Little Reserves Preserve Local Character

Forest and Bird, Issue 308, 1 May 2003, Page 48

Little Reserves Preserve Local Character

PETER WHITE

completes his review of the Society's lodges and reserves.

This series has shown what a diverse range of vegetation, landforms and ecosystems are protected in Forest and Bird’s own reserves. In this final feature we visit the Hutt Valley, South Canterbury and Otago.

Conway's Bush, South Canterbury

The 2.5-hectare Conway’s Bush Reserve is one of the Society’s smallest reserves. It lies at 260 metres above sea level, on an old river terrace of the Waihi River. The reserve was bequeathed to the Society in 1988 by Stanley Conway, who had bought the block to retire on. At the instigation of South Canterbury Branch Stan made efforts to protect the forest and remove stock. He also planted an arboretum with his brother and built dry-stone walls around parts of the property. The forest areas of Conway’s Bush are dominated by totara-matai forest with some kahikatea and narrow-leaved lacebark. In addition the walled arboretum contains non-local species, including various beeches. The reserve is relatively free of plant pests due to twice-yearly work by the South Canterbury Forest and Bird branch since the 1980s. Ongoing work is required to combat weeds invading the reserve from the surrounding area including common ash, and sycamore maple. There are numerous bellbirds in the reserve and kereru nest there. Conway’s Bush is accessed from Rae Rd, off the Woodbury- Waihi Gorge Rd, 11 kilometres northwest of Geraldine. There are no tracks in the reserve.

Percy Leonard Moore Reserve

Dunedin Forest and Bird manages this 4.4-hectare reserve along with a contiguous 3.2-hectare reserve belonging to the Department of Conservation. Moore Reserve is in two parts, the larger portion to the west of the road and a smaller portion to the east. It is located at the junction of Thompson and Leith Valley Roads, 5 kilometres north of Dunedin. The contiguous DoC reserve is, in turn, one of a series of forest areas known as Leith Valley Scenic Reserve. The Society’s reserve was bequeathed by Percy Leonard Moore in 1974. Its western portion consists of kotukutuku (tree fuchsia) with mahoe, horopito, tarata and emergent pokaka, totara, miro, rimu and pahautea. There is one impressive 800-year-old rimu. Groves of manatu Plagianthus regius occur on the alluvial flats. The Leith Stream, impressive with its bed of mosscovered rocks and boulders, lies at the bottom of this forest near the road. The eastern portion of the reserve is largely open grassland that is being revegetated. Over the years much voluntary work has been done in the reserve, including planting of specimen trees, fencing, the removal of macrocarpa, control of exotic plants and animals, and revegetation. The reserve has a through track and a loop track taking about one hour to traverse. The Leith Stream is unbridged, so visitors need to take care negotiating the slippery boulders.

Ecclesfield Reserve

Ecclesfield Reserve is managed by the Upper Hutt Forest and Bird. A forest of hard beech and black beech, with some rimu, is a feature of over half the 4.7 hectares while the rest is covered in manuka-kamahi shrublands and a small area of tall kanuka forest. Located on Blue Mountains Road in Upper Hutt, the reserve was donated to the Society in 1965 by Esther Mary North. It is named after her aunt Isabel Ecclesfield, who moved there in 1919 and bequeathed it to her. Together with Frank Phillips, Esther and Isabel maintained the property and developed tracks through it. The southeastern boundary adjoins Fendalton Recreation Reserve, administered by Upper Hutt City Council. An unformed paper road covered in manuka-kamahi forest runs along the northeastern boundary. The paper road separates Fendalton and Ecclesfield Reserves from the Witako Scenic Reserve, a 60-hectare area of regenerating forest administered by the Department of Conservation. Contiguous forest areas extend from adjoining private properties. Work done in the reserve by the Upper Hutt Branch includes control of exotic plants particularly gorse, track maintenance, and some limited revegetation. The reserve has a network of tracks and several lookout points provide visitors with expansive views of the surrounding countryside. — PETER WHITE has been compiling management plans for the Society’s reserves from his base on Waiheke Island. Details of the Society’s lodges and reserves, compiled from reports by Peter White and others, may be found on the Society’s website, www.forestandbird.nz