Wilding pine eradication

This is the sort of country I spent the day on at Flock Hill station, 100km's inland from Christchurch.

It's a spectacular place. I've been onto the station before but never to this part. It took nearly 45mins 4WD from highway 73 to get to here.

I have no idea now many pine trees I removed. Some were smack with back of an axe head then pull out. Others needed industrial strength loppers followed by an axe (or saw, or chainsaw).

I had loppers and an axe. Mostly I worked with another guy, occasionally with 2 others.

64 people took part. Most like me were volunteers from various tramping and 4WD clubs. There were 8 of us from my tramping club but I was the lone woman from our club. The boys were good value and I gave as good as I got ;-) They were great company.

Chemical ring barking is possible but expensive. Without intervention large tracts of our natural landscape will continue to be overrun by pines growing from wind carried seed.

The chemical option is improving but remains expensive. In these tough times with shrinking budgets volunteer days like this will continue. We've covered some ground today and saved DOC and Environment Canterbury around $10,000-$15,000.

What a huge day. Good hard labour in the Canterbury high country. You can't beat it.