Ote Makura Reserve a combined approach

Forest and Bird, Volume 18, Issue 3, 1 August 1987, Page 11

Ote Makura Reserve a combined approach

by

Mike Clare

"I know a lot of people think this is a strange thing for a farmer to do — I think they have strange ideas about farmers. If I didn’t love the land and appreciate the birds and the bush I wouldn't be here."

Kee farmer, Bill Dowle, has no reason to be apologetic about the fact that he has recently reserved 614 ha of bush along the Ote Makura stream, 18 km south of Kaikoura. He is aware that on soil and water conservation grounds alone, the bush is worth saving; in adaition, though, as one of a handful of forested areas remaining on the South Island’s east coast, Ote Makura is a vital home to bellbirds, tuis, fantails, pigeons, falcons, brown creepers and the South Island bush robin. Without the help of hundreds of Forest

and Bird members, Ote Makura might never have been protected. When an appeal went out to some Forest and Bird branches earlier this year for $16,000 to fence part of the area — no money was paid to buy Ote Makura — the donations quickly mounted up. Today Ote Makura’s chequered history is behind it and a reserve is the happy outcome.

Hidden gullies

A rugged coast, violent seas, rocky vegeta-tion-clad cliffs and magnificent snowcov-

ered mountains are the impressions of Kaikoura that the passing public gain. Yet behind this spectacular coastline lie impressive bush-clad gullies hidden from view. While most of the coastal escarpment is scenic reserve, until recently these gullies have not been afforded the same degree of protection. Now the Ote Makura block, combined with the original Goose Bay — Omihi Scenic Reserve forms one of the largest reserves in southern Marlborough (1043 ha). Moves to acquire this catchment and ad-

jacent lands were initiated in the mid-1970s for soil and water conservation purposes. The Kaikoura coast is noted for its rapid climatic changes and high intensity rain storms, resulting in severe erosion of gullies and hillsides causing disruption to the main road and rail links. A Marlborough Catchment Board East Coast survey published in 1978 highlighted browsing animals and bush clearance as the two main contributing factors to erosion along the coast. Feral and domestic animals had severely depleted the vegetation under the canopy so that little regeneration was occuring. Running screes under the canopy were evident in the forest, with the long term possibility that the forest would die. Although the upper full slopes were stable, slow insidious clearing into the riparian zone was affecting the stability of stream beds. This was causing problems to rail and road links. The East Coast Survey also noted that although recreation use was coast-orientated, it was likely to extend inland in the future. This dwindling of the flora and fauna resource was highlighted, and preservation of these was shown to be in the nation’s interest.

The report recommended the Ote Makura and Omihi catchments should be reserved with appropriate retirement fencing. Shortly afterwards in response to a Department of Lands and Survey request Dr Peter Williams, of the Botany Division, DSIR, surveyed all of the reserves in the Kaikoura region. His findings were published in the booklet Scenic Reserves of Southern Marlborough 1982. The Goose Bay — Omihi Reserves received a scientific rating of 9 (0-10 scale) because of ‘‘the size of this reserve and adjacent bush distinguishes this reserve from many of the others on this coast. It has a variety of habitats, from sunny faces to deep shady gullies and this is reflected in the diversity of species." The main reserve area comprises mainly mahoe-titoki-ngaio forest with a mixture of broadleaf, pigeonwood and five finger being the other major canopy trees, while the sub-canopy is mainly mahoe. Dr Williams noted in his conclusions that the current reserve boundaries ‘‘do not make biological sense, excluding upper parts of an altitudinal sequence from the coast through to beech forest,’’ and that ‘‘the reserve should be extended to the heads of the Ote Makura and Omihi Streams."

Stock in forest Early in 1985 Bill Dowle, conscious of the importance of the bush on his property, was also becoming concerned that he could not manage his productive land as successfully as he would like. He therefore approached the Catchment Board and asked them to prepare a run plan. The steep Ote Makura bush dissected his property. He has no flat land; most of it is very steep with most of his grazing done on narrow ridge crests. Tighter sub-divisions in recent years had resulted in heavier grazing pressures and stock had been forced deeper into the forest. Bush boundaries were no longer effective and stock control had been lost. Senior Soil Conservator, Don MacKay, assessed the problem. His solution was to fence the forest — 24 km would be required! It was agreed that fencing the

bush and sub-division were the answers to economic survival, and enhancement of the bush. Both men were conscious that with the bush ‘‘destocked"’ a considerable asset was being protected. At this point the Department of Lands and Survey (Department of Conservation) was contacted to assess whether the area was worth reserving and to help explore methods of funding the fencing. Assessment of the bush revealed an exciting diverse habitat, fullfilling all the criteria that Dr Williams stated was missing from the original Goose Bay reserve. The forest in the Ote Makura rose from sea level to 960 m above sea level and although positioned in a south-easterly direction had a good mixture of sunny and shady faces with a wide range of differing aspects. The bush was relatively untouched and fell into a broad pattern of podocarp in the gullies, with red and mountain beech the dominant forest in the upper reaches. The lower Ote Makura stream reflected some of the coastal vegetation existing in the reserve system. Near the main ridge top Halls totara was evident. Along the forest fringe some areas gave way to manuka scrub, a result of past firing. While 30 percent of the forest mirrored the coastal vegetation of mahoe and five finger the presence of matai, rimu and totara along the main riparian forest was exciting. To date only one rimu had been recorded in the reserve system south of Kaikoura. Also this forest included in it many plants that reach their southern limits, species such as Collospermum haastatum and Coprosma australis. Also noted was the fierce lancewood which is found in few local areas in Marlborough, and the special Marlborough endemic bluff plants — the Marlborough rock daisy and the New Zealand lilac. Wetter, more inaccessible areas, hosted a variety

of ferns, as well as several native herbs. Everyone agreed Ote Makura should become a reserve. As access was available up the Ote Makura stream, Bill Dowle felt that if the area could be enjoyed without impeding his farming operation he was interested in gifting the land to the Crown. Fencing prohibitive The grand plan for 24 km of fencing was estimated to cost $149,000. This amount was prohibitive so a revision saw a fiveyear programme to erect 14 km of fencing at a cost of $79,450 of which $47,671 was Catchment Board grant and $31,779 Mr Dowle’s share. It was agreed that half the local share would be met by the Dept of Lands and Survey on the condition that the status of the retired lands became scenic reserve. Unfortunately in late 1986 the scheme appeared to founder. Tight economic times meant that Bill Dowle was reluctant to commit himself to a fencing programme he could ill afford. Even though the fencing would improve his operation, the cost advantages would not be readily apparent. It seemed likely Ote Makura bush would continue to be heavily grazed and damaged by stock. Enter, at this point, retired Westland National Park Chief Ranger and Forest and Bird member Allan Cragg, a near neighbour from Goose Bay who had a keen interest in Ote Makura. He mentioned the case to Forest and Bird Head Office who suggested the Society could help with the fencing to save the bush. However fast action was needed since the Lands and Survey Department was to be disestablished on March 31 and longer term funding after then was uncertain. Therefore Forest and Bird committed itself to spend $16,000, paid the money from its reserves and immediately

launched an appeal throughout central New Zealand. Members responded generously; to date the appeal has raised $10,000. Meanwhile the Marlborough Catchment Board, Lands and Survey and farmer Stuart Wood have also negotiated a comparable deal in the Omihi Stream, the next major catchment south. This proposal, funded from all parties, results in an extension of existing reserves in the Omihi catchment and along the coastal face by some 240 ha. Also a portion of the Oaro River was being protected under a covenant. This will preserve in perpetuity another major area of forest that will add considerably to a concept of a ‘‘representative reserve system." These major forests fall within the Hundalee Ecological District, an area poorly represented in reserves. Gifts of the Ote Makura and Omihi and a willingness of farmers, local bodies, conservation groups and government departments to get together for a common cause augur well for the future. It is hoped these examples will provide an impetus for land owners and the new Department of Conservation to work together in the future. Certainly if Bill Dowle’s example is one to go by, farmers see the benefits of such a common approach. ‘It's a great way of preserving the bush for the future and of sharing it with more people. I always welcomed people who wanted to come up and have a look, or go for a walk up the creek," he says. #€ Mike Clare is a Conservation Department Conservation Officer based in Blenheim. He has worked as a national parks and reserves ranger for 14 years. Mike regards covenants like the above as a priority in Marlborough and has already earmarked a number of key areas for reserve — their owners willing.