The Headlines From the Chair
MEET THE TRUST
Why Motu Kaikoura?
Our Field Officer reports on the Basil S. Hewett Memorial Reserve
Dr Michael Taylor
Puketi Mokau Reserve, Northland
Thank You to Sponsors
| #37, #38 Winter 2003
From the Chair
Kaikoura Island has been a focus for Trustees - particularly the six-member Auckland based executive - over recent months. Most energetic has been Geoff Davidson who has undertaken the greater part of the work. His enthusiasm and commitment have advanced both our case for buying Kaikoura Island and the public profile of the Restoration Trust.
Our existing properties have not, of course, been neglected and we have dealt with the reports from our Field Officer, David Wright, and our Honorary Rangers on the maintenance and management of our far-flung reserves. I had the pleasure of making my first visit to the Puhoi Far North Reserve in Northland and enjoying a walk through the bush with Terry Higginson.
However it has been Kaikoura Island that has occasioned extra meetings - with the Auckland City Council (shown briefly on TV news), and with the Auckland Regional Council (on the day that their rates demand went out) and with the ASB Charitable Trust. Additionally, we have met with the Auckland Conservator at the Department of Conservation and with the Auckland Conservation Board. Without exception our aim of ensuring that the island is bought into the conservation estate for all to enjoy has been applauded. The financial commitment has yet to follow but the strength of the ground swell for our case, and our conviction as to the worthwhile nature of the project, encourages us to continue.
You will have received our appeal for financial assistance with reserves management. Already a pleasing number of responses has been received but the need is still urgent and we look to you, our supporters, for your help, either by way of an automatic bank payment or by direct donation.
All our work is strengthened by the knowledge that many people are backing us. We appreciate this and thank you.
Brian Davis
MEET THE TRUST
You are cordially invited to meet our Trustees and hear more about the work of the Trust. This will be a Public Meeting with three principal speakers:
David Wright, Field Officer, on managing our reserves
Geoff Davidson, Trustee, on plans for Kaikoura Island
Geoff Moon, Trustee, with his ever-popular bird slides, focussing particularly on waterbirds
St Andrew's Hall, 100 St Andrew's Road, Epsom, Auckland
Tuesday 23rd September from 7.30 pm
Light supper will follow - All welcome
Why Motu Kaikoura?
Why the NZ Native Forests Restoration Trust is campaigning to buy Motu Kaikoura
Lying close to the west coast of Great Barrier Island is the rugged 564 hectare hulk of Motu Kaikoura. Also known as Selwyn or Kaikoura Island, it is twice the size of Tiritiri-Matangi and in urgent need of restoration. The authorities directly involved (Auckland City Council, the Auckland Regional Council and the Department of Conservation) have long maintained that Kaikoura Island was not a priority as it had "low conservation values". Despite such opinions the island's condition is not as bad as might be imagined. It has only been in the last few weeks that DoC botanists have been sent to report on the actual state of the vegetation.
Year after year, decade after decade, opportunities to buy Motu Kaikoura were lost. During this time, through years of neglect and against the odds, the vegetation of the island has continued to improve. The widespread cover of manuka and kanuka has over-topped and smothered the gorse, until it now provides a dense canopy. The less palatable ferns are flourishing in the gullies, and on the steeper banks there is a wide variety of broadleaf shrubs out of reach of the fallow deer. There are existing pockets of dense native vegetation inaccessible to deer, and a sufficient number of large trees such as puriri and kohekohe, that together will provide the seed source for a future broadleaf forest, but the time has come when no further improvement will occur without some human intervention. The list of species that can be given refuge on the island is long and urgent. We need to act now.
Within weeks of the removal of the deer and pigs, there will be a resurgence of plant growth. Within months of the removal of the rats and feral cats there will be an increase in the number of invertebrates. With the removal of all pests the introduction of endangered species can begin. Kaka already inhabit the pines which provide a high nutrient diet. The endangered brown teal desperately needs a sanctuary. Many ornithologists believe this endemic duck must have a pest-free habitat if it is to survive. The abundance of petrels and shearwaters in this area of the Hauraki Gulf makes it a 'hot-spot'. There is the exciting prospect of a colony of rare black petrel establishing. Tuis and bellbirds pass by en route between Great and Little Barrier Islands. Red-crowned kakariki inhabit the forests of both the Barrier islands and will re-establish on a pest-free Motu Kaikoura.
Insects already on the island will flourish without rats and the giant weta will regain its rightful place. Lizards such as the common green gecko are probably still to be found in some remote rocky nook on Motu Kaikoura and we envisage introducing the rare chevron skink, recently seen at Port Fitzroy. The largest skink, Duvaucel's, is certain to be extinct on the island but could be reintroduced as could tuatara.
Kaikoura Island has the potential to be a major regional asset by virtue of its becoming an important link in the chain of Hauraki Gulf wildlife refuges exemplified by Tiritiri Matangi and the Little Barrier; a focal point for Auckland's many recreational yachtsmen; a valuable and substantial addition to existing 'Outward Bound' options; an educational centre for young people; and a wonderful near-pristine sentinel overlooking the Man of War Passage and its entrance to Port Fitzroy.
There is an opportunity to create an environment centre where Auckland's youth can be educated about our threatened wildlife. The facilities already exist for a basic education camp, but with some effort and time they can become a valuable resource centre. Outward Bound, Project K, and M.E.R.C. have all indicated the need for such facilities and expressed their enthusiasm to make use of such a resource. If successful in purchasing Motu Kaikoura we have undertaken to work with the local Maori iwi, Ngati Rehua. It is in respect to their previous ownership that the original name Motu Kaikoura is being adopted for our campaign. Currently their youth workers in South Auckland are looking for just such an opportunity. They have programmes for their young people to teach them their culture, their history, and a reawakened appreciation of this country's natural environment. Where better to educate them than on their ancestral land. Our youth and our wildlife are both at risk. Motu Kaikoura can offer new hope to each of them.
It is our confident view that Kaikoura Island would complement, rather than be in competition with, any mainland monument to Sir Peter Blake that may eventuate, and would comprehensively and accurately reflect all that he valued and held dear as a young New Zealander discovering the wonderful world of the Hauraki Gulf.
This is much the largest project undertaken by the NZ Native Forests Restoration Trust, but we have presumed to pick up the baton to res
Our Field Officer reports on the Basil S. Hewett Memorial Reserve
The 300 hectare (741 acre) Basil Hewett Reserve is located in the south western King Country, approximately eight kilometres north of Mahoenui and seventeen kilometres west of Piopio on the eastern slope of the Awakino River catchment.
The property was purchased from the Merchant family by the Restoration Trust in 1999, with the assistance of a substantial bequest by the late Basil Hewett and funds raised by supporters. The Reserve is bounded to the south by the Department of Conservation administered Mahoenui Scenic Reserve and to the north by privately owned indigenous forest (Puketiti Station) which adjoins the ecologically significant Whareorino Conservation Park (including the Herangi Ranges) to create an overall forest in excess of 14,000 hectares. The Reserve is also only seven kilometres north east of the Trust's Rauroa Bush Reserve.
Historical logging was carried out on the flat and moderately sloped sections of the Reserve, including the selective removal of large podocarps such as rimu and miro in the 1960s, with the total clearance of some small sections of forest up until approximately forty years ago. Much of the very steep slopes of the reserve appear to have escaped extensive logging.
A detailed survey of the wildlife in the Basil Hewett Reserve is yet to be carried out. In a recent visit by the QE II National Trust Regional Representative and myself, a good population of kereru/wood pigeon was noted, along with a range of forest birds such as tui and riroriro/grey warbler. A population of popokatea/whitehead is also notable.
Significant wildlife recorded from the surrounding forest includes, pekapeka/native bats, kaka, kokako, kakariki, brown kiwi, Mahoenui giant weta, and both Hochstetter's and Archey's frog. So it is likely that some of these species are permanent or occasional users of the Basil Hewett Reserve.
The Reserve is in need of a detailed survey of plant species. The initial survey work carried out indicates a high diversity of vegetation, such as the forest giants - miro, kahikatea and northern rata - a varied array of ferns and fern allies, and a range of grasses, orchids and climbers.
The topography of the western third of Basil Hewett Reserve is steep. This boundary runs along the Awakino River which sits around 120 m above sea level and rises steeply to the east to a ridge, ranging from 300 m to 485 m in elevation. The main soil type is volcanic ash, over banded mudstone and siltstone.
The Awakino River is a significant habitat for a wide variety of indigenous aquatic flora and fauna, besides introduced trout. Thus the protection of forest within the catchment is important, to reduce the level of sediment and nutrients entering the river, to regulate water temperature by providing shade, and to control the flow of rain-water thus reducing the impacts of downstream flooding and erosion. These water quality benefits are likely to be enhanced in the future, as a local farmer is working with Environment Waikato to fence sections of river edge opposite and upstream of the Reserve.
Recent animal pest control operations in the Reserve and surrounding forest have seen a goat cull carried out by the Department of Conservation, and extensive possum control by Environment Waikato in conjunction with the Animal Health Board, for the management of bovine tuberculosis in the region. Prior to the control operation, monitoring results showed extremely high numbers of possums in the Reserve, returning six catches per ten traps per night (60% residual trap catch). Post-operational possum numbers have fallen below the target level of 0.5% RTC. However the Environment Waikato possum control operation is now completed and no future control is planned. Hence the Trust will need to look at carrying out further possum control to maintain low possum numbers in the Reserve to achieve the prime benefits - the retention of vulnerable plant species, like northern rata and native fuchsia, and the protection of wildlife such as weta, land snails and nesting birds.
If you have any questions or comments on this Reserve, wish to consider the possibility of volunteering in management operations in the Trust's reserves, or want to discuss other native forest restoration issues, please contact the Trust.
David Wright, Field Officer
Dr Michael Taylor
We were sorry to receive, at our June meeting, Michael Taylor's resignation. He became a Trustee in 1996 after a career in the Auckland University Chemistry Department, bringing a lifetime's commitment to the natural world, particularly ornithology. Appointed secretary, he served us very well for six years. Such work in an organisation like ours often goes unremarked by the majority. Michael handled substantial amounts of correspondence efficiently and promptly, reporting at our monthly meetings. He dealt with national, regional and local government and people connected with our growing number of reserves. Occasionally, when there was a 'glitch' in the system, Michael was ready with a tactful word to ensure that all was well. His well-informed contributions to our debates were greatly appreciated. Recently he has taken on the editing of 'Canopy' and the process runs very smoothly. Michael will continue with this job meantime. We wish him well in all his planned activities, while looking forward to his continued involvement with the Trust.
Puketi Mokau Reserve, Northland
Possum and rat control operations are planned for 27 & 28 September and 8 & 9 November (subject to confirmation). We will be distributing Feracol and Feratox baits in biodegradable bags throughout the reserve to follow up the control work undertaken last year. Volunteers wishing to help should contact Dan O'Halloran on (09)405 0892 (evenings) or via email: puketi@orcon.net.nz
Thank You to Sponsors
The NZ NFRT wishes to acknowledge the continued help of Anton's Nursery, Cambridge, by the donation of native trees for the Trust's planting programmes. This support is greatly appreciated.
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Warmest thanks to Longley Printing, Bruce McLaren Road, Henderson, for sponsorship of the Trust's grant application to Nature Heritage Fund. This was a substantial document of which many copies were needed and the success of our application is a handsome return on this generosity.his is much the largest project undertaken by the NZ Native Forests Restoration Trust, but we have presumed to pick up the baton to res
ti Mokau, and the Department of Conservation have led to plans for the possible translocation this winter of the rare Davellia tasmanii cristata, a fern endemic only to the Puketi area. Additionally, Dan and D.O.C staff have discussed the possible future reintroduction the native wood rose (Dactylanthus taylorii) into Puketi Mokau from the adjacent Puketi Forest Reserve.
In the future, the addition of these rare plant species, along with the likely spread of kokako back into this reserve, will add significant conservation value to this already important forest. At present Puketi Mokau, as part of the larger Puketi and Omahuta ecosystem landscape, acts as an important buffer between the forest and surrounding farmland.
The conservation values of this reserve are enhanced by the dedication and hard work of Dan O'Halloran and the volunteers who participate in the reserve management. Dan has recently carried out a major poisoning and trapping operation aimed at controlling mammalian pests, such as possums, rats and stoats. The results to date are encouraging. On a recent trip into the reserve, many of the climbing and northern rata were found in full flower, which should in turn lead to further regeneration of these possum tender species.
If you would like to visit, or know more about the Puketi Mokau reserve, you can contact Dan through e-mail: orcon@puketi.net.nz Tel: (09) 405 0892 Post: PO Box 49, Kaeo, Northland
If you have any questions or comments on this article, or any management issues related to the Trust's reserves, please feel free to contact David through: e-mail: field.office@nznfrt.org.nz Tel:(09) 437 0667 Post: PO Box 1773, Whangarei
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