Council is collaborating with the Methven Lions, who manage the wider Methven walkway, and the creators of the Enchanted Forest walk to make sure the fairy doors and decorations remain safe features of the well-used track.

Community Services Group Manager Steve Fabish said the Enchanted Forest was a charming feature on part of the walkway near the Methven racecourse and the fairy adornments could be treated as an art installation, which would require a simple approval process handled by the Methven Community Board.

“Managing the decorations means there is some sort of supervision to ensure what is a natural environment is not affected by plastic or potentially harmful or inappropriate installations. We don’t think that will happen, but it is important to have a process in case similar installations pop up in other parks or reserves.

“Really, we think the Enchanted Forest is a great idea and we know it has community support. There is potential for other themed walks on other parts of the walkway at different times of the year too.”

The short fairy-inspired walk was to have been part of the Methven and Foothills Walking Festival, but most festival events are now not running because of Covid-19 uncertainty.

The Enchanted Forest walk and the Piwakawaka walk just next door will instead be part of a fun competition run alongside the popular scarecrow trail during the April school holidays.

The competition form will be able to be downloaded from the walking festival's  website (www.methvenwalkingfestival.nz) or picked up at the Methven ihub, with the scarecrow trail maps, from 16 April.

Walking festival organisers are now looking to 2023 to run the full programme.