Halo Project's Source to Sea project manager Alice Macklow holds a sycamore tree on Blueskin Rd above Port Chalmers. Photo: Peter McIntoshWork continues to get rid of sycamore trees around the Mt Cargill area, but that is only the tip of the iceberg, say those doing the work. Halo Project's Source to Sea project manager Alice Macklow said sycamore trees were steadily expanding into native forest remnants. As a tall deciduous tree, sycamore trees drop heavy autumn leaf litter that smothers small seedings. In the Upper Leith Valley and parts of the West Harbour, infestations threatened native forest.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 27, 2026 22:02 UTC