History

The forest on our school grounds is an important part of our New Zealand heritage and is an excellent educational resource for the students. One corner of the property, running alongside the Peter Terrace Walkway, is occupied by a large section of native bush. This bush is regenerating, slowly, after years of being strangled and overgrown by introduced species, weeds and rubbish. Sometime between the 1980s and our Jubilee celebrations in 2000, the school undertook to rescue this little corner of natural New Zealand. Now we have a forest populated with cicadas, tui and kereru. There is even a small patch of wetlands. Except for the Rimu Track, the entire area has been laid with raised wooden boardwalks. Access is available all year round to check out the plants in various stages of growth, and more plantings take place every year. Taking care of the forest has been incorporated into our school curriculum. Members of Forest and Bird and the Centennial Park Bush Society provide invaluable assistance and advice. We welcome and encourage visitors to walk through our forest, help with the weeding or make donations of native plants. Campbells Bay School Community Forest History From Small Seeds From 1.5 – 2.0 hectares of school land heavily overgrown and infested with invasive weeds as well as a row of pine trees alongside the Peter terrace walkway in the mid-1990s, emerged a regenerating native forest by the end of the 1990s that continues to evolve with careful nurturing. In August 1995 the CBS Board of Trustees committed $500.00 to seed the start of the regeneration project encompassing the unused and largely derelict tract of land. In July 1996 the Board adopted a management plan for the regenerating land, to be named The Community Forest. The plan included a description of the land as well as suggested species for planting and the design of wooden tracks to provide for all-weather access to much of the forest. While the Board retained full governance responsibilities for the forest, the day to day operation of the forest was assigned to the Community Forest Committee. This committee drove the implementation of the vision of having an accessible native forest. Aside from the Board, who held overall governance of the project, the forest had many champions and friends. The management plan was developed by Fiona George, a parent of the school. This plan was an essential guide for volunteers to follow. Richard Hursthouse, also a parent of the school, and Fiona became champions of the forest as they guided countless volunteers in the all-important implementation phase of the management plan. Many weekends were taken up by a band of volunteers who planted, cleared invasive weeds and constructed wooden walkways. As well as Milford Rotary, who supplied volunteers and money, sponsors included Maddren Timber, Projex, Placemakers and Stevensons. Project Crimson provided many pohutukawa trees, most of which were planted on the edge of the forest that borders the field, while the Lotteries Board provided $10,000 in funding. Given the cost of materials such support was invaluable, particularly as the Board was also raising funds to extend the school’s hall. As time went on, Fiona left the area and Richard continued as the champion of the forest. Although now also committed to North Shore Forest & Bird and to the restoration of the habitat of nearby Centennial Park, Richard continues to provide time and guidance to the development of the forest. During the years there have been key ‘on the ground’ supporters of the forest aside from those already mentioned. These include Anne Tyas and Rosemary Wilcox, parents of the school, who provided countless hours of leadership and volunteer labour. Jenny Hunter (then assistant principal) and more recently as a former member of staff and a grandmother of children at the school created and implemented a management plan for regular weeding of the forest floor as well as labelling many of the trees. Jenny continues to this day to provide educational tours of the forest for groups of students of the school. The wooden walking tracks have proven to be invaluable as they have provided for all weather access to much of the forest. The walkways involved the placement of 1,734 planks of wood making the track system, in its time of development, almost a project of national significance! In 1997 the Ministry of Education invited all school boards to consider the sale of land surplus to requirements, with each board being able to retain half the proceeds of such sales. After consideration the Campbells Bay School Board decided against selling any land, including the developing Community Forest. A considered and wise decision. On 21 September 2000 Professor Geoff Baylis (1913 – 2003), a foundation student when the school opened on 31 August 1925, opened the forest as a jubilee gift to the community. He was helped by Taryn la Grange, the then youngest student at the school. Professor Baylis planted an extremely rare tree discovered by Professor Bayliss in the Three Kings Island: Pennantia Baylisiana. Pennantia Baylisiana is an extremely rare tree and was discovered in the Three Kings Island by Professor Baylis when he was Professor of Botany at Otago University. The Community Forest continues to an inspiring legacy and a wonderful resource for the community that will be maintained by the school and friends of the forest.to anything, or set your text box to expand on click. Write your text here...