Ashley Forest is a forest and a statistical area in the Canterbury Region's Hurunui District on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located north of the Ashley River / Rakahuri and northeast of the Okuku River.^[3]

The forest was planted from 1939.^[4] It is managed by Rayonier Matariki and is only accessible by the public with a permit.^[5]

Ashley Forest Village is a small settlement at the southern end of the forest.

Demographics

The Ashley Forest statistical area covers 340.57 km² (131.49 sq mi).^[1] It had an estimated population of 770 as of June 2022,^[2] with a population density of 2.3 people per km².

Ashley Forest had a population of 669 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 27 people (4.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 147 people (28.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 234 households, comprising 348 males and 324 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.07 males per female. The median age was 44.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 138 people (20.6%) aged under 15 years, 105 (15.7%) aged 15 to 29, 327 (48.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 102 (15.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 97.3% European/Pākehā, 7.6% Māori, 0.4% Pasifika, 1.3% Asian, and 0.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 13.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.6% had no religion, 37.7% were Christian, 0.4% were Buddhist and 1.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 114 (21.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 75 (14.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $36,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 105 people (19.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 297 (55.9%) people were employed full-time, 96 (18.1%) were part-time, and 21 (4.0%) were unemployed.^[6]

References