McHughs Forest Park facts for kids
McHughs Forest Park is a cool outdoor spot covering 43 hectares (that's about the size of 43 rugby fields!) right next to the town of Darfield. It's located in the Selwyn District on the South Island of New Zealand. This park is a great place for everyone to visit and enjoy nature.
It wasn't always a park for fun and walks, though! It started way back in 1893 as a special forest where trees were planted on purpose. This was called a "plantation forest." The main goal was to grow trees for wood (timber) and to provide shelter. Most of the trees planted were Douglas firs, but there were also many other types of tall, cone-bearing trees from other countries.
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Exploring McHughs Forest Park
McHughs Forest Park used to be owned by a group called the Selwyn Plantation Board. Now, the Selwyn District Council looks after it. This means it's a public park, open for everyone to explore! You can find lots of different walking paths and trails to follow, making it a perfect place for a stroll or a bit of adventure.
A Special Forest
In 1986, an expert named Dereck Rooney said that McHughs Forest had one of the best groups of Douglas fir trees in all of New Zealand. This shows how well the trees grew here!
Plants and Animals You Might See
Even though many of the big trees were planted, the forest floor is full of life! Underneath the tall Douglas firs, many native New Zealand plants and some other plants have grown naturally. These plants create a home for all sorts of animals and even different kinds of fungi.
Discovering Ferns
In 1986, a group called the Canterbury Botanical Society explored McHughs Forest. They found 18 different types of ferns growing there! What's even cooler is that 17 of these ferns were native to New Zealand, meaning they naturally belong there. This shows how important the park is for local plant life.
