Tree planting day a great success in Arrowtown

Perfect weather on Saturday saw about 200 locals of all ages from the Arrowtown community planting trees and clearing scrub on Feehly Hill, a prominent landmark that overlooks Arrowtown.

A joint effort between the Arrowtown School, Wakatipu Reforestation Trust and the local community resulted in hundreds of native trees being planted.

Feehly Hill rises steeply behind the Cemetery and War Memorial and offers superb views of the town and surrounding basin.

“It’s an amazing place to observe the spectacular autumn colours of Arrowtown from” says local organiser and Arrowtown Village Association committee member Erik Bradshaw. “The hill is an incredible asset that in recent years has suffered from neglect and invasion of pest species such as wilding pines and broom.”

Over 75 children from the junior classes at Arrowtown School were involved with the planting. They had been caring for the native plants over the last two weeks, learning about how to look after and plant the trees.

“It’s great to get the kids involved in a project that will be part of their heritage as they grow older” says Arrowtown School teacher Nicole Fawcett. “To think when the kids return as adults they can climb the hill, walking through a native forest and realise they helped create this is very inspiring”.

The hill has a steep track climbing from the Arrowtown township but there are plans to establish an easier route that is suited to people of all ages and abilities. “I have been battling through a lot of spikey and unpleasant plants such as hawthorn, rosehip, blackberry and barberry. It is a painful task but I’m confident a good track will result from these efforts” says Bradshaw. “The hill should be the iconic, must do walk in Arrowtown, all it needs is an easier way to the top” he says.

The project is supported by the Arrowtown Village Association using funds set aside as part of a settlement from private property development on the western side of the hill.

ENDS

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