Boardwalk to protect native plants, not trampers' feet

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 587, 23 May 1995, Page 3

Boardwalk to protect native plants, not trampers' feet

People walking the Round the Mountain Track to Lake Surprise from the Ohakune Mountain Road during the summer will have

noticed a 650-metre section of boardwalk recently built by the Department of Conservation. The project was under-

taken by Lincoln University students Catherine Simpson and Pim de Monchy and overseen by Conservation Officer Tim Mitchell. Although some trampers may now find the track "too easy" the boardwalking was constructed with the primary objective of protecting the fragile sub-alpine environment and any ease of walking that has ensued is a bonus, said Tim. He said the section of the Mangaturuturu Valley was becoming a series of eroded tracks as trampers started making a new track alongside the original to avoid

the mud and water. The new tracks in turn became eroded and so the whole process would start again until the problem was metres wide in places. Crossboards have also been put into place to act as debris dams impeding the water flow along the track thus assisting natural revegetation. Some of the species being protected by the boardwalk are the alpine sundews (Drosera spp) which are unique in that they feed on insects. They do this because their habitat is waterlogged and often low in nutrients so they gain their nutrients from unwary

passers-by. Sundews exude a sticking liquid which traps the insects and digests them. Other species including the tussocks, hebes and gentian are damaged by heavy foot traffie. This project complements the previous summer' s work of a similar nature and there is now approximately 1200m of boardwalking from Lake Surprise to 300m east of Mangaturuturu Hut.