Moore's Bush Reserve, also known as Moore's Bush, is a small reserve in the suburb of Leith Valley in Dunedin, New Zealand.[1]
This 4-hectare reserve is a combination of remnant native forest and a former dairy farm that has been replanted with native species.[1]
A number of small streams, including the Leith, run through the reserve.[2][3]
History
Moore's Bush was purchased by Percy and Ellie Moore in 1945 who began restoring the open farmland to its natural state by planting native podocarpconifers and broad-leavedhardwood trees. Moore's Bush was bequeathed to the Dunedin branch of Forest & Bird by the Moore family in 1974 after Percy Moore died. An additional 2 hectares of forest owned by the Department of Conservation was added to Moore's Bush for the branch to manage in the 1990s.[1][3]
Freshwater species include kōura (freshwater crayfish) and tuna (eels).[1]
Conservation
Moore's Bush is currently owned and managed by the Dunedin branch of Forest & Bird who are working to restore the forest through native tree plantings, pest control, and the removal of invasive weed species including blackberry and broom.[3]