13 Aug 2016

Native plantings aim to boost Southshore wildlife

8:41 am on 13 August 2016

Seven years after a fire destroyed thousands of native plants in a Christchurch reserve, volunteers are replanting the site today.

Trees for Canterbury are replanting native plants in the Christchurch suburb of Southshore.

Trees for Canterbury are replanting native plants in the Christchurch suburb of Southshore. Photo: Google Maps

Trees for Canterbury manager Stephen Bush said they were replacing plants in the seaside suburb of Southshore that were lost in a blaze started by fireworks in 2009.

Last year a teenager deliberately set fire to sand-dunes in the suburb, forcing residents to be evacuated.

Mr Bush said fires had caused significant damage in Southshore and they hoped the replanting would bring wildlife back to the area.

"Replacing the plants ... it helps with stabilisation, it helps with erosion control, it brings back bird habitats ... insects and lizards, it all restores their habitat."

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