October 2009 Waitakere, Royal Forest and Bird Protecton Society Newsletter

8/8/2019 October 2009 Waitakere, Royal Forest and Bird Protecton Society Newsletter

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BECAUSE ITS OUR branch birthday this issue is in

colour, the f irst time for Wai-o-te-Kauri Stream

where the Kauri grows

Its important for an organisation like ours to plan

and look ahead. Lately ideas for new initiatives have

been developing in the minds of the Branch

Committee, including the Te Henga Wetland, and ourexistingArk in the Parkproject is challenging us with

new developments all the time. But sometimes it is also

helpful to look back and see where we have come from,

so in our 30th year, we look back at the foundation of

our Matuku Reserve and another high profile issue this

very young section of the Society was involved with.

The founding branch chairman has mentioned to me

that 1978 and 1979 were exciting but scary times to be

involved in conservation, when the general public was

not nearly so aware of or sympathetic to the cause as

many are now. Some of the proposals that wereseriously entertained in those far off days would be

inconceivable today. For instance, some seriously

suggested draining the Wetland!

Hard work in the early days has led to a strong and

active group today. We may sometimes forget that it is

the vast amount of unpaid work done by volunteers that

is the backbone for Forest and Bird. Yes, sometimes

that work is hard, thankless and even tedious but we do

it out of passion and love. Struggling up a steep incline

on a cold and rainy day while doing rat baiting in the

Ark in the Parkis far less pleasant than sitting at homein warm and cosy surroundings. But we know that

without such dedication our natural world would be

much more impoverished.

There are still ideological and scientific battles to be

fought. We need to continue to f ight for essential tools

in the struggle to control predators. We must resist

those who, cynically and purely for vested interest, use

emotion and not reason to try to mislead some into

opposing the use of key toxins such as 1080. The

Department of Conservation continues to have itsresources depleted to the detriment of the land for

which it holds stewardship. The Heritage Bill was a

great victory for the protection of the Waitakere Ranges

but there are forces ready to undermine this if we are

not vigilant. The changes being made to the Resource

Management Act such as the reduction of tree

protection is very worrying. The lack of progress in

creating a range of marine reserves is very saddening.

The failure to grapple properly with anthropogenic

climate change is of grave concern Government has

not set meaningful carbon dioxide (CO2

) emissiontargets nor established decent mechanisms to

significantly control those emissions.

Nevertheless we can take heart from the presence of

a new generation ready and willing to complement the

old warriors in the ongoing work to save and enhance

our native flora and fauna. A shining example is the

increasing number of volunteers who come to the Ark

in the Parkto help rejuvenate and restore what once

was so rich and abundant. We should also remember

how far we have come from the dark depressing days in

the 1970s when people had to chain themselves to treesto save iconic forests. At least those battles are long

over.

ROBERT WOOLF & JOHN STANILAND

WAITAKERE

Forest & Bird NewsWai-o-te-Kauri Stream where the Kauri grows

October 2009

Looking back while thinking forward

MatukuReserve Birthday Issue30th30th30

thGEOFFMOON


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THE SOCIETY OWNS and manages about thirty

reserves throughout the country from Northland

through to Southland. These reserves protect a range of

natural ecosystems and features including freshwaterwetlands, coastal broadleaf forests, kauri forests,

kahikatea forests, beech forests, coastal landforms

undergoing revegetation, and areas containing

populations of threatened bird species. At 120 hectares

Matuku Reserve is the second largest. But just how did

this jewel in the branchs crown come into the Societys

possession?

First things first! Its cultural heritage

Ko Puketotara te maunga

Ko Waitakere te awaKo Te Au o Te Whenua te tangata

Ko Te Kawerau a Maki te iwi

(Puketotara is the mountain, Waitakere is the river, Te

Au o Te Whenua is the man and Te Kawerau a Maki

are the people).

The forest and wetland are part of the area known to

Maori as Te Wao nui a Tiriwa (the great forest of

Tiriwa). Tiriwa was a chief of the earliest people of this

area the Turehu. The present tangata whenua are the Te

Kawerau a Maki, who have lived in the area since the

1600s, when their ancestor Maki settled the area.

The coast, forest and streams of the Te Henga area

may have been settled for up to 1,000 y ears and is oneof the longest and most intensively settled areas in the

region. The area has many sites of cultural significance,

including villages, pa and cultivation sites, food

gathering places, walkways and canoe landing places.

Wahi tapu include sacred places, places associated with

specific events and burial places.

The reserve is the site of a pa and an associated

kainga (village site) on the nor thern side of the

Waitakere River. It was known as Te Tuahu o Hawiti

(the place where Hawiti carried out rituals). Te Hawiti

was a famous Kawerau ancestor, also known as Te Au o

Te Whenua, in the saying above. Also in the reserve is

the sacred grove Te Uru Tapu, where rituals were

carried out, several well preserved food pits and

terraces, and a burial site.

Two centuries later

Originally what is now Matuku Reserve was part of

two larger blocks lying between Jonkers Road and the

Waitakere River whose titles were first issued by

Crown Grant in 1864. By 1890 both allotments w ere

2

Matuku Reserve Is Thirty Years Old

Matuku Forest and Wetland.


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acquired by the Kauri Timber Co Ltd and in 1923 the

company began logging the kauri timber from Snows

Bush, part of which is now our reserve. Ironically this

was the very year in which Forest & Bird was founded.

Cut stumps, logging tracks and logging chutes are

visible on the reserve. (This was the last kauri the

logging company carried out on the mainland, as it

then shifted to Great Barrier Island to continue the

pillage.)Fifty-five years later in 1978, after several changes

of ownership and two subdivisions, a major 45 hectare

forest block came on the market. The previous owner

had begun clearing some forest and had ille gally built a

short causeway through the wetland to access the land

for market gardening. John Staniland, Chairman of the

West Auckland Section of the Society (now Waitakere

Branch) who had purchased an adjoining smaller block

five years previously was concerned about the future of

this large block, especially when a number of potential

buyers considered it for stock g razing.

A conservation visionMichael Taylor, then chairman of Central Auckland

Branch, and John Staniland recognised its value as a

reserve, not only for its swiftly regenerating forest, but

also because about 20 hectares of the re gionally

significant Te Henga wetland lay within its boundaries.

This is the largest freshwater wetland in the Auckland

Ecological Region and was at that less environmentally

friendly time under real threat from some local

landowners who believed the only use for a wetlandwas to drain it and grow crops.

Therefore Michael and John jointly proposed that

the Society purchase the block. In November 1978 at

Bushy Park the Societys National Executive and

Council agreed to contribute half of the $29,000

purchase price if the rest was raised locally. (This price

was then much more daunting than it seems toda y!) A

three-year fundraising programme was initiated, but the

sum was raised in only three months, with some

surplus for maintenance work.

In the April 1979 issue of Auckland Branchs

newsletter Michael reported:

The Waitakere purchase appeal has succeeded.

The prompt response of members to our appeal

to establish a new Forest & Bird Reserve at Te

Henga in the Waitakere Valley enabled the initial

purchase target of $6,000 by 1st March to be

reached with ten days in hand, and we were thus

able to give the green light to the Society to go

ahead The wonderfully generous flow of

donations has continued, with contributions from

almost one in four of Auckland, West Auckland,and North Shore members, with help from

neighbouring branches and societies, and support

from the public, especially in West Auckland

where the sanctuary appeal was backed by the

Western Leader as a community project. The

splendid outcome is that the additional $9000,

which the Branch had needed to match the total

provided from the Societys funds, has been

achieved As a result of your support the

land will be free of mor tgage ties (it)

included an allowance for maintenance workand.several hundred yards of fencing has

already been made good by the adjoining farmer

as a gesture of goodwill towards the Society.

ABOVE The official opening of Matuku Reserve by the Pr esident.

RIGHTFounding fathers of Matuku Reserve at cliff behind waterfall John Stanilandleft, Michael Taylor right.


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The first tour of the new property was led by John

on 7 April and was promoted by the Western Leader as

a thank you to West Aucklanders who had supported

the appeal. On 3 July there was a discussion of plans

for Te Henga Reserve at a meeting attended by

Michael Taylor, John Staniland, Jack Mackinder and

Brian Hjorring. Items on the agenda which led to future

action were nature surveys, clearing of weeds and pests,

tracks and maintenance, reserve signs, registration as

protected land, organisation of the official opening, and

a permanent name for the reserve. Items that for good

reason were not later actioned were a change in layout

of the existing cabin, installation of nest boxes,

clearance of willows, and a new access from Bethells

Road.

The Society took title on 13 July, and our new

reserve was officially opened at the entrance gate on

the fine afternoon of Sunday 28 October 1979 by theNational President of the Society, Justice Tony Ellis. In

front of quite a large crowd he congratulated the branch

and section for their achievement and swung open the

gate. This was followed by afternoon tea at the clearing

by the cabin.

The first workday was held in early March the next

year. The early removal of a huge herd of goats and the

passage of time has allowed amazing regeneration and

restoration to health of the forest. In reference to the

endangered bittern or matuku that inhabited the

wetland, John promoted the name of Matuku Reser vefor the land and this was accepted by Auckland Branch.

Since then, Matuku Reserve has grown enormously by

four major additions, but that is the subject of a future

newsletter.

4

Come and celebrate the

30th birthday of

Matuku Reserve

Sunday 1 November, midday

Bring a plate to share for lunch

we will provide juice and Banrock Station wine

If you want a walk on the r eserve come

earlier or stay later

Facilities include toilet, shelter, water, table

and some seats

Meet at the cabin 200 metres behind

main gate

How to get to Matuku ReserveAfter Swanson take the right fork

into Waitakere Road (not up

Scenic Drive), up over the hill,

down past Waitakere village and

turn left after passing over the

railway. Very shortly pass the

school on the left and then take

right the fork into Wairere Road.

Drive about 5.5 km on Wairere

Road, ignoring side roads until

finally turning left into unsealed

Jonkers Road. 1km along this

road go left into narrow Snows

Lane at the Forest & Bird sign.

One kilometre down this lane pass

the viewing platform and entrance,

and reach the car park. Then parkas closely as possible 100m

further on as space is limited.

Kowhai near entrance to Matuku Reserve.


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IN EARLY September, four days before the release of

Kokako into theArk in the ParkI was privileged also

to be a guest at the ceremonial blessing at the Te

Whaiti marae of several kokako before their releaseinto the Whirinaki Forest Park. These birds had been

captured from the Otamatuna restoration area in the

northern Te Urewera National Park. Among the many

visitors welcomed by the local Ngati Whare iwi at the

marae were the Associate Minister of Conservation,

our Societys Advocacy Manager Kevin Hackwell, and

most famous of all, David Bellamy (Botanic Man)

who had played an important role in the protection of

Whirinaki Forest from logging so many years ago.

This ceremony was just part of a larger celebration

Whirinaki 25 commemorating the establishment ofthe Forest Park 25 years earlier. In the opinion of many

it rivals the northern kauri forests for the title of the

richest and best forest left in NZ. It is situated be yond

Murupara at the foot of Te Urewera National Park and

boasts the densest and tallest podocarp forest in the

country, caused by the deep Taupo eruption pumice

soils on which these awe-inspiring trees grow.

Yet 31 years ago it was the site of the most hard

fought, most ferocious, conservation battle in our

history. On Queens Birthday weekend 1978, my wife

and I with many other conservationists were on our

way to the Whirinaki Forest in one of the four b uses

that were stopped near the village of Minginui andprevented from proceeding by the local people

protesting that they wanted native logging to continue

to ensure continued employment. This occurred just a

few months after the dramatic tree sitting protest in the

tops of podocarps at Pureora west of Taupo, resulting in

the permanent halting there of forest clear-felling.

At issue in Whirinaki was the desire of the now

defunct Forest Service to experiment with selection

logging techniques. While better than clear-felling, this

method was destined to cut holes in the last

5

Memories of Whirinaki

ABOVEJohn Staniland (left) and Kevin Hackwell (right) with

David Bellamy. BELOWDense podocarp forest at Whirinaki.

L


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magnificent piece of lowland podocarp (native pine)

forest left in the country. The Forest Service hurriedly

pushed many destructive roads through and devastated

a superb basin of totara to prevent the forest being

added to Te Urewera National Park as was requested by

the conservation lobby.

Our newly formed West Auckland Section of Forest

& Bird visited Whirinaki that year at Labour Weekend

to see the issues for ourselves. It was organised by our

first vice chairman, Brian Hjorring. A Forest Service

person proudly showed us the clearings resulting from

the selection logging, and the many young podocarp

saplings they had planted there to tak e the place of the

logged individuals. These foresters were desperate to

prove they could sustainably manage a forest, as they

have for centuries in Europe. There was no doubt they

had been careful, and this selection logging was a huge

improvement over Pureora-type clear-fell. But they

were intending to modify the last and best lowlandforest of its type in the land, and we were not

convinced.

A long and bitter battle of words ensued within our

Society that nearly split Forest & Bird in two. In my

opinion the Pureora and Whirinaki episodes mark the

lowest point of our organisation. Many timid Society

members and leaders in our executive wanted to remain

popular with the Government and its agency, while the

stirrers, of which we formed part, were prepared to

fight hard to save a treasure. Such polarisation had

earlier caused the splintering off of a major gingergroup, the Native Forest Action Council (later the

Maruia Society) which was trying to shame Forest &

Bird into real action. At this heady and exciting time

we were buoyed by Professor David Bellamys

promotion of this special dinosaur forest, and b y

highly respected scientists Prof John Mor ton and Prof

Alan Mark, whom we elected to the National

Executive, as well as Sir Charles Fleming and Dr Ian

Pryor (who worked in the background). True

conservation won the day and the Whirinaki Forest

Park was gazetted, the reason for the recent historicalcelebration.

Footnote: During these festivities we were taken by a

professional forester into the same selection logging sites we

had seen over 30 years before. There was no obvious damage

except for a gap of a few trees in the canopy: those earlier

foresters had taken great care to make minimum impact.

However the saplings they had planted as a crop for the distant

future had nearly all disappeared or were extremely stunted,

because the required huge follow-up effort over several years

to release the young trees into the sunlight by trimming other

vegetation away had not been made. In other w ords the trial of

sustainable selection logging had been a failure.

JOHN STANILAND

From the archives

Our field trip programme from 30 years ago when we

were still a section:

October 1979 Explore the less familiar features of the

Bethells area with Don Binney.

December 1979 Follow the route of the old PihaTramway along the West Coast. Leader: John

Staniland.

January 1980 Learn about insects and the Bush with

entomologist Brenda May on the reopened Fletcher

Track.

March 1980 See a Kauri Dam (Black rock dam) and

learn some uncommon plants with Jack MacKinder.

Operation Possum Blitz

The Titirangi Ratepayers and Residents Association iskeen to work with individuals and groups who want to

control possums in the Waitakere Ranges foothills using

traps. June Henderson and Linda Graham have been

working together on the project following a meeting of

the Friends of Arataki in February. They are coordinating

the distribution of traps in Titirangi and have around 60

traps available for loan. If you would like a trap then

please contact June directly on 817 8315 or Linda on

817 4338.

If there are possums on your property you should

catch them within 10 days. If you have no success thenplease return your trap so it can be given to someone

else. The best bait is an apple. Carcases should be

buried on your property or wrapped in newspaper and

put out in your Council rubbish bag. Possums cause a

great deal of damage to recovering bush and a single

animal can destroy large amounts of vegetation every

night as well as eating baby birds and eggs. They have

no natural predators in New Zealand, breed twice a year

in our favourable conditions and are a major threat to

the health of the Ranges.

The ARCs Operation Forest Save has been verysuccessful in the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and

possum numbers are still low and under control here.

However this is not the case for the foothills w here they

are increasing and where it is not as easy to use poison.

You can make a difference by trapping the possums on

your property and encouraging your neighbours to do the

same. There is a report of an individual in Green Bay

with two traps who has caught over 70 possums in three

months! The Waitakere Ranges Protection Society is

looking for local coordinators in the Laingholm, Oratia

and Green Bay areas who can hand out traps to

individuals and record the results of the trapping. If y oudlike to be a coordinator for your area please contact Mels

Barton on 816 8337 or [email protected]


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Update on Kauri Collar Rot disease

KAURI ARE DYING from collar rot in the Auckland

region and the Waipoua forest in Northland. In March

this year our Branch sponsored a well-attended public

meeting in Titirangi where an analysis of this problemwas presented by the ARC. Since then a Joint Agency,

including DOC, MAF, the ARC and other local

authorities have mapped the disease spread and has

been granted $4 million by Cabinet for research into

actions (like the scrubbing stations, track upgrading

and re-routing work and signs and publicity to raise

awareness). Unfortunately however a major bid to fund

essential research on the disease itself has just been

rejected and this could slow progress towards a cure

considerably.

ARC has installed disinfection and boot scr ubbingstations at the entrance to and at major junctions of k ey

tracks. It is also considering progressively re-routing

tracks away from some kauri areas over a number of

years, and upgrading tracks in other areas of extensive

and dense kauri even by boardwalk where necessary.

The focus is on general kauri health to relieve stress on

the trees, particularly on their roots, which could lead to

weakened resistance to this fungus-related menace.

Pigs are believed to be a major vector of the disease

and ARC has increased the number of licensed hunters

in the Waitakere Ranges resulting in the destruction of340 pigs in 2008-9, a major increase. The effort now is

on dealing with remaining scattered concentrations.

However, hunting on its own cannot eradicate pigs

since they breed fast and illegal hunters are known to

release pigs, so a poison is cur rently being trialled inthe Hunuas. Our Societys Matuku Reserve at present

shows no sign of the disease, but as a precaution we

have installed boot cleaning and spraying stations at the

two entrances.

What you can doBefore you go into any bush make sure your boots are

free of mud, and use the cleaning and spraying stations

before entering the tracks in the Waitakere Ranges.

Please consider volunteering to replenish the special

liquid used at the stations if you walk in the Rangesreasonably often. If you are interested in helping

provide this service so rangers can do other impor tant

jobs contact Alison Davis, Senior Ranger Conservation

ARC phone 817 0084.

Areas in the Ranges showing dead or infected kauri in red

tracks in purple.

Two new books

West, The History of Waitakere

Finlay MacDonald & Ruth Kerr (eds.)

Published by Waitakere City Council, this is a handsomevolume concentrating on the history of Waitakere City

and the area known sometimes as West Auckland.

Contributions by a large number of well qualified

authors cover a range of topics from the histor y of our

lovely coastal villages to the economic and political

history of the area, and the ar ts and crafts of the vibrant

communities which have grown up here. An outstanding

feature of all the articles is the wonderful photographs

from the earliest days of settlement of all aspects of life

in the west. Comparison will undoubtedly be made

between this book and WRPS Waitakere Rangespublished a few years ago. Westhas a slightly different

vision, covering more of the human activity, although

there is reference to the natural environment in several

articles notably Simon Grants chapter entitledCall of

the Wild. Historically the writing is full of lively and

interesting facts and stories that are easy to read. It is a

large book, one that can be savoured chapter by chapter

over a long time, and is well worth a place on any

bookshelf in the west.

Castles in the Sand: What's happening to the New

Zealand coast?EDS (Environmental Defence Society) has recently

released a new book titledCastles in the Sand: What's

happening to the New Zealand coast? The book,

authored by EDS policy analyst Raewyn Peart, tells the

story of the NZ coast - the histor y of the coast, what it

means to New Zealanders, and what we need to do to

care for it for future generations. The book is a great

read and is richly illustrated with historical and

contemporary photographs including many taken bynotable photographer Craig Potton. Copies of the book

can be purchased from EDS http://www.eds.org.nz

BOOK REVIEWS COURTESY OF WRPS


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Kokako ReleaseClear ringing bell tones, octave jumping cadences,

mews and soft burblings all carried magically in the

valley where invited guests walked in the early post-frost morning. Accompanying us to the release site

where the first kokako to be seen in the Waitakere

Ranges in over 50 years were waiting, these kokako

calls although emanating from an acoustic anchoring

speaker system erected high in the sur rounding forest

were still thrilling to us. Hopefully they were fulfilling

their real task of convincing the two boxed kokako that

had endured capture, then days in a temporary aviary,

then an overnight 5-hour drive from the south Waikato,

that they were in a good neighbourhood!

Some 150 guests andArkvolunteers had assembledfirst at the beginning of the Auckland City Walk where

a welcome and karakia from Er u Thompson, a Te

Kawerau a Maki tribal kaumatua, was delivered.

Councillor Mike Lee, chairman of the Auckland

Regional Council (ARC) spoke next thanking the

combined efforts of the ARC staff, the Department of

Conservation (DOC), and particularly theArk

volunteers who have enabled this historic event. The

dawn chorus of tui and other birds frequently

punctuated the speeches while pairs of putangitangi

(paradise duck) flew overhead and keruru performed

their territorial stall-dive manoeuvre. Half a kilometre

into the walk, often smelling the scent of Alseuosmia,

we stopped and waited surrounded by tall kauri, which

for centuries previously would have hosted kokako in

their branches.

Hazel Speed of DOC, who had driven through the

night with her precious cargo, extracted each bird

holding it while Councillors Lee and Coney offered

drink and food. Managing to disguise winces as smiles

as the birds each in turn pecked her with strong beaks,

Hazel then placed the kokako onto the sloping trunk of

a sapling where, sensing their freedom, they boundedrapidly toward the canopy. Joining in, two of the

recently released robins flew around the spectators

while, as Eru sang a small waiata to the kokako, a male

hihi sounded his territorial call overhead. Bush and

Beachs minibuses shuttled people back to the Golf

Club House where Rosemary Stagg and Karen Colgan

with an army ofArkvolunteers had prepared breakfast.

More speeches, including an address from Forest &

Birds new President, Barry Wards, and then gifts to the

Ngati Rererahu and Pauakani iwi members who hadcome also from the Waikato to be involved in the

release of the birds gathered from their tribal forests.

Then suddenly the official ceremony was over and it

was time to reflect. To reflect that a dream of 10 y ears

that kokako be released into the Waitakeres had been

realised. Is it their arresting song, their handsome

colourings and burglars mask, their robust size, or all

of these that made them so desirab le right from the

beginning as a prime goal for re-establishment?

The first pair was joined two days later by another

three birds and through the next few weeks it is hoped

that the full quota of 20 will be captured and

transferred. Capturing kokako and releasing them into

theArkis not the end of the story though and long-term

monitoring is essential. Hazel Speed, a DOC research

scientist who has been involved in the Hunua Ranges

with its remnant kokako population and its new

transfers, is supervising the monitoring team and on a

wonderfully warm spring day Hazel held her f irst class

at the Ranger Station. Nearly 30 volunteers had come

to learn basic kokako surveillance. The first

requirement of 5.30am starts will be challenging to

most, but there was no shortage of keen volunteers. Inteams of four to f ive, they will be out early trying with

the radio transceivers to detect each bird, and then by

Ark in the Park News

SIMONFORDHAM

Hazel Speed releases a bird.

JDAVID

SON,ARC


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triangulation to narrow the search so that visual

contacts are made. Also monitoring the acoustic

anchoring and dispersal of the birds for his PhD will be

David Bradley from University of Waikato assisted by

Kate Richardson, who studied our hihi release for her

MSc.

Acoustic AnchoringThe idea behind acoustic anchoring is that playing

songs of kokako through loudspeakers will encourage

them to set up ter ritories, by making them believe its

good habitat and that theres food available. Original

releases late last century failed because of the dispersal

of the transferred birds, whereas when acoustic

anchoring was used at the northeastern Bay of Plenty

translocation in 2005, 12 birds remained in thesanctuary with pairs formed and a successful breeding.

As the dialects of the two populations from which our

Arkbirds will come differ widely, we will not only be

studying acoustic anchoring in general, but also the

function of the dialects, their influence on dispersal,

and whether they are maintained in a mixed

population. It will be seen whether the birds prefer to

pair up within the same dialect group. The two dialects

will each be broadcast from a set of three speak ers

spaced out around the release site. They will play for

1012 days after release, but as the birds will becoming in small numbers at intervals according to the

catching success, the speakers may be in use for 23

months. Changing the dialects from speaker to speaker

will ensure that any patterns of dispersal will not be

biased because of the speaker site.

DAVID BRADLEY

Supporting CastNot forgotten by any means are our previously

translocated robins and hihi. More volunteers have

been steadily observing the robins released in May and

the first two nests were found late in August. Themildest August since records began may have had an

influence here. Several dedicated volunteers have

patrolled their particular patch of the Arkseeing pairs

form and territories establish. Meanwhile Andy

Warneford, Grant Capill, and others have started the

hihi hunt and already have found birds setting up in

two of the previous nest sites with nest b uilding

behaviour being observed.

Class Action

Departments of Environmental Studies, or Ecology,Environmental Management, or even Forestry have

usually been the source of the various students, both

local and overseas, who have studied or interned at the

Ark, but now a newcomer

joins the list. Students from

the South Seas Television and Film Production School

have been involved in filming a documentary around

the kokako reintroduction for their f inal semester

project. Graduates from the f ilm school have gone on

to positions in local and overseas TV and film studios.

Toni Dodds and her colleagues behind the lens and

sound boom have been filming aspects at the Arkof

our trapping and baiting regime, the success of which

allows transfers to take place, and also f ilming the

erection of the sound equipment used in the acoustic

anchoring of the released kokako. Shortly, Toni and

Dave Skinner will attend one of the catching w eeks at

the Mangatutu forest in an attempt to f ilm an actual

capture and then will return for footage of the post-release monitoring.

SignsAlthough the majority of people visiting the Cascades

Kauri Park (the site of the Ark in the Park) come by

road and pass our colourful decorated shelter at the

road junction, there are no other signs announcing our

managed area at the many other hiking access points to

theArk. With funding obtained from the ASB trust,

several signs have been erected informing the walking

public that they are entering the special sanctuary of

theArk in the Park. A robin features on some, a hihi on

the remainder, and recently Rangers Riki and Jason

withArkvolunteers transported these sturdy

informative signposts to key track junctions.

BaitingMany hands make light work they say and the

presence of 94 hands on the f irst day of the baiting

season at the beginning of August (and 72 on the

second) sped us on the way to our shortest-ever

baiting. With good turnouts on volunteer days in the

weekends and some contracted volunteers workingweekdays, the first cycle was completed in just over

six weeks. Even more remarkable was that this

included baiting the additional 120 hectares of the W

and D blocks where bait stations have been placed

since last season.

Until the next time

JOHN SUMICH

Ark In The Park Contacts

Karen phone: 837 0443

email: [email protected] phone: 818 5267

email: [email protected]


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10

THE MOTU MANAWA (Pollen Island) Marine

Reserve is located in the Waitemata Harbour bay

traversed by the State Highway 16 stretch of the

Northwestern Motorway that runs between Waterviewand the Rosebank Peninsula in Auckland City. There

are two low-lying islands within the marine reserve:

Pollen Island, which is a scientific reserve

administered by the Department of Conservation; and

Traherne Island, which is owned by Land Information

New Zealand for the purposes of motorway

development.

Pollen Island is cut off from the Northwestern

Motorway by a tidal channel and an inter vening

expanse of mudflats. By contrast Traherne Island is

bisected by the motorways route into two parts: anouter, seaward segment that is inaccessible from land

because of regulations prohibiting pedestrians on the

motorway, and an inner, landward segment accessible

from the public cycleway that runs along the inner side

of the motorways edge. Both islands are recorded

habitats of rare and endangered bird species such as the

fernbird, the banded rail, the spotless crake, and the

New Zealand dotterel, as well as being home to many

marine and estuary birds, and native plants.

In mid-September of this year we paid visits to both

the landward and seaward sides of Traherne Island and

also Pollen Island. The landward side of Traherne

Island can be most conveniently reached on foot by

entering the cycleway access point adjacent to the

Rosebank Road motorway onramp. From there it is a

short and pleasant walk along the cycleway throughmangroves and along the edge of the motorway to inner

Traherne Island.

However, the sheer density of vegetation on the

island and unpredictable unevenness of its g round

persuaded us to abandon attempts to b ushwhack our

way directly across it and instead, because it was low

tide, we walked part way round its shore across sedge

and mangrove mudflats. Although weed species are

present on the island, most evident is the exuberant

native plant cover, including flax and cabbage trees,

grasses and sedges, saltmarsh ribbonwood, and the treedaisy Olearia solandri.

We listened for fernbirds to no avail, but surely they

must have a suitable habitat on inner Traherne Island

unless predators have driven them off. We found the

going through the sedge and mangrove flats boggy and

scratchy, and would recommend wearing gumboots or

at least tramping boots and full length sturdy trousers

to protect against the splashing mud and unforgiving

vegetation, but what we saw convinced us that inner

Traherne Island deserves proper public boardwalk

access and educational signage to enable better

observation and appreciation.Subsequently we visited outer Traherne Island and

Pollen Island by boat with Mike Percy of the Pollen

Island Care Group. We ventured forth at high tide

because the waters are so shallow and waded ashore to

help Mike collect sackfuls of the plastic rubbish that

washes up along the islands beaches. The seaward

sides of Traherne and Pollen Islands have huge white

sculptured shell banks built up from the remains of

estuarine bivalve molluscs.

The soil substrate was also visible: a dark coloured

foundation of fresh water peat swamp from thePleistocene era that was overlaid from 17,000 years ago

by lighter marine marsh sediments as seawater levels

Travels to Pollen and Traherne Islands

Pollen Island seabirds.

MICHAELCOOTE&KENTXIE

The big cleanup

M

ICHAELCOOTE&KENTXIE

L


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These are usually held at the Kelston Community

Centre on the corner of Great North Road and Awaroa

Road starting at 7.30pm and feature illustrated talks.

Occasionally they are held at the Kelston Boys HighSchool staff room (corner of Archibald & St Leonards

Roads) at 7.30pm. Refreshments are provided and

donations for the hall hire are appreciated. Note:

several talks are subject to f inal confirmation. For up-

to-date information contact Ted or check the Waitakere

Branch site http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-

we-do/branches/waitakere.

All queries: phone Ted Erskine-Legget on 817 5208.

Thursday 18 February 2010

Luis Ortiz-Catedral will talk about the biology and

conservation of parrots, with particular reference tothe red-crowned kakariki. Luis is doing doctoral

research at Massey Universitys Institute of Natural

Sciences at Albany focusing on newly translocated

populations of New Zealand parakeets. He has vast

experience in the capture and translocation of birds

both here and overseas.

Thursday 18 March 2010

Michael Coote and Kent Xie will tell us about the

ecology of Pollen Island, with particular reference

to the likely effects of the widening of StateHighway 16 on the fernbird population. Michael

and Kent have been very active in restoration

initiatives on both Pollen and Traherne Islands.

Thursday 15 April 2010

Mick Clout will discuss the science behind sa ving

the kakapo. Dr Clout is Professor of Conser vation

Ecology and Director, Centre for Biodiversity and

Biosecurity at Auckland University. He is also

Chair of the SSC/IUCN Invasive Species Specialist

Group. Micks personal interests centre on the

ecology of New Zealand birds. This started with

early research on the effects of plantation forestry

on birds. More recently, he has published work on

kakapo and the ecology of NZ pigeons (Hemiphaga

novaeseelandiae). He has conducted a series ofstudies and developed field techniques that are now

routinely used with endemic birds.

Thursday 20 May 2010

Mel Galbraith is going to talk about the birds of

Motu Kaikoura. Mel is Senior Lecturer in Natural

Sciences at Unitech. Mels interest in natural

history, especially ornithology, has lead to

involvement in many ecological restoration

projects. Initially these were on islands, but

increasingly are within urban Auckland. His

application of ecology has been especially

concentrated on four projects Tiritiri Matangi

Island, the Miranda RAMSAR site, Chatham Island

Taiko expedition and the Waitemata Coastal

Sanctuary Project (North Shore City).

Thursday 17 June 2010

Dave Bell will make a presentation about saving the

New Zealand falcon (Karearea). Dave is National

Falcon Survey Coordinator for the Raptor

Association of New Zealand.

The Raptor Association of New Zealand (RANZ)

launched the National New Zealand Falcon Survey

to collect and collate presence records of NZ f alcon

from throughout New Zealand. The survey was

intended to provide an up to date picture if the

distribution of the NZ falcon and to provide data

that could assist with an overall population size

estimate which could lead on to a re-assessment of

the conservation status of the falcon.

EVENING MEETINGS

11

rose at the end of the last ice age. The land vegetation

of Pollen Island was mainly sedges and saltmarsh

ribbonwood, while mangroves proliferated around the

fringes. We saw many seabirds and wading birds such

as gulls, terns, herons and oystercatchers, and once

more listened in vain for fernbirds, which we concluded

did not call much at that time of y ear.

Mike said he had heard fernbirds calling out to each

other on previous visits, despite the presence of mice

and rats on Pollen Island, so we are conf ident they are

still there. The 360 degrees view of the inner WaitemataHarbour was spectacular from the seaward shore of

Pollen Island and a visit there is to be recommended for

Forest and Bird members. We were very grateful to

Mike for taking us out to Traherne and Pollen Islands

for what proved to be a magical day. We concluded that

Forest and Bird, which did so much to have the marine

reserve established and managed Pollen Island for a

decade before the Department of Conservation took it

over, should once more become actively involved in

conservation activities there.

The need for Forest and Bird involvement has

become more pressing since it was officially

announced in September this year that the

Northwestern Motorway is going to be signif icantlyincreased in height and width where it runs through the

marine reserve and across Traherne Island.

MICHAEL COOTE AND KENT XIE


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Wear strong, non-slip shoes or boots and bring

rainwear, jersey, lunch and drink (for full day trips).

Trips are usually held wet or fine, but if in doubt

phone the bookings person for conf irmation.Please note: bookings are essential for all trips. All

Bookings: Glenys on 832-6238 (except as noted

below).

Sunday 1 November 2009

Celebrate the 30th birthday of our Matuku

Reserve with wine and birdsong

Time: Midday or earlier

Meet at the Matuku cabin see the detailed notice

on page 4.

Saturday 13th February 2010Twin Streams Walk Opanuku Stream

Time: 9am - 12 noon

Start and finish at Border Road. Park in Border

Road or Taranui Place and then walk the Opanuku

Stream walk/cycleway, celebrating bringing

our streams back to life and health.

Sunday 21st March 2010

Visit to Miranda

Time: 9.45am 3-4pm

Meet at Miranda Shorebird Centre at 9.45. Hightide is about midday. The best bird viewing is two

hours either side of high tide. We will have a talk at

the centre before heading down to the shore (the

charge for the talk is $3.50 per person). Janie

Vaughan will be our guide do wn at the shellbanks.

For carpooling meet at Kelston Community Centre

at 8:15am.

Book by Thursday, March 18th and indicate need

for, or offer of, transport.

Sunday 18th April 2010Ark in the Park walk

Time: 10am at the Cascades car park at the end of

Falls Road

We will take a circuit along Upper Kauri,

Fenceline, Tramline and Anderson's tracks. Come

and enjoy an autumn day in some beautiful bush

which is now home to some of our rare species of

bird. We will aim to be back at the car park mid-

afternoon.Newsletter Editor Robert Woolf

[email protected] are welcome.

HELP NEEDED

We are promoting the work of Forest & Bird in

West Auckland through stalls at the Oratia Farmers

Market and other locations and we need severalmore members to join a committee member on

these stalls once a month. If you ar e interested in

this opportunity please ring Chris Bindon on

8336363.

Give us yourunwanted magazines

Do you have any old Forest & Birdmagazines that

you would like to donate? We would like to use

these in the promotion of our Society. Please bring

these to the evening meetings or phone Margaret

on 837 5274 to arrange collection.

FIELD TRIPS

Deadline for next newsletter

25 February 2010

This November Waitakere Forest and Bird are

hosting Forest and Birds North Island

Conference at Motu Moana Scout Camp near

Green Bay. We encourage all members of Forest

and Bird to attend it is a g reat opportunity to

meet people from other branches as well as find

out about what is happening nationally.

Registration (for day time only) Friday

evening through to Sunday afternoon is $70.

Part of the conference will be a trip to Ark in

the Park on Saturday afternoon. This will be

followed by a hangi with fellow F&B people

from all over the North Island. The Conference

will include a workshop on how to effectivelylobby politicians. All enquiries to Janie Vaughan

on 8179262 or email: [email protected].

North Island Forest & Bird Conference

Documents

October 2009 Waitakere, Royal Forest and Bird Protecton Society Newsletter