Thick bush, open land, and woodlands

Press, 18 January 1978, Page 10

Thick bush, open land, and woodlands

STAN DARLING concludes his interview with Lance McCaskill about Kennedy’s Bush.

Mr Lance McCaskill, whose career as a naturalist, teacher and writer covers many - years, said the rebirth of Kennedy’s busti was good to see — “1 think I’m as proud of that as anything; it was quite a battle." During' the light to persuade those in authority that restoration work was worth while, one letter to the editor or "Ihe Press," in 1952, was sarcastiy about the ettects ot doing anything less than - what was needed. "hence it and fill it with stock,” said the writer. "Put an aerial ropeway down to South Hagley Park, so fat stock could "be brought direct to the saleyards . . . loads coming down would pull up the city’s rubbish, to fill m the gullies,” When the site was cleared and levelled, it would be an excellent place for reserves department machinery. 1 bat equipment could come down on the ropeway in the morning, pulling up sightseers, trampers, and councillors, said the letter. Such sarcasm may have helped to win the battle. It at least added to tne arguments against doing too little to save the bush, and leaving it until too late. Mr McCaskill was fond ot quoting Edmund Burke’s warning that "for evil to succeed, it is only necessary that good men do nothing.” At the time, restoration of the Sign of the Kiwi, tea rooms was seen as a higher priority. “You can build a tea room any time within the next 50 years,’ he told the council, "but unless you act immediately, you are. going to lose Kennedy’s Fencing was done in 1953, and the first 2000 | native trees and shrubs I from City Council nurseries were planted the same year. The Parks and Recreation Department has made the major planting effort since then, with help from the summit Road Scenic Society and Arbor Day plantings. More than 150,000 plants have gone into the ground since the early 19505. Mr McCaskill said that his nronosed scenic track

would drop down to ths bottom of the gully, then climb up — over a rock outcrop providing an excellent view over the forest tops — and along a ridge covered with large kanuka trees. The route would enable a comparison with recent planting, which is cut by a short, diagonal track. Dense undergrowth is missing along the existing track. More than 40 of the trees, terns and shrubs would be visible from the new track. In the early 1900 s, when Mr Harry Ell and his tramping friend, Dr Leonard Cockayne, were working to acquire Kennedy’s Bush, the going was”not so simple. I’he way up was by tram to the foot of the hills, then through fences to the top. Because of a rough track, it took almost as long to move along the crest as it did to get up from the city. One disgruntled person who made the trip in 1906 was disparaging right from the start. In a letter to “The Press” signed “Footsore,” the writer said: “From the manner m which this bush has been advertised lately, and brought before the public generally, especially by subscription lists in every shop in town, one naturally expected to see some very fine bush. Instead, we’ were sadly disappointed. “The Christchurch public are easily hoodwinked

into paying their hardearned money for a bush Which is not worth going to see, and which few’ of the public will ever see The writer called purchase of the bush “a sheer waste of money,” and described the reserve as “just a collection of native trees, with a few scrubby ferns. . . There is equally as good a collection of native trees on the banks of the Avon!” Few people would visit the area unless Mr Ell provided cable trams directly to it, "and even then I would rather spend the day at Governor’s Bay » . . I feel inclined to charge Mr Ell with the price of a pair of boots, as mine are completely worn out with the rough walking,” said the letter. Without Mr Ell’s efforts, there would be little legal walking on the hills today. In 1899. local landowners were pressing the Selwyn County Council to close the upper part of Kennedy’s Bush Road, Mr Ell, alerted to the pressure, got an amendment to the Public Works Act that made it impossible for any local authority to stop a road without an Order in Council.

Because of that legislation, a large number of legal “paper roads” on the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula still exist. They are often unmarked and unfenced. Only those persons with detailed maps are able to tell where legal access is available to the back country.

Mr McCaskill said it would be a good idea to make such maps widely available, as is done in Great Britain. A 1906 survey of the bush by Dr Cockayne and Mr Ell listed 119 species and measured some of the larger trees. An immediate telegram was sent to the New Zealand Scenery Preservation Board, sitting in New Plymouth, asking for authority to acquire some of the bush as a reserve. The buying of 50 acres was authorised straight away.

Dr Cockayne’s list of plants mlcuded two types of tall tree, 19 low trees, 17 shrubs, 13 climbers, two woody parasites, 57 herbs, grasses and rushes, and 15 fems. Today’s reserves cover 227 acres of bush, woodlands and grassland. Good examples of both hard and silver tussock, Canterbury stalwarts, grow on parts of Rocky Knob,

Fires have been a persistent problem in the past, and after 1911 and 1912 blazes a resident

caretaker was authorised for Kennedy’s Bush. A stone cottage, and start of the Sign o f the Bellbird, was built for him. A public room and kitchen were added in 1915. In 1931, a serious fire burned out 50 acres in the main part of the bush.

Mr McCaskill said it was important to have the combination of thick bush arid open land, with the more open woodlands in between. That provided for ah kinds of recreation,

and gave visitors the open views that could not be had from a track through the heart of the forest. “Hardly anybody comes up here,” he said at Rocky Knob. “But where else around Christchurch does the public have the right to run haywire, just as if they were in Hagley Park?” Open woodland around the Sign of the Bellbird, with many picnic spots around the old trees, was also needed. It contained some of the most interesting species, including a group of weeping mapau trees normally found at about 3000 ft. “These are one of my joys,” he said. “They are as tough as old boots. I don’t know any better anywhere in New Zealand.” Mr McCaskill said a friend once described him as “the last of the generalists,” and he neded to be that way to talk to so many specialists about his pet projects. “I’m the luckiest old man in the world,” he said. “I’ve caused moie trouble than you can imagine, nobody lias ever cut my throat, and I’ve never been sacked from a job.” Six years ago, be was hit with a paralysing stroke. But he fought back, and it has not kept him from remaining one of the most agile bush scramblers — and minds — in this country. (Concluded)