About 40 people attended an event to celebrate the registration of a 56ha QEII National Trust open space covenant on 630ha Gavenwood farm near Dipton last month.
Farm owners Peter McDonald and Kim Spencer-McDonald cut a ribbon to celebrate the conservation project designed to exclude feral deer and legally protect it in perpetuity.
QEII National Trust regional representative Jesse Bythell said the biodiversity values of the forest were very high.
It featured massive centuries-old mataī, tōtara and kahikatea and deciduous lowland ribbonwood and small-leaved kōwhai and an abundance of fragrant tree daisy.
"Protection from feral deer will significantly improve forest health and enable threatened plant populations to increase," she said.
Mrs Spencer-McDonald said protecting the forest was about a connection to whenua.
"Our family has been in the area for centuries and we think it’s important to protect this land for our mokopuna."
Although the covenant was located on private land, the family enjoyed sharing the site by prior arrangement, Mr McDonald said.
"It gives us a lot of satisfaction that people can come up here and enjoy the site for ecological or scientific research or just for pleasure."
The next phase of the project for the couple involves patrolling the deer fence, continuing possum control and enjoying the forest recovery.
