ISLAND SANCTUARIES.

Forest and Bird, Issue 31, 1 October 1933, Page 2

ISLAND SANCTUARIES.

By Captain E. V. Sanderson.

A visit was paid to Mayor Island during September by the writer accompanied by Mr. J. R. Kirk, one of our Executive, and Mr. Bernard Sladden, a Vice-President of the Society. Very great assistance was given by this latter gentleman at Tauranga where his launch and his guidance were given free on behalf of the objects which the Society has for its goal. Two days were spent on this sanctuary which is owned by the Maoris but not occupied by them. The island is about 27 miles distant from Tauranga, and about 3,150 acres in extent. It is an extinct volcano with two small lakes occupying the crater. The coast line is generally of a precipitous nature. Roughly speaking, the whole island is now covered with forest, mostly young, in which bird life, wdth the exception of bellbirds, is far from numerous probably because plant life, bearing winter food supplies, is not plentiful. The puriri is present but so far is not sufficient to supply the winter shortage. Many seedlings are, however, coming along. An exotic (Pinus maritima ) was firmly established around the lakes and this should be removed—now an undertaking of some dimensions. The main anchorage consists of a nice little harbour badly exposed to easterly and south-easterly winds. This is a

rendezvous in the summer months for big game fishing and herein lies a stumbling block to complete control as we were informed from several quarters that any attempt to totally exclude the fishermen would be resented in Tauranga, as the island is the only base for the sportsmen. A compromise appeared possible by jetting rights to camp on two adjacent beaches without necessarily permitting access to the inland. This would mean a caretaker during a few summer months at least. Early reports and maps indicate that there were very few trees on the island 50 years back. This was corroborated by an older Maori, Kepa Ainslie, who informed us that in those times the island was mainly covered with fern and flax, which was destroyed by introduced pigs, and most of the forest now in evidence was germinated as a result of the uprootings of the fern by the pigs which thus made a seed bed for the forest tree seeds. Kakariki were present then but when the flax and other food supplies were destroyed, they deserted the island, probably for the Alderman Islands, about 10 miles to the North, where they still prosper. After leaving Mayor Island the writer made his way up to Auckland where he was joined by Mr. Phillips Turner, late Director of Forestry, one of our Vice-Presidents. A visit was then made to Little Barrier where a new caretaker has been operating for the last 12 months. The residents on the Island consist of the caretaker, son and son’s wife, all hard working, industrious people. Much work had been completed in repairing the once dilapidated house and in the erection of fences round about the house and garden. It was the opinion of the visitors, however, that this fencing was misplaced work so far as the preservation of the sanctuary is concerned, as the object appears to have been to fence the caretaker’s cattle out of the garden, when by enclosing any stock necessary in a 10 or 20 acre paddock, for which there is ample space, the stock would have been excluded both from the garden, etc., and the bush, which is the essential part from which cattle should be excluded. This arrangement would also have enabled the caretaker to keep 10 or 12 sheep in the enclosed paddock along with the 3 or 4 cows and bull which is the maximum number of stock necessary. All birds peculiar to the island were present and were equally as tame as was their wont in former years. Pigeons, however, did not put in an appearance. Representations will be made to the controlling department in regard to having any necessary domestic stock enclosed in an efficient manner.