Key Reserve Features

Forest and Bird, Volume 17, Issue 4, 1 November 1986, Page 5

Key Reserve Features

BULLER 4 Paparoa National Park (30,000ha) e largest intact tract of warm lowland forest left in New Zealand. exceptionally high diversity and abundance of native bird species. New Zealand's last large unspoilt lowland karst (limestone) landscape. outstanding scenery from coastal pancake rocks and blowholes to jagged mountain crests. Atbara-Nile (Park Addition) 3,800ha e excellent set of forested terraces not represented in other reserves. Kohaihai (5,460ha) e internationally important Honeycomb Hill caves containing excellent sub fossils of extinct birds. © beech-free forests on the Oparara Plateau. e good numbers of kaka, great spotted kiwi and landsnails. Oparara (6000ha) @ nation’s finest example of mixed podocarp beech forest on alluvial surfaces. e dense wildlife communities. @ outstanding amenity values. Little Wanganui (3100ha) e best example of terraced valley forest in the Karamea District. Ngakawau (9400ha) @ major terrace sequence of forest communities. e high bird populations and two species of large land snails. Karamea Bluffs (3300ha) © representative example of coastal forest on visually prominent steeplands. NORTH WESTLAND BEECH FORESTS Deepdale (5100ha) © major representative reserve in the Reefton Ecological District.

e beech-podocarp lowland forest on easy terrain. outstanding wildlife values with high numbers of kaka and parakeet, and one of densest robin populations in North Westland. Winding Creek/Johnny Walker (1100ha). proposed addition to Coal Creek EA. best remaining example of kahikatea forest in region. lowland and hill country forest with very high kaka numbers. Tawhai (6000ha) proposed addition to Big River EA. nation’s finest example of hard beech forest, and transition to rimu forest. key area of kaka habitat in North Westland. Mt Harata (1600ha) e best remaining example of tall red beech terrace forest in Grey Valley. e@ known habitat of rare yellowhead and good numbers of more common forest birds. adjoins middle gorges of Grey River, a nationally important wild and scenic river. Ahaura Gorge (1100ha) outstanding sequence of forested river terraces unrivalled in North Westland and probably of international significance for the monitoring of soil and vegetation development over time. forest surround of Ahaura River Gorge, a wild and scenic river of national importance. very high parakeet numbers. Otututu (1500ha) e river terrace and floodplain forest communities poorly represented in existing reserves. Moonlight (210ha) © best example of lowland terrace forest in Blackball Ecological District.

Maruia West Bank best developed red beech stand in South Island on regionally unique glacial landforms valley floor forest with excellent populations of robin and parakeet. outstanding scenic values. CENTRAL WESTLAND PODOCARP FORESTS Card Creek (1600ha) @ virgin forest on prominent limestone ridge. e addition to adjoining Card Creek EA essential to ensure viability of its wildlife populations. Kaniere (500ha) e only remaining example of dense rimu hill forest in Hokitika Ecological District. Doctor Hill (1250ha) e best remaining example of warm mixed podocarp foot slope forest providing optimal forest bird habitat in Hokitika district. e rare lowland population of blue duck. e scenic forest at mouth of Doctor Creek valley, a popular tramping route. Upper Totara (2440ha) nationally important area of pink pine forest. best example of lowland kaikawaka forest in Hokitika District. isolated population of robin and type locality of land snail. Kakapotaki (450ha) @ striking coastal ridge with high amenity values. representative examples of coastal and swamp vegetation, podocarp forest, silver pine associations. forest and swamp bird populations including robin and bittern.