Park loses landscape architect

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 44, 21 April 1987, Page 7

Park loses landscape architect

The Department of Conservation, formerly the Department of Lands and Survey, is soon to lose its Ohakune based landscape architect. Martin Nicholls moved to Ohakune from Taupo two years ago where he worked at landscape architectural jobs and design work. His first responsibility here was to oversee the restoration along the Main Trunk Line during the electrification project. Mr Nicholl's job was to make recommendations and write rehabilitation reports as a guideline for the Railways to follow and to decide what vegetation should be salvaged after site clearance had taken place. Mr Nicholls worked in an advisory capacity to the NZ Railways Corporation to offer advice on the best ways to incorporate redundant railway land back into the

National Park. One example of this was the old Taonui track which deviates markedly from the realignment. Other projects he worked on have included restoration work on the Taihape South Deviation, Patea and Wairoa Hydro schemes and work on a series of publicity brochures featuring native plants. Mr Nicholls undertook some experimental restoration work during April-May 1985 which involved applying top soil and vegetation to an old coach road that crossed the railway line north of the Hapuawhenua Viaduct. Weed control in the National Park also featured in his job. Mr Nicholls said all machinery used during the rehabilitation of the railway line had to be meticulously steam-cleaned whenever it

was moved onto the site. He said the end result is hopefully a native forest cover with few exotic pastoral weeds such as scotch thistle that would competf successfully with native plants. Weeds need to be kept at bay until the native plants have grown to a size that will dominate other competing species. The spread of grass can pose problems as a fire risk and by attracting hares and opossums that may feed on young native tree saplings said Mr Nicholls. He said he has seen between 16-17,000 trees and native shrubs planted in the Park since his appointment. His job in Ohakune finishes as soon as his present work is complete, which includes manuka slash work, autumn planting and further supervision of weed control programmes. He will be taking up the position of Senior Conservation Officer/ Landscape Architect in Wanganui, a position which he said is similar to his present job. Mr Nicholls' new office is based in Wanganui but his area of responsibility will cover most of Taranaki and Wellington, half of Hawkes Bay and Taumarunui. He is already making trips

to Wanganui at the request of the Department and has been assisting with the landscape design of the new DOC regional office complex in Wanganui since mid-April. Mr Nicholls said he has enjoyed his time in the Waimarino, especially the pioneering aspect of some of the projects he has been part of.