Author
Gay Munro

NZERN (New Zealand Ecological Restoration Network)

SOUTHLAND RESTORATION BUS TRIP

Saturday 7th June 2003.

In celebration of Arbor Day, the NZERN Southland Branch organised a bus trip to a number of restoration sites around Southland. The day was kindly sponsored by the Murihiku Conservancy, Department of Conservation, as well as the national body of NZERN.

The day, enjoyed by over 35 people, began at Te Waikorari, Riverton. Robert Guyton of the Riverton Estuary Care Society, had told us as we travelled on the bus the history of the area and the restoration work that is ongoing, largely on an estuarine ecosystem. The land had previously been a part of a farm and drainage work had been carried out. Since the Estuary Care Society had taken ownership they had created ponds to improve whitebait habitat. As well as this there has been extensive gorse and broom control and revegetation work undertaken. A circular track through the area makes it readily accessible to the public.

The next stop at McGregor Park, a Southland District Council reserve in Nightcaps, has an area that is being brought back from a jungle of willows to a native patch by the Wairio Stream. Eleanor Peneha has been driving this project with help from local schools and Lions Club, as well as individuals. Eleanor was particularly pleased with the result of spreading some duff from nearby forests under some willows and the totara and rimu seedlings that had come away as a result. Once again there is a walking track to help you enjoy the area.

Lunch stop was at the excellent facility at Jericho, the Te Waiau Mahika Kai Trust education centre. Caroline Spooner outlined the plans for the area and the revegetation work that had taken place to date. She described how the valley was regenerating well under the manuka cover since stock had been removed several years ago. The plan was to have a nursery there so that people can learn native plant propagation along with the traditional Maori mahika kai and medicinal values of the different native species, both flora and fauna.

A brief stop at Southland Fish & Game's Redcliff Reserve lookout enabled Fred Inder to describe the work being undertaken by the Waiau Fisheries and Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Trust at the Rakatu project. He said that a number of the planned wetlands had been created and were filling well, and there were increased numbers of birds and fish being recorded in the area.

The next stop was also a Waiau Trust property at Home Creek, just south of Manapouri. The revegetation work being done here is the project of NZERN executive member, Edith Jones. Besides support from the Waiau Trust, she has been well assisted by local Manapouri residents and Southland Forest & Bird members. Edith explained she was particularly grateful for the assistance with planning that Brian Rance, Murihiku Biodiversity Officer, DoC, had given her.

The final visit for the day was to Dave Milligan Park, Dipton. This is an interesting area with several groups involved in native planting areas. The one overseen by Men of the Trees, was an old dump site from roading works, and it was impressive to hear from Bill Neill, that the natives are now regenerating on their own account after 12 years.

Gay Munro, Southland NZERN branch member, summed up the day with the comment that although carrying out restoration projects was not easy, with weeds, stock, sprays, dry seasons, rabbits all out there to get those native plants you so lovingly put into the ground, don't give up. The day's outing had shown that it can be done and that it is well worth doing! Southland's communities are the richer for the efforts of the people who have worked on the projects that were visited that day.

Keywords
NZERN  2003 

Updated 21/11/2008 4.12AM by PIPI4