Hay Scenic Reserve

 nature conservation park / area  Add category

This 6-hectare reserve, gifted by the Hay Family, protects one of the best examples of lowland podocarp/broadleaf forest in Canterbury.

It is dominated by trees such as kahikatea, matai, lowland totara, kanuka, titoki, pokaka, mahoe, tarata, kowhai, and mapou.

It is an important habitat for birds like bellbird/korimako, NZ wood pigeon/kereru, fantail/piwakawaka. brown creeper/pipipi and grey walber/riroriro.

Weeds alter the forest's composition and undermine its health. From 2002 the Department of Conservation has been controlling weeds here by removing sycamore, ash, hawthorn, plum and elm trees, and old man's beard, pampas grass, wandering willie, elderberry, periwinkle, and blackberry.

Introduced trees are being cut down and weeds pulled out or sprayed. When these have gone, native trees and shrubs raised from local seeds are planted to prevent weed re-establishment.