A 'Mini Mainland Island'

Forest and Bird, Issue 302, 1 November 2001, Page 43

A 'Mini Mainland Island'

he 11-hectare Little Bush Reserve can be regarded as one of New Zealand’s smallest mainland islands, due to more than 40 years of pest control by Rob Whittle. When he purchased the farm containing Little Bush in 1950, the forest was in a bad state from cattle grazing and past logging. At first, he fenced the forest and then around 1960 began a sustained pest-control programme. His tally included hares, rabbits, possums, rats,

stoats, ferrets and hedgehogs. Though the reserve was subdivided off and bought by the Society in 1989, utilising a legacy and local funds raised by the Napier branch of Forest and Bird, Rob has continued the pest control. Little Bush is notable for its constant birdsong, particularly bellbird and tui, and its significant insect population. The pest control has also ensured the survival of the hundreds of white mistletoe

Tupeia antarctica that occur throughout the reserve. A single specimen of green mistletoe Tleostylus micranthus is also present, growing on a horopito on the fenceline near the entrance to the reserve. Overall the vegetation consists of kahikatea-matai-rimu-tawa-hinau forest with titoki, lemonwood, pokaka and occasional miro and totara. Pockets of tree ferns are common throughout. Little Bush is situated near

the end of Little Bush Rd, Puketitiri, to the northwest of Napier. A circular track which meanders gently through the forest takes about 45 minutes.