Tainui Reserve Hikanui Pā tree felling to begin, reserve to close for six weeks

Tainui Reserve Hikanui Pā will be closed to the public as tree felling begins.

Tainui Reserve will be closed to the public from March 11 as the Hastings District Council starts the removal of a stand of exotic trees at Hikanui Pā within the reserve, which is anticipated to take up to six weeks to complete.

While the majority of the area will be closed during this time, the grass area between Keith Sands Grove and Keirunga Rd will remain open, except during helicopter operations where the land will be used for landing and refuelling.

Advance notice will be provided to nearby residents before helicopter activity.

The removal of the trees comes after the site was damaged severely during Cyclone Gabrielle and arboricultural specialists advised that the loss of so many trees had left the remaining trees vulnerable to failing, risking serious damage to the Hikanui pā site and reserve visitors.

Hastings District Council map shows the Tainui Reserve canopy coverage loss and trees they plan to remove to protect Hikanui Pā.

Accessible from the upper Hikanui Drive entrance, the pā contains archaeological features through the interior including a ditch and bank, terracing and pits.

Because the Hikanui Pā and terraces are registered archaeological sites and as the landowner, the council is also responsible under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act for protecting this archaeological area.

Funding for the work of $550,000 was approved by Hastings District Council in November 2023, and it includes indigenous revegetation and geotextile matting.

Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was a difficult decision to allocate the funding given the district’s significant cyclone recovery needs, but the project was about protecting the safety of Tainui Reserve visitors.

“It is a site of cultural significance that needs to be preserved and maintained,” Hazlehurst said.

Hikanui Pā sits on the middle of three ridgelines in the reserve, with the terraces located on the western ridgeline.

The project will involve the removal of trees on and around the archaeological site using heavy machinery and, for part of the time, a helicopter.

Because of the danger posed by the machinery operating within the reserve and trucks needing to access it, the whole of Tainui Reserve will be closed to the public for the duration of the work.

Once the trees are removed, stabilisation matting will be put in place and the area replanted with indigenous species.

The works are being undertaken under an archaeological authority from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and will be supervised by Archaeology Hawke’s Bay. Treescape has been contracted to undertake the tree removals.

• For further information, including a list of frequently asked questions visit: https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/hastings/projects/hikanui-pa/
• Members of the public who might want to contribute to the restoration efforts in Tainui Reserve can register their interest by emailing parks@hdc.govt.nz.