Peel Forest Park

Peel Forest Park

View of Big Mt. Peel from Little Mt. Peel
Location Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand
Nearest city Geraldine
Coordinates 43°53′27″S 171°14′05″E / 43.8907°S 171.2348°E / -43.8907; 171.2348Coordinates: 43°53′27″S 171°14′05″E / 43.8907°S 171.2348°E / -43.8907; 171.2348[1]
Area 773 ha (1,910 acres)
Established 1909
Governing body Department of Conservation
www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-visit/canterbury/mid-and-south-canterbury/peel-forest-park/

The Peel Forest Park is a 773-hectare (1,910-acre)[2] forest preserve in the Canterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand. It is located near the Rangitata River and is in the foothills of the Southern Alps. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation.

Etymology

The forest was named by Francis Jollie, who settled in the area in late 1853. Jollie had named the forest after Sir Robert Peel, the British Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who had died in 1850, the year that Canterbury was founded. The adjacent mountain and the nearby community of Peel Forest also took Peel's name.[3]

Flora and fauna

The Peel Forest is the remnant of a large Podocarpaceae forest. The three major tree types are the kahikatea (white pine), tōtara and matai (black pine). Logging reduced the forest to its current size.[2] For his lengthy botanical study of Mount Peel, Harry Allan was awarded a Doctor of Science in 1923.[4]

The forest is also home to many birds including the New Zealand pigeon/kererū, fantail/pïwakawaka, and the tomtit/miromiro.[2]

Activities

Tramping is a popular activity in the park. There are several short walks, tramps, and one longer route that leads to the summit of Little Mount Peel.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve". protectedplanet.net.
  2. 1 2 3 "Features of Peel Forest Park". Doc.govt.nz. 2006-10-25. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  3. ↑ Reed, A. W. (2010). Peter Dowling, ed. Place Names of New Zealand. Rosedale, North Shore: Raupo. p. 310. ISBN 9780143204107.
  4. ↑ Galbreath, Ross. "Harry Howard Barton Allan". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  5. ↑ "Activities in Peel Forest Park". Doc.govt.nz. 2006-10-25. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
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