Fallen tōtara were removed from the Otatara Scenic Reserve by helicopter last week (Thurdsday 29 July), much to the delight of nearby Otatara School pupils.

The trees were what is referred to as windfall trees, which are trees that have blown over in high winds or during heavy weather, usually due to age.

Invercargill City Council worked in partnership with Waihōpai Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu representative Michael Skerrett to honour tikanga Māori in the removal of the taonga.

 Tane Davis looks on while Michael Skerret blesses a fallen tōtara ahead of it being airlifted by helicopter from the Otatara Scenic Reserve last week.

Mr Skerrett performed a karakia to bless the trees before they were removed.

The trees were harnessed before being lifted by helicopter and flown out of the bush and placed onto a truck that was waiting in the reserve car park.

The tōtara were being taken to Riverton to be carved by renowned Ōraka Aparima carver James York. In 2019 Mr York was chosen to be part of a project that saw two carvers travel to the Ross Sea Marine Reserve to complete the first traditional Māori carving in Antarctica.

Invercargill City Council Parks and Recreation manager Caroline Rain said enabling the removal of material such as fallen trees for cultural purposes was part of the newly revised Environmental Reserves Managment Plan.

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“It has been a fantastic opportunity to work more closely with our partners, DOC and iwi. This highlights the Otatara Scenic Reserve as a taonga by linking it within the carving to create a long-lasting connection,” she said.

The classrooms at Otatara School are named after native plants and trees, so the pupils in Tōtara/Room 4 were especially interested in proceedings.

Pupils from throughout the school had ventured into the bush to investigate the fallen trees before they were removed.

Otatara School Tōtara pupils watching a helicopter move a windfall tōtara last week.

Otatara school pupil Alyssa Harvey, year 3, said the trees had fallen down and you could see their roots.

“We’re going back to the spot to see it when it is all clear again and there’s going to be new trees growing there and there’s going to be heaps and heaps of seeds there,” Alyssa said.

Invercargill City Council has about 160 parks and reserves on over 3000 hectares of land that are looked after by Parks and Recreation, including Queens Park, Thomsons Bush, Sandy Point and Bluff Hill.