The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

We recently purchased a property in the Matakana hills which has stretches of native bush around its perimeter and also a section of covenant land which we are responsible for maintaining.
In the covenant land, there are untamed patches of kikuyu threading around
and close to the native bush, (mainly on old pathways). On our land bordering on the covenant land or on the edge of the native bush, is it safe for us to plant kikuyu lawn on our property? Are we at risk of this encroaching on and smothering the native bush over time?

As a rule kikuyu is not a good idea to plant where native plants are concerned because it smothers the ground covers and suppresses regeneration. A few natives - notably Fuchsia procumbens can tolerate it. But my advice would be don't plant more of it, and control it where you can because it will slow down regeneration in open sites - in dense forest it's not a problem because its shade intolerant (and so rarely present in these sites anyway).