Conservationists are fighting to save a 2.3-hectare patch of bush in Auckland from potentially being sold to property developers.
They say the Kohimarama Forest in St Heliers is a remnant of ancient Aotearoa, and should be a publicly owned ecological reserve.
"If there's any place where you'd want to develop and put housing, this doesn't seem like the easiest option," says University of Auckland academic Dr Amanda de Kretser.
At the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in one of Auckland's swankiest suburbs, the block of native bush feels like a different world.
"It's an original urban forest, it's never been under pasture, it has all these other underlays. The soil is of a completely different type to a forest that's been planted on areas that have previously been pasture," explains Dr de Kretser.
Kohimarama Forest is full of native trees like kohekohe, ponga, and kānuka.
It's also a 'bird corridor' - a stopping-off point for kererū, pīwakawaka, and tūī, between the predator-free Hauraki Gulf, and the Waitākere and Hunua ranges.
"This is like losing Zealandia. Could you imagine Wellingtonians losing Zealandia? It just wouldn't happen," says Edward Duff of the Eastern Bays Songbird Project.
The land has been owned by the Melanesian Mission Trust Board since 1969. But the Trust plans to sell it, to fund charitable work in Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and the Solomon Islands.
Even though it's private land, volunteers have spent 18 months weeding out invasive pests like possums, and plants like jasmine, ginger, and elaeagnus, to restore the forest to its original state.
"It was so bad that it was climbing the native trees, and it was like the forest was on the brink of collapse," says Duff.
The bush does not have Significant Ecological Area status under Auckland's Unitary Plan, meaning it can be sold off and developed on.
"If the Trust had sold this forest two years ago, I don't think we'd have the fight that we have now. But because we can see what this forest is really like, it's truly a significant ecological area," says Duff.
The group had been hopeful for a land-swap deal between Auckland Council and the Trust or the eventual buyer.
"I'd like to think that the developers see the beauty of this place and go 'wow, God, this is crazy developing this place, let's go and try and do a land-swap with the council or something,'" says Duff.
But in a statement, Melanesian Mission Trust Board boss Grant Hope told Newshub, "over the years, the Trust has approached the Auckland Council to provide it with an opportunity to purchase the land."
"Before making the current decision to put the property and associated interests on the market, the Trust again approached Auckland Council to gauge interest in purchasing the property.
"The council has confirmed that it is not interested in acquiring the land."
The race is now on to find a way to buy the land, and turn it into a publicly owned ecological reserve, or gifted back to iwi Ngāti Pāoa.
"It's an opportunity to demonstrate how to manage forests well, and if we lose this as a demonstration model and we lose this as a reference ecosystem, we're sort of screwed," says Dr de Kretser.
Tenders closed on Monday afternoon, with the land for sale under Deadline Private Treaty, meaning the Trust is now able to choose between a range of confidential offers.
"We believe it's worth about $5 million, so it might take us a bit of time to raise that money," says Duff.
The group will have further discussions with the Trust in the next few days.
"Nothing's guaranteed, but all of the conversations, everybody's aligning to want to get a good outcome, and we want the Melanesian Trust to get the right outcome for them as well," says Dr de Kretser.
Hoping for a win-win for everyone.
