CHB Forest and Bird member Peter Meredith checks one of the predator traps as part of the ongoing maintenance of Lindsay Bush.
"The reserve is one of the last remnants of heavy native bush that used to cover large areas of Hawke's Bay and will be of great interest to those who come after us."
These were the words of Duncan MacIntyre, Minister of Lands in 1968 when the Tukituki Scenic Reserve (more commonly known now as Lindsay Bush), was vested in the Waipawa Country Council.
His prediction proved correct when, 25 years later, the CHB branch of Forest and Bird took over restoring and preserving the reserve.
It's a remnant of what was once a forest called Tarewa in 1874 that's said to have stretched between Waipukurau and Waipawa and was thought to be predominantly populated with kahikatea.
After years of being shunted between central and local government the reserve was run down and neglected when Forest and Bird took up the mantle in 1993, taking on its management with support and advice from local Department of Conservation officers and the CHB District Council which provided paint and other equipment.
Since then, enthusiastic Forest & Bird volunteers, along with help from other community groups and individuals, have continued to develop and maintain the 9.8ha bush, regularly planting, trimming, clearing walkways and conducting pest control, to showcase and preserve its unique attributes.
Forest & Bird secretary Rose Hay says recently, along with the regular community work days and working bees, groups to get involved have included the local Scouts clubs who run conservation activities for their award system.
CHB College students have also at times been involved as part of their Duke of Edinburgh requirements, and the local Lions and Rotary have also contributed to the project.
There is very little funding for Forest & Bird's efforts - Rose says the CHB District Council continues to contribute through trap equipment such as baits, extra traps and trap food and also signage.
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council also funds some of the hours put in by the Conservation Company, which created the overall plan for the bush, and a small amount of funding also comes from the Department of Conservation.
The Conservation Company's Kay Griffiths says the significance of Lindsay Bush is that east of State Highway 50 it's one of the only bits of the original, lowland podocarp Tawera Forest left in Hawke's Bay.
In fact, she says there is only 0.1 per cent of this forest type left in New Zealand.
Kahikatea, matai and totara trees are the three main podocarp species in the reserve, the other main canopy species being tawa and titoki.
The Conservation Company has been involved with the project since 2011, over the last five years collaborating with Forest & Bird and the Hawke's Bay Regional Council with plant and animal pest control, and re-planting.
An early focus was eradicating the Old Man's Beard that had become prevalent, along with other weed species that had invaded due to the reserve being close to settlements, and seeds coming down the river being transmitted by birds.
In conjunction with pest control, the aim is to restore the integrity of the bush, filling in gaps under the canopy with appropriate planting.
CHB Forest and Bird co-chair Louise Phillips says all the hard work on the reserve is worth it.
"This is a very special place, and what is particularly special about it is how easily accessible it is.
"Not only is it close to town, the tracks make it easy for anyone to walk through, even with pushchairs for children, so everyone can appreciate it. As well as getting in touch with nature, its educational value is priceless."
Co-chair Gren Christie agrees.
"It would be wonderful to see this precious reserve not only well restored but one day expanded. Those end goals are a vision which all members of our community could share and work towards now and into the future."