Survey of range proves tough task

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 52, 2 July 1974, Page 7

Survey of range proves tough task

Forest Service staff scaled sheer cliffs and slashed their way through dense undergrowth, sometimes in heavy rain, when carrying out a two-month survey of 62,000 acres of the Kaimai Ranges. The survey has just been completed. Jhe survey aims to find out the condition of the vegetation and the extent of damage, if any, by noxious animals such as deer, pigs, goats and opossum. "We are not sure whether erosion is caused by noxious animals or whether it is the result of local storm patterns. "Falls of up to 300mm have been recorded in 12 hours on the ranges and the vegetation can absorb only so much of this," said the senior forester, Auckland, Mr D. A. Black. A report from the survey, expected in about five months, will recommend an improved forest management plan to minimise such problems as erosion. IMPORTANT Mr Black said the Kaimai Ranges are important. "Streams from them feed the Waihou River which crosses the Hauraki Plains to the sea. "Flood protection work costing $14 million is now being implemented by the Hauraki Catchment Board so any information we can provide and any improvement we can make to control run-off is obviously going to be of great significance to all those living on the plains. "The ranges are also used for water supply for Te Aroha and Paeroa on the western side and Katikati and Tauranga County Council on the eastern side. "Last year the county council's water intake was washed away by flash flooding and the council is naturally concerned about controlling run-off," said Mr Black. The area surveyed is between the Karangahake Gorge and the main Tauranga-Hamilton State Highway. About 20 experienced deer cullers and all the eight foresters in the Auckland conservancy took part

in the survey. At any one time up to 12 men were out in the bush; frequently, they had to sleep out and often they had to scale high cliffs and even waterfalls and hack through dense bush to carry out their job. PLAN The men were foll'owing a plan devised by the Protection Forestry Division, Forest Research Institute, which is based at Rangiora in the South Island. The division was called in because it has the expertise obtained from similar surveys in South Island high country. The survey involved following on the ground lines that had been drawn on a map. There were about 64 of these lines, some up to 3200m, but most of them around 1600m. Each started in a stream and went in a straight line .to the nearest high point on the ridge. It was the men's job to stick to the line which they picked out by using their compasses. Two types of count were taken. The deer cullers counted animal droppings to try and establish the type and number of animals along the line while the foresters made a close study of vegetation. Mr Black said the pellet counts were taken every 20 metres along the line. CIRCLE "The men put down a circle measuring a metre in radius and on a card recorded the types of pellets found, to give an indication of the animals present at various altitudes and in varying ground conditions. "By measuring the distance between the pellets an attempt was made to try and estimate the number of animals in the area. "We are able to do this because we know certain animals have so many droppings each day." Droppings of deer, opossum, pigs, hares and goats were found. The vegetation survey was carried out in plots every 200 metres.