Planting of 800 native trees completes green fire break

A green fire break at a Christchurch reserve has been completed, with more than 800 native trees planted by volunteers.

For the past four months, members of the Drayton Reserve Volunteers group have been working rain or shine to plant low-flammable native species for the first 10m below residential properties.

A large vegetation fire in January decimated the gully between Mt Pleasant and Redcliffs. The fire threatened houses and about 500 sq m of vegetation was destroyed.

Six firefighting crews and two helicopters were involved in extinguishing the blaze.

"The area will retard any future fire that might occur in the reserve as it approaches the houses,” said group co-ordinator Dave Bryce.

"We have been planting native species of low-flammability, with a combination of fleshy leaves and low levels of sap or resin.”

Now the fire break has been completed, the volunteer group will continue with infill work and has 350 seedlings to plant in the reserve’s burnt area.

Bryce also said he is working to eliminate stormwater discharge, which is causing erosion and clouding the reserve’s stream and disturbing the aquatic ecosystems.