The Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve is a 769-hectare (1,900-acre)[2] forest reserve in the Canterbury region in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located near the Rangitata River and is in the foothills of the Southern Alps. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation as a scenic reserve, not a forest park.
| Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve | |
|---|---|
 View of Big Mt. Peel from Little Mt. Peel | |
.png)  Location in South Island, New Zealand | |
| Location | Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand |
| Nearest town | Geraldine |
| Coordinates | 43°53′27″S 171°14′05″E / 43.8907°S 171.2348°E[1] |
| Area | 768.6 ha (1,899 acres) |
| Established | 1909 |
| Operated by | Department of Conservation |
| Website | Official website |
Etymology
editThe forest was named by Francis Jollie, who settled in the area in late 1853. Jollie had named the forest after Sir Robert Peel, the British Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who had died in 1850, the year that Canterbury was founded. The adjacent mountain and the nearby community of Peel Forest also took Peel's name.[3]
Flora and fauna
editThe Peel Forest is the remnant of a large Podocarpaceae forest. The three major tree types are the kahikatea (white pine), tōtara and matai (black pine). Logging reduced the forest to its current size.[4] For his lengthy botanical study of Mount Peel, Harry Allan was awarded a Doctor of Science in 1923.[5]
The forest is also home to many birds including kererū, fantail (pīwakawaka), and tomtit (miromiro).[4]
Activities
editTramping is a popular activity in the park. There are several short walks, tramps, and one longer route that leads to the summit of Little Mount Peel.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve". protectedplanet.net.
- ^ "Data Table - Protected Areas - LINZ Data Service". Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 2017-10-18.
- ^ Reed, A. W. (2010). Peter Dowling (ed.). Place Names of New Zealand. Rosedale, North Shore: Raupo. p. 310. ISBN 9780143204107.
- ^ a b "Features of Peel Forest Park". Doc.govt.nz. 2006-10-25. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
- ^ Galbreath, Ross. "Harry Howard Barton Allan". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
- ^ "Activities in Peel Forest Park". Doc.govt.nz. 2006-10-25. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
External links
edit- Peel Forest Park at the Department of Conservation