MEDIA RELEASE by the Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park Group

Birds eye vision for a native forest and wetland park in the Red Zone:

The Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park group have released a visual fly-through presentation to demonstrate their vision for a city to sea native forest park in Christchurch’s Avon River Red Zone.

The Vision centres around a low impact, low cost and high benefit solution which would be open and accessible to all. It incorporates sensitive recreation such as cycle and walking tracks, a high ropes course, horse riding, a camping area, and boat hire along the Avon River.

A multi-use visitor centre in re-used buildings at the old Avonside Girls High School site is also proposed. The Visitor Centre would incorporate bike and boat hire, a café, and also act as a function and education facility.

The Vision also includes community gardens with food growing and natural play and picnic areas. Additionally, the Group is working closely with the Waitākiri Sanctuary organisation to support their proposal to create a nature sanctuary which will help populate a red zone forest and wetland park with some of our more vulnerable native wildlife and bird species.

The group is also supportive of other low cost and low impact proposals such as the Mahinga Kai proposal and Riverside Heritage Park.

“Our vision isn’t just about creating native forest and wetlands, it’s about understanding the land and working with nature to create a recreational playground for the City. It will create a wonderful legacy for future generations, without being too heavy on the pocket for the current generation”, Landscape Architect and Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park spokesperson Mark Huxtable says,

“It’s a pragmatic and achievable solution for the Red Zone, which balances benefits for both our community and our blue and green ecosystems. The proposal can create enormous benefits for the future such as providing a buffer from flooding, cleaner air and water, CO2 removal and biodiversity as well as real mental and physical health benefits.

It will create a recreational connection to the New Brighton area as well as help in the regeneration of urban areas adjacent to this land” Huxtable says.

The Group's volunteers help maintain 10 areas of significant native vegetation, plant in two parks and run a monthly working bee at Horseshoe Lake Reserve with the support of the Christchurch City Council Rangers.

"With more resources, and the backing of Regenerate Christchurch and the Christchurch City Council, we could expand this to the entire Avon River Red Zone to create a forest and wetlands”, Huxtable says.

“It’s rewarding work, which builds a stronger community spirit and connects people doing something which is really positive for both the community and the environment” Huxtable adds.

The group has been in touch with Regenerate Christchurch to arrange a meeting to formally discuss their proposals. They are keen to meet shortly as it is understood that Regenerate Christchurch are holding talks with other interest groups.

“We are optimistic that we will be able to connect with Regenerate Christchurch to discuss our vision; as we hope that all groups and organisations will be given an equal opportunity to put forward their ideas for the Red Zone.

We are hopeful we can develop a good relationship with Regenerate Christchurch and look forward to a wide reaching and comprehensive public engagement process moving forward”. Huxtable says.

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