Moore's Bush

In 1945 Percy and Ellie Moore purchased four hectares along the upper Leith Stream for the purpose of native forest restoration - visionary thinking at the time. As a former dairy farm the property had been largely reduced to pasture with a number of the original podocarps still standing.

On Percy's death the property was passed to Forest and Bird in 1974 as a bequest. By then much of the area had been restored to young bush with the old rimu, miro, and other trees now back in a forest environment.

The Moores had been mentors to a young Forest and Bird committee member and fellow Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club member, Ken Mason, who took on subsequent management of the property under the intitial guidance of fellow committee members, the late Messrs J. Wallace Ramsay and Jock Tyson.

Dunedin Forest and Bird ecological restoration work initially focused on fencing and exotic removal. A considerable area of invasive sycamore was removed and planted in local natives. By 1985 the large macrocarpa shelter belts on the southern and western boundaries had been removed. With the western shelter belt gone, the bush received extra sunlight and flourished noticeably.

In the 1970's many of the big podocarps could not be easily seen from the tracks because of the density of young regeneration. Today the large trees are readily visible and once again part of a true forest structure.

In 1992 the Department of Conservation vested control of the adjoining two hectare scenic reserve in Forest and Bird. This has enabled more effective stockproofing of both properties as they form one unit of bush. In the same year the eastern boundary on the other side of Leith Valley Road was secured by means of a small land purchase. It was subsequently fenced.

Today the planting focus is on podocarp restoration and is largely being carried out by the Kiwi Conservation Club (KCC), Forest and Bird's junior section.

Young People
In 1990 the newly formed KCC (Dunedin Branch) started its ongoing association with Moore's Bush with a tree planting. Subsequently there have been campouts and other activities. Forest and Bird's Dunedin Teen Conservation (1996-2001) and the tertiary group Students for Environmental Action (SEA) have also worked on the property.

The Mini-Mainland Island
As a result of new poison bait technology a total animal control programme was in place by the end of 1996 on both Moore's Bush and the adjoining scenic reserve. As the combined six hectare area of bush has 95% of its boundaries either in farmland or formed road, animal reinvasion is restricted.

With the possum, rat, mouse and hedgehog numbers much reduced there has been a remarkable regrowth. For years rats and mice had been modifying the composition of the forest by eating both seeds and invertebrates. Judging by the recovery, fungi must have suffered as well. With a reduction in predator numbers more birds are noted. Today the forest is probably in the best condition of any in the greater Dunedin area. It is hoped that the results will encourage others to implement similar programmes.

The broadleaved podocarp forest contains emergent rimu, miro, totara, pokaka and some matai and mountain cedar. At 260 metres, mountain cedar appears to be at its lower limits while planted kahikatea are at their upper limit for the valley. Groves of lowland ribbonwood occur on the alluvial flats. Other species include tree fuschia, broadleaf, pepper tree, pate, three finger, cabbage tree, marbleleaf, mapou, tarata, kohuhu, korimiko, lancewood, kanuka, manuka, dracophyllum, seven species of coprosma, two species of tree fern, filmy ferns, supplejack, a tree daisy and mountain holly. Among the more unusual plantings are pink pine and celery pine from higher on Mt Cargill and some local silver beech. Bellbird, tui, fantail, grey warbler, yellow-breasted tomtit, New Zealand pigeon (kereru), shining cuckoo, brown creeper and the introduced eastern rosella occur on the property. Recently an unidentified kakariki has been noted and South Island robins have been seen nearby.

The Leith Stream and its forested banks, having been ungrazed since 1945, provide an excellent habitat for aquatic life and the generally declining freshwater crayfish. We are encouraging the non-take of crayfish on the property, as they do need a refuge. The property is rich in invertebrates and new species have been described from here.

Moore's Bush Restoration