US Coastguard helps out with tree restoration on charred Port Hills

December 30, 2017

Fire burned through more than 2000 hectares of the hills above Christchurch last February.

The US Coastguard has helped out a Kiwi cause by adding to the volunteer count in the Port Hills in Christchurch.

When the fires raged through more than 2000 hectares last February, years of conservation efforts to boost native plant numbers were erased.

Yesterday, the US Coastguard took a welcome break on dry land to help out. 

Crew on a stopover on the way to Antarctica are helping restore the charred landscape, where native bush thrived before the Port Hills fire.

It's not the first time the US Coastguard have been involved while moored in Lyttelton.

Crew member Brody Schlling said the Coastguard was in the area at the time of the fires and saw the blaze on the hills.

Another crew member, Anne Harper, recalled: "The captain said there's these wildfires, who wants to volunteer?"

The crew manned cordons to keep people away from the flames.

Yesterday, their labour was helping again as they encouraged the survival of the more than 7000 native trees and bushes planted since the fires.

Christchurch City Council ranger Fiona Fenton said the planting is just the very start of the ongoing maintenance.

"It's vitally important to help the plants not get engulfed."

Gregory Bell of Christchurch fire brigade said the Coastguard looked after the firefighters "and we're going to shout them lunch and look after them for a while, too". 

Several Californians on board the Coastguard ship know too well the devastation caused by fire, with their home state currently battling massive wildfires.

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