#32, Winter 2001
Reaching into the Bay of Plenty
The establishment of reserves to secure and restore native forest has often been a prolonged and difficult task for this Trust. Hence we are in a very favourable situation if the hard work has already been done.
The Trust gratefully acknowledges the gift of a fine property comprising eight hectares (20 acre) on Esdaile Rd, between Tauranga and Katikati. The land has been donated as a Trust reserve by Drs Philip and Viola Palmer, who have fenced off and cared for the bush for nearly 12 years, but now have moved to Waikanae. The Palmers have a strong interest in conservation including tree planting and weka breeding projects. They wish to see their bush permanently protected and opened to the public with a picnic area and tracks, and they feel the Trust can achieve this. It will be known as the Palmer Reserve.
The reserve has regenerating native bush ranging from new trees planted by Arthur Cowan and volunteers, and older plantings by the Palmers, through to mature forest. Along the bottom boundary is an attractive stream. There are many puriri so it is a favourite spot for the kereru, and there are many other birds as well. It is adjacent to other bush blocks so overall there is a sizeable piece of forest cover, although not all is permanently protected.
The Trust will protect the block with a QEII Trust covenant. With assistance from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Environment Enhancement Fund, we hope to create tracks, signs and car parking, so it will be a very pleasant place for people to visit. The Regional Council is also keen to assist with weed and pest control to ensure its the forest's long term survival - something every reserve needs now.
A New Waikato Reserve - Kahikatea Forest Saved
We are delighted to report that the Trust is to acquire a 18.5 hectare (45 acre) block of lowland kahikatea in the Pehitawa Forest on the Mangapu River, some 5 km NW of Te Kuiti. The block's significance lies in the fact that it is one of the best stands of lowland kahikatea in the Waikato area. Supporters will be aware of the widespread use of kahikatea (white pine) for butter boxes. The fact that the trees flourished in the lowland areas meant that the cleared land provided excellent grazing. It has been estimated that from lowland podocarp forest of 1840 in what is now the Waipa Ecological District, only 0.3% remains, and much of that is unprotected.
When Trustee Arthur Cowan advised us last year that the current owners - members of the Brandon family who farm the adjacent land - were willing to sell the block to us, we proceeded to negotiate a Sale and Purchase agreement. Given the value of the timber and the land if cleared, the negotiated price of $120,000 plus GST was felt, by the Trust, to be a satisfactory result. A comprehensive and detailed submission to the Nature Heritage Fund, prepared by Trustee Tim Oliver, was most successful, being granted $100,000. The Waikato Branch of the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society generously gave us a further $5,000. We are well of the way but, taking GST into account, we still have some $26,000 to raise. Meeting this target will be the object of our Annual Appeal for 2001.
The property is situated about 1 km from the road (SH3) between Te Kuiti and the Waitomo Caves and we have negotiated access from the main road. Here the bush occupies the whole width of the narrow flood plain on the banks of the Mangapu River, and consists of mature pole stand kahikatea, some aged around 60 years (there was logging around 1940-41), with other trees over 100 years old. There are very fine specimens of mature swamp maire, matai and titoki, and some pukatea emerging near the river. The ground cover is in excellent condition and there is significant bird life.
A further advantage for the Trust is the opportunity to be involved with the fencing and care of an adjacent block of kahikatea forest, leased by the Maori to the Brandons. We are pleased, indeed, that the family has agreed to sell this property to the Trust hence keeping a scientifically important forest safe for all time.
Conservation Grant from Forest & Bird
Financial backing for the management of the Trust's Reserves is a key step towards ensuring protection of the habitat which they afford. Hence we acknowledge with special thanks a Conservation Grant of $1000 from Waikato Branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society. The main object of this grant is to enable the preparation of Management Plans for two of the Trust's recently established holdings, the Owen Lewis Reserve south east of Otorohanga, and the Basil Hewett Memorial Reserve in the Awakino district. Information brochures for these reserves will be produced as an integral part of their management process.
Fine Response to Aniiversary Appeal
In the previous issue of CANOPY we reported that more than four hundred individuals and groups had already contributed $19,000 to the our 20th Anniversary Celebration Appeal. Since then many others have responded and the figure has grown to $75,000 - almost in sight of our highly optimistic target of $100,000. This splendid result includes a donation of $25,000 from Trust supporter Malcolm Parkinson. With his wonderfully generous gift, for which we are extremely grateful, Mr Parkinson sent a simple message "Hoping you are successful in your planting of native trees." Coming at the end of a busy year this gave a huge boost to the Trust's efforts in forest restoration. We record warmest thanks on behalf of all the Trust's supporters to Mr Parkinson.
Particular thanks are also due to the E B Firth Charitable Trust for $5000 and the Wellington Branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society for their recent donation of $2000, as well as to the many individual supporters who sent special gifts marking this 20th Anniversary of the Trust's foundation.
We sincerely thank the Wellington Botanical Society for including details our appeal in their Newsletter, with a letter updating progress on the Rimutaka Extension. The response from Wellington and Wairarapa regions includes generous support from individuals and from the Lower Hutt Branch of Forest and Bird. With such help, we hope soon to meet all the costs of acquiring this large Restoration Reserve.
The new purchase will mean that we own a block of over 11,000 hectares stretching from SH2 - the main road to the Wairarapa - down to the Wellington to Featherston railway line, and linking the Rimutaka Forest Park with the Taraua Forest Park. Completing such a purchase is, we feel, an excellent use for the funds raised by the Anniversary Appeal, securing the Trust a significant place in the Wellington conservation scene.
The Trust's Hononary Rangers
In CANOPY #30 we began a series appreciating the contribution of the Trust's Honorary Rangers. Now we visit our Puketi Mokau Reserve 25 km inland from Kerikeri to meet Dan O'Halloran. Dan hails from east Otago where he joined Forest & Bird as a youngster. Following OE and a spell in Auckland, Dan and partner Viv shifted to Northland where, in 1995, he was encouraged by Linda & Michael Winch and Trustee Geoff Davidson to act as Ranger, taking courses on native plants and poison usage for pest control to strengthen his role. Guiding of Forest & Bird groups and contract work for DOC and are among his activities with good spin off for the Trust. Dactalanthus, the Wood-Rose has recently been found in a reserve bordering ours so Dan and visitors will be keeping a watch for this.
Viv and Dan live close to the Reserve, with a fine view of the Waiare Valley towards Kaeo. After the spate of reports of their energetic work on the Trust's behalf, described elsewhere in this issue, we only hope they have time to relax and enjoy it! Thank you Viv and Dan.
Congratulations to Otorohanga Zoological Society
The Native Forest Restoration Trust has from the outset been closely involved with the work of Otorohanga Zoological Society in its efforts to foster and protect New Zealand's unique wildlife. This year marks 30 years since the Kiwi House and Native Bird Park opened to the public. A celebration weekend, 13-15 July has been planned for this very signficant occasion. Tours to places of interest are featured, including Waitomo walkways to see regenerating bush areas planted through NFRT initiatives, and a chance to visit the important Pehitawa Kahikatea remnant currently being purchased by this Trust. The social side of the weekend includes a dinner with founder Barry Rowe as guest speaker. Anniversary Secretary, PO Box 222, Otorohanga has the full details.
Kiwis in the McGregor Reserves
The Trust's Professor McGregor Reserve adjacent to Waipoua Forest is a crucial area for Kiwi protection. On the evening of Saturday 28 April a team led by Trustee Kerry Walshe was in place to survey this population from six widely distributed listening posts along Marlborough Road and within the reserve. Calls were soon heard and were logged with their bearings, and carefully timed to enable the reports from the various locations to be correlated. Most calls were from male birds and, while it is difficult to put a figure on the number of kiwis present, the results gave an encouraging sign of the strength of the population. Assisting Kerry with the survey were Sue and Mike Rowledge, John Tasker, Lindsay Charman, Greg Blunden and Brad Hawthorne - thanks one and all for your efforts!
Beside the survey, a major achievement of the weekend was maintenace work to keep the McGregor Centre buildings up to stratch. Two coats of stain were applied to the exterior and other cleaning and clearing was accomplished. In the words which open Kerry's report "It was a really good weekend at Waipoua."
Possum Control at Puketi Mokau
The Trust's Puketi Mokau Reserve, like all native forest in Northland, is seriously at risk from damage by possums. To combat the threat Honorary Ranger Dan O'Halloran has been very active over recent months in organising a series of control operations, using as much assistance as could be mustered in the area. Trustee Dave Bartram took part in gathering and training the volunteers. In November the group distributed 1200 Feratox capsules in biodegradable bags throughout the Reserve. The operation appeared successful and to have eliminated 750-900 possums from the property. Inclement weather during February forced postponements before the the follow up was completed during 21-22 April. The Department of Conservation will conduct a residual trap catch to gauge the success. The removal of pest animals is a difficult but crucial aspect of the Trust's commitment to saving the forest. Recruitment of volunteers to cater for a range of fitness and bushcraft levels, while maximising the effectiveness of the total effort and dealing adequately with safety considerations, is a huge challenge, as all Trust supporters will be only too well aware. Please contact Dan on 09-405 0892 (evenings) or using e-mail (puketi@orcon.net.nz) if you may be able to assist.
Pohangina Restoration Project Seeks Help
As the leading private organisation actively concerned to restore New Zealand's indigenous forest NFRT welcomes news of similar initiatives. One such move involves the preservation of native vegetation, along with reforestation and wetland development within the Pohangina River watershed, near Ashhurst. Further details of opportunities to assist this worthwhile project can be obtained from Gordon Pilone, 386 Pohangina Valley West Road, RD 14, Ashhurst ( g.j.pilone@xtra.co.nz )
Empower's "Energy for Charity" programme helps the Trust
We gratefully acknowledge a recent donation of $2800 under the Empower "Energy for Charity" programme. As explained in previous CANOPY #31, residential customers who switch to Empower as their electricity retailer are invited to nominate the NZ Native Forests Restoration Trust; we then receive an amount equivalent to 3% of each power bill as a valuable income to meet basic running costs of the Trust's work.