central Otago District Council, Otago Regional Council, Department of Conservation, Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group, and funded by the Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Programme. The community is invited to be involved in the next steps of this project to build this vision together.
THE PLAN
The April 2023 developed design of the restoration plan was presented for approval to the Vincent Community Board on 2 May. Vincent Community Board met and adopted a concept restoration plan for Half Mile Reserve, with a resolution to receive community feedback to identify varieties of shade trees that will suit the area to be included in the 2024-2034 Long-Term Plan.
The proposed planting zones will restore the reserve back to an authentic Central Otago landscape that:
- improves the indigenous biodiversity of the site over time
- showcases the views, rocky tors and archaeological features at the site
- provides open spaces and maintained walking paths for all to enjoy
- includes hardy native plantings as well as exotics for shelter and plant and animal biodiversity
The restoration plan was approved up to $180,000 to be included in the 2024-2034 Long-term Plan. With Council deciding to delay CODC's long term plan the Community board have elected to include the year one part of this fund in the annual plan, to keep this project moving forward.
Proposed Planting Zones
The red marks indicate proposed planting areas in the Half Mile Reserve, subject to survey and confirmation. Haehaeata Trust will manage the planting over the next five years. Contractors have prepared the state highway side of the Half mile for the first part of the planting, which will begin on Sunday 9 June, from 1pm-4pm.
