ABOUT HANMER FOREST
Hanmer Forest was established in 1901 by the Governme
nt on
former Thermal Reserve land near Hanmer Springs in North Canterbury. Originally
covering 250 hectares, the plantation forest now extends for some 5150
hectares. At first, species that grew in the montane areas of central Europe
were planted out, including black pines, Norway spruce and deciduous larch, with
alders in wet areas, and oaks and silver birches planted as amenity species.
Today, radiata pine and Douglas-fir are replanted in the wider forest.
The oldest area of the forest, with trees
planted in 1903-4 and subject
to
a Crown covenant restricting forest operations, has
become a mixed-age, near-natural forest, with many woody species having invaded from
the
township’s gardens and the neighbouring
indigenous forest remnants. The evolving nature
of this mixed forest is of considerable scientific interest, and
is an important component of the tourist attractions of Hanmer Springs, with its
changing colours with the seasons. This old forest is criss-crossed
with recreational tracks for easy walking,
mountain-biking and horse-riding.
Hanmer Forest was once part of a wider Forest Park having
multiple management objectives, and the oldest area designated as a forest
recreation reserve. With the forestry reforms of the 1980’s, the status of the
Forest Park was revoked, and the plantation forest became managed by a
state-owned enterprise. In 2000, the Crown’s forest-plantation lands in North
Canterbury were sold to the Ngai Tahu who have given Matariki Forests a forestry right to harvest the trees under a leasehold arrangement.
A five-year
management
plan for the covenanted area of the Forest is in place to maintain its even-aged,
mixed-species nature of the woodland. The Trust co-ordinates the
expenditure of the Government’s grant for the maintenance of the recreational
tracks in this area.