Army shows farmers around the spread

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 613, 21 November 1995, Page 1

Army shows farmers around the spread

Around 80 farmers, wives and children took advantage of last Thursday's farm tour to the army training area in Waiouru. Organised through land management officer John Mangos by Taihape veterinarian Graham Joyce, the tour involved travelling to the end of the Argo road, stopping along the way for informative talks by Mr Mangos, local historian Tony Batley and Department of Conservation representative Bill Fleury. The group was told how the Central Plateau is some of the oldest land in New Zealand and were shown features that the sea had eroded two million years ago. Mr Batley explained how trout and horses were introduced and talked about wildlife past and present, including discoveries of moaremains andgizzard stones in the area. Mr Batley also told of land ownership and changes, and sparked the majority of questions the group asked throughout the tour.

Mr Fleury told of DoC' s involvement in the area and

explained the training area is very special botanically, carrying some 42 species of rare plants, 10 of which are found nowhere else in the country. He briefly went over the proposed Kaimanawa wild horse management plan that is being prepared to send to the conservation minister, Denis Marshall. The object of the plan is to contain horses in an area that has very little special qualities, which will involve some method of population control, Mr Fleury said. Mr Mangos told the group of pest and weed control undertaken by the army and outlined the main problems. "The biggest threat after horses, and I'd have to say that horses are the biggest threat in this area, is pinus contorta," Mr Mangos . said. At present around 16,000 hectares of land is cleared per annum. Other threats include fire, horatium and rabbits. Rabbit poisoning has been carried out over the last three years and Mr Mangos Turn to Page 2

Army shows farmers the spread

FROM PAGE 1 said he believed the problem was now under control. Once into the sub-alpine area there were many comments about the fragile environment. Mr Mangos said this area takes about 60 years to recover from any damage, whereas lower down recovery can occur within four years. Scars of fires including the Ohine fire mark the landscape. Lunch was spent at Westlawn Hut where about 40 trees have been banded to protect the native mistletoe from possums.