Sticky Forest will remain an outstanding natural landscape zone, despite the Environment Court’s decision to rezone part of the land. The Environment Court has ruled that a further 7ha of Sticky Forest will be rezoned from rural to large lot residential. Sticky Forest has a complicated ownership history dating back to the 1870s, when Kāi Tahu leader and politician H.K. The 50 Maori who came to own Sticky Forest were originally promised a block of land at Manuhaea, The Neck, but as that land had been leased for farming, in 1895 the Crown swapped it with the block of land now known as Sticky Forest. Sticky Forest houses an extensive trail network used primarily by mountain bikers.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 09, 2026 17:12 UTC