DOC fires

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 288, 30 May 1989, Page 4

DOC fires

From page 3 thorities such as local authorities, the New Zealand Fire Service, volunteer groups and exotic forest owners, DOC has not had to carry all the financial burden, Mr Kelton said. About half the actual cost of fighting fires on conservation land usually came to DOC. In return DOC helped the other authorities with fires on land under their control. Commenting on the Whangamarino Wetlands' condition, four months after its disasterous fire, DOC botanist Robyn Irving said it was showing signs of improvement. "I still believe it will

take 20 years to recover, but we have found black mudfish back in the area where large numbers died during the fire. Whether they're survivors or have moved in from other areas is hard to tell," she said. "There's still no sign of bird life in the burned area, that will take a while. The birds will wait until there's vegetation cover again." The area's vegetation has shown itself to be "very resilient" and a University of Waikato botany masters student, Cathy Jones, has begun a two year vegetation survey to monitor the wetlands' future recovery, Ms Irving said.