Only fit for Trees
Rampant gorse growth in North Canterbury provided early impetus for afforestation in the region, according to a recently published book, A History of the Ashley Forest, including Mt Thomas, Okuku & Omihi Forests by John Ward & Kowai Archives Society.
Gorse first came to New Zealand in the 1860s for use as a hedgerow species, but quickly gave up its polite Scottish ways for a much more invasive style.
By the 1930s, North Canterbury was plagued by this prickly plant pest, with some 16,300 acres infested across the counties of Ashley and Kowai, from the Mount Grey foothills to the Ashley Gorge district.
Decades of overgrazing, persistent burning and high rabbit numbers were also contributing to erosion and associated flooding problems, only adding to the need for forestry to stabilize the land.
In September, 1937, a council of war was called in Rangiora: Mayor C.W. Tyler declared that urgent government action was needed.
Fortunately, the State Forest Service took notice and the first planting commenced in 1939; the initial land purchase was Monamara, a large lower hill country property near the village of Ashley. So the Ashley State Forest was born, with further land acquisitions continuing through to the early 1970s.
John Ward’s fascinating history of this forest and its people stemmed from a Kowai Archives Society proposal; the idea was enthusiastically received by many ex-forestry workers, who were generous with their stories and photographs.
In the early years, many local people supplemented stretched family budgets with seasonal forestry work. Men would flock from miles around to meet the forestry workers’ bus at the corner of Marshmans and Clarks Rd.
Life as a foresty worker was hard, but rewarding. Mark Grover, who worked as a Leading Woodsman in the Ashley Forest in the late 1970s, recalls the battles his crew had with ‘the infamous Ashley gorse’: “Looking back, those guys worked their butts off battling through gorse that was well over head height most of the time – they had my respect.”
A History of the Ashley Forest is available for sale at $40 per copy plus $4.50 for postage from J.D. Wilson, 15B Rickton Place, Rangiora or from Wilson Print, High St, Rangiora.
To be in the draw for a copy of this book, put your name, address and phone number on the back of an envelope and post it to Ashley Forest Draw, essence, PO Box 295, Rangiora. Draw closes Friday, August 19.
