On The Doorstep

I have blipped the hill behind my house before.  It has walking tracks and mountain biking tracks.  At the top of the slope is council owned forest planted in radiata pine.  These trees are due for harvesting in the next few years.  The council has begun a plan to retire the land from commercial forestry and to replant with native trees.  The native trees will be permanent.  The land will still be used for recreation.  They have measured 45,000 thousand passes of track counters at one point on the track between February and September..   Over time there will be more loop tracks established for walkers and runners.  
The planting of native trees will provide a corridor for wildlife movement.  Yesterday there was a Bellbird in my garden and Tui are daily visitors.  This afternoon I was waiting near the feeder, camera in hand.  My Tui photos were average so I give you a view of the Richmond Hill from my garden.  I am grateful to live so close to this area and pleased the council sees it as a resource worthy of enhancing.  It is an area of 100 hectares/248 acres.  Think of all the carbon that will be locked up permanently.  
I'm also grateful it is green and I live in an area where rain falls.  I am watching the blippers in Australia and admire their courage.