Bartons Bush in the suburb of Trentham is one of the last intact stands of lowland podocarp forest remaining in the Wellington region. The ancient rimu and kahikatea trees here predate European settlement by centuries — these are the same forest giants that once covered the valley floors from end to end before the land was cleared for farming and housing.
A short loop track winds through the reserve, taking in the towering canopy and the dense understorey of ferns. It is a quiet place, close to suburban streets but instantly removed from them. Tui and kereru (wood pigeons) are commonly seen, and the kahikatea berries bring them in numbers during autumn.