Safeguarded from further depletion, a Southland native forest remnant has been opened to the public. About 40 people braved the elements on Saturday for the official opening of the Oreti Totara Dune Forest near Invercargill. The 81ha property was bought by the Native Forest Restoration Trust in May, with the intention of returning the farmed land to forest over the next 50 years. About 40 people attended the official opening of the Oreti Totara Dune Forest near Invercargill on Saturday. The property’s totara forest on sand dunes is valuable from a conservation perspective, as it is classified as nationally endangered.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 22, 2020 15:33 UTC