Thames/Hauraki Branch of Forest & Bird:

Halls Reserve Jan-March 2005

Halls Reserve Dec

Halls Reserve Nov

News 16-Sep-04

Pohutukawa home

Thames/Hauraki Branch of Forest and Bird

3 June 2005

Thames Wetlands Activities Jan-Jun 2005

The first half of 2005 covers the summer season which was prolonged into the end of April. Planting could only resume in May. The drier months allowed for support work for the project and extension of the target area to both banks of the lower Waihou, and to the floodplain of the Kauaeranga, in preparation for the winter.

Kauaeranga floodplain

A new development has been the engagement of Forest and Bird with DOC/EW/TCDC in a survey of the floodplain of the lower Kauaeranga. This area which looks like wasteland, occupies several hectares just above and downstream of the Kauaeranga road bridge. For several decades it has been grazed as part of the ponding area for the Waihou flood protection scheme. Small numbers of pied shag, mallards and herons still claim it as their habitat. It has great possibilities for:
  supporting a greater diversity of birdlife
  a recreational walkway
  improving the landscaping of Thames
and raising rather than degrading the water quality of the Kauaeranga and upper Hauraki Gulf

While Forest and Bird has only a minor role to play, it welcomes the interest of DOC, EW, and TCDC towards the idea of working together towards a refurbishment of the area. DOC is preparing a draft contract for a consultant to make an environmental assessment of the area and identifyng a consultant to carry it out.

Review of Outcomes for 2003 and 2004

Forest and Bird has originally given its attention to the area between Rhodes Park and the nearby bank of the Waihou and worked towards improving bird habitat combined with a walkway that would extend along the riverbank to Kopu. Plantings of test trees of various types were made in the saline area , in which ngaio and to a lesser extent, flax, were found suitable. Various factors have led to the walkway component being put on hold. It is dependent upon a reconciliation of EW's flood control and leasing, TCDC's recreation and utilities (oxidation ponds etc), and DOC's environmental protection functions that would permit an organised public access to the wetlands. Meanwhile pressure from land subdivision and human settlement is growing.

Plantings made in that area, at Shelley Beach, over the last two years are at risk from the tenuous nature of the boundary fence between the wetland river margins and the area out to lease for grazing. This fence is comprised of two wires sometimes lightly electrified and sometimes inert. A herd of about 50 cattle crossed the wire at a time of drought in late April when food was short. This led to the loss of about 50 young trees on Shelley Beach.

Focus has accordingly shifted to the West bank of the Waihou, downstream from Kopu bridge, in an area partly in mangroves, and under the juridictions of DOC, EW, and Hauraki District Council. This rather large area has a secure stockproof boundary and was once a haven for waterfowl. Their numbers have dwindled to insignificance over the century of settlement. In a 2 kilometre walk along the riverbank an observer might come across half a dozen pied shags and perhaps 20 mallards.

With support from Pub Charity and Thames Society for the Intellectually Handicapped the following plantings were made in 2004:

Volunteers supporting the programme have given 340 hours of their time, which was spent in planting, fertilising and checking weeds. They have also run a predator control line along the riverbank which was found to have harboured a population of possums, rats, and rabbits. A cage trap has yielded 5 possums but failed to trap any mustelids some of which are believed to be in the area. An unexpected outcome of predator
control has been the emergence of new growth on the mangroves.

Outlook for 2005

Most work during the summer has been on the West bank. There, areas for the season's planting have been defined, marked, and given knockdown sprays. Choices have been made for tree varieties on the basis of reactions by test trees planted last year in wet and sometimes saline conditions.

One new factor this year was the participation of the Thames High School Hillary Commission Challenge Team who chose conservation as their
element of community service. They, with several other volunteers,
planted about 200 trees on 15 May.

Appreciation

The ongoing support of Pub Charity, local volunteers, Thames IHC nursery is recognised. CoromandelFM has also helped raise the profile of the project by broadcasting appeals for helpers on planting days.

Comments may be made to:kow@xtra.co.nz (Ken Clark)

Thames Wetlands Activities Sep-Dec 2004

During the period the Wetlands Group has been engaged in:

• talks with local user groups and the TCDC on the best route for a walkway along the East riverbank of the Waihou
• exploring and analysing the potential for a shorebird recovery area on the West bank of the Waihou

EAST BANK

The group talked on-site with Gun Club and Aero Club along with TCDC programme manager Mike Martin in September. It was concluded that a walkway could pass Shelley Beach only at a safe distance from the Gun Club, this distance to be determined by OSH. OSH was written to in September, An inspection of the site was promised but so far this has not happened.

Regardless of whether the original walkway or a much shortened version of it is approved, its starting point would be the Kauearanga bridge. At issue here is the 200 m stretch of riverbank immediately downstream. DOC grants access to a 2 m. wide strip between the mangroves and the stopbank. But a 10 m. wide strip would allow for a more easily constructed and accessible track. To extend to this would entail a slight trim of the area used by Rhodes Park for its cattle. Errol Kingsbury, Chairman of the Rhodes Park Management Committee however pointed out that:

• the cattle are needed to keep down the weeds in the Park
• bulls form part of that herd
• public use would entail opening and closing gates
• perhaps the area contains Ngatimaru grave sites

The Wetlands group joined DOC for Conservation week in planting 30 rare/endangered smaller plants of the Coromandel. The group also weeded and staked trees planted over the last two years in the Shelley Beach area. The outcomes for these are reasonably reassuring. Some 30 of the flaxes came into flower this spring. Rabbits still pose a threat but are being contained by Talon baits.

WEST BANK

Because of holdups arising from procedures on the Thames side, an exploratory area of about 400 m x 240 m was marked out on the West bank, beginning downstream from the Kopu bridge. First plantings have been of a trial nature, of several species and in various places, to test reactions to salinity and wetness as this part is occasionally touched by high tides. Trees in the trial were sourced from:

• Environment Waikato 150 flax and 50 cabbage tree plants
• IHC Nursery
  40 flax
  60 manuka
  40 cabbage trees
  50 jointed rush
  150 coprosma propinqua
• Thames Coast Protection Society 30 pohutukawa

Though planted late in the spring nearly all these have done fairly well, except for the pohutukawa which seem to be suited to the soil but have been damaged by rabbits. A predator control line against these and other pests is in place

The site was visited by Karen Denyer, botanist, Waikato Resource Council, 0n 14 Dec. Karen identified some of the marsh plants and advised on choices appropriate to the site as shorebird habitat Though it once sheltered many shorebirds and waterfowl its present population comprises only a pair of pied shags, 4 mallard ducks, and some pukeko. The sharp decline in bird life may be attributed not only to human settlement but also to displacement of original fish in the Waihou by newly arrived koi carp.

A request has been made to meet with Hauraki District Council through its Community Services Manager Gary Paterson and Councillor Robyn Wightman to coordinate with the Council's activities in environmental protection.

ASSISTANCE

Pub Charity has continued its help with the project. A further sum of $5,972.00 was granted on 24 Dec.

Staff of Thames Intellectually Handicapped nursery at Kopurahi have helped in planning for this year's planting programmes

Coromandel FM radio has given valuable publicity to the project by airing calls for volunteers when planting days come round.

Local volunteers have contributed a total of 115 man-hours

Comments on the project are invited to be sent to Thames Forest and Bird ( kow@xtra.co.nz) or to Ken Clark