Project Crimson Takes Over 245-hectare Reserve

Forest and Bird, Issue 300, 1 May 2001, Page 6

Project Crimson Takes Over 245-hectare Reserve

roject Crimson’s sponsor, ~~ Carter Holt Harvey, has donated a 245-hectare block of largely virgin hardwood-podocarp forest to the trust. The forest, which is located in the Utakura valley, northwest of Kaikohe, has been described as a ‘spectacular piece of land’ by Project Crimson trustees. The site’s remote location saw the forest remain largely untouched through two generations of ownership by the Austin family, according to he chief executive officer of Carter Holt Harvey, Chris Liddell, who is also chairman of Project Crimson. ‘Carter Holt Harvey and the

Austin family have been neighbours in this area for some years, and employees of the company had noted the conservation importance of the Austin block, says Chris Liddell. ‘As the company’s neighbouring land was of little commercial value, but was useful for farming, a swap seemed the optimal solution’ Mr Liddell says the gifting to Project Crimson was seen as a unique opportunity to protect a remnant forest with large northern rata stands, which are of great interest to the trustees. A preliminary survey of the land, conducted by a Project Crimson Trustee, Dave Bartram, shows that it contains

a wide range of native trees, including northern rata Metrosideros robusta, flowering white rata vines, and yellowflowering rata Metrosideros fulgens. Other trees include stands of mature and developing kauri, dense stands of rimu, kahikatea, totara, matai and kawaka. "While there is some evidence of possums, the overall crown health and vigour are exceptional, says Dave Bartram. ‘Even very exposed ancient trees look very healthy. ‘I would go so far as to say that this is the finest remaining example of unmodified Hokianga forest that I have seen during more than 45 years

working as an arborist and in the field of tree health. This forest is of great importance to both Project Crimson and New Zealand as a whole, A complete flora and fauna species list has yet to be prepared, but Peter Anderson of the Department of Conservation confirms that the land ‘has the finest stand of oldgrowth podocarps ,with the greatest diversity of indigenous gymnosperms from any single site in Northland today. This is also the last dense podocarp stand remaining in Northland, and we are delighted to see it protected, Project Crimson’s land sits between two DoC parcels which together give around 1200 hectares of land under protection. Over the coming months, Project Crimson will be working with tangata whenua and the Department of Conservation to develop a comprehensive management plan.