Feehly Hill World Environment Day Cleanup.

The Department of Conservation along with Nomad Safaris held a wilding pine clean up day at Feehly Hill on Thursday the 5th of June. The Arrowtown Village Association congratulates both Nomad Safaris and DOC for their proactive work on restoring Feehly Hill. Nomad safaris have a long history of supporting conservation projects.

This article appeared in the ODT on the 4th of June 2008. Thanks to James Beech of the ODT for this article. www.odt.co.nz 

Almost 40 volunteers will give a helping hand to the ongoing Feehly Hill restoration project on New Zealand Arbor Day and World Environment Day tomorrow. Nomad Safaris will co-ordinate the group, which could include 22 students from the International Pacific College, as they use hand tools to remove invasive plants to allow native vegetation to regenerate.

The Green Globe award- winning 4WD back country tour operator will transport registered volunteers from its depot to Feehly Hill in Arrowtown at 9.3Oam. After a briefing by Department of Conservation (Doc) rangers, they will be split into groups and assigned tasks for the day. Nomad Safaris’ managing director David Gatward- Ferguson said the company wanted to contribute to World Environment Day but its usual restoration sites on Skippers Rd and Macetown Rd were not accessible for volunteers at this time of year. “We talked to Doc and they said they had this ongoing project we could help with. “We have been involved in the wilding trees issue since 1995 because it’s important for this area’s look and feel. “If the trees take over, Arrowtown and Queenstown won’t look as attractive as they do today.”

Doc, in partnership with the Arrowtown Village Association and private owner Suburban Estates Ltd, which owns half the land, are behind the restoration of Feehly Hill over the next five to 10 years. It involves the removal of all large wilding pines from the l6ha and l00m high hill. Doc programme manager for biodiversity assets Barry Lawrence said the contribution was “brilliant and just the sort of help we need to give this project a push.”

The Nomad Safaris team would uproot small wilding trees and remove seedlings. Doc contractors were gradually removing the larger pines. Controlled spraying would prevent broom and weed regrowth. A walking track from e cemetery across the summit, offering spectacular views and ending on Manse Road was part of the project and scheduled for next summer. Mr Lawrence said kowhai trees and native shrubs underneath were planned for the sunny side of the hill. Beech trees were to be re-established on the dark side and the top kept clear as open