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Wellington City Council

Introduction | Indigenous Plants | Forest Restoration | Planting Plan 2006 | Weed Plan | Trapping

Forest Restoration Five Year Plan (2005-2010)

Goal

To facilitate significant progress towards the restoration of Makara Peak to a healthy native forest.


Aims

  • Reduce and maintain possum numbers to a residual trap catch rate of less than 5%
  • Control the goat population to less than five goats in total in the park and maintain a 200m wide goat-free buffer zone around the park
  • Re-establish missing/threatened native canopy trees - rimu, rata, titoki, white maire, kohekohe, hinau, tawa, kahikatea, miro, pukatea, matai and totara
  • Encourage kereru (wood pigeon) and other native birds into the park to help distribute seeds by planting - tree fuschia, pigeonwood, cabbage tree, tree lucerne, ngaio, lemonwood, flax, kapuka and kowhai
  • Remove pest plants and plant out the riparian zone alongside Karori Stream within the park
  • Plant out high fire-risk areas with fire-resistant native species (eg: flax and ngaio)
  • Control the spread of key weed species such as old mans beard, wandering willy, African club moss, buddleia, German ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, pampas and pine trees.
  • Reduce mustelid numbers in areas with high tui or bellbirds nesting
  • Eliminate feral stock and pigs from the park
  • Gain a better understanding of the restoration process on Makara Peak
  • Improve the legal protection of land in the park

    Note: The Makara Peak Supporters have a philosophy of planting one tree for every metre of track through regenerating native bush.


    Key Strategies and Actions

  • Supporters fill possum bait stations throughout the park in February, July, August, September and December.
  • Support neighbours efforts to control possums and goats on their land.
  • Encourage the hunting of goats in the Park by WCC contractors. Supporters offer a bounty for goat control on neighbouring land in buffer zone.
  • Plant 1000-1500 native trees in the park each winter (see planting list) with increased emphasis on missing species. .
  • Release seedlings in November/December.
  • Have WCC engage a weed control contractor to eliminate old mans beard and control other key weed species. Small control measures to be undertaken by Supporters.
  • Maintain mustelid trap lines in forested areas providing habitat for native birds.
  • Have WCC engage as required hunters to eliminate pigs and feral stock from the park.
  • Monitor and record the results of pest control and planting efforts. (WRC to monitor possum numbers every 2 to 3 years)
  • Lobby WCC to secure legal protection (with Reserve status) for all land in the park by 2007.
  • Work with Greater Wellington to establish a Stream Care group for South Karori Stream by 2008.
  • Ensure WCC keeps fencelines intact and cleared for fire mitigation.
  • Establish greenbreak areas clear of gorse 10-20m from roads on NW boundary.


    • Makara Peak Annual Planting Plan 2002

    Summary
  • 3000 trees planted from mid May to mid August.
  • Many will need to be released twice in the following summer.

  • To increase biodiversity
  • To improve landscape values
  • To reduce the fire risk

    Available funds
  • WCC conservation grant ($10,000)
  • Project Crimson grant ($1000)
  • WCC friends of budget ($2000)


    Northwest Boundary/Zac's Track - 1000
    To reduce fire risk
    500 Ngaio (WCC friends)
    140 Flax (tenax) (WCC friends)
    80 Kamahi (WCC friends)
    80 Rata (project crimson)
    200 Zac's grasses (Zac)
    Other suitable plants: Totara, kowhai (lower), kohuhu, lemonwood, cabbage tree
    South Karori Stream and carpark area - 1000
    riprarian restoration project, paid for by WRC.
    100 Wineberry
    100 Coprosma grandifolia
    200 Five finger
    20 Rangiora
    30 Karamu
    40 Cabbage tree
    30 Akeake
    20 Tree fuschia
    30 Kapuka
    40 Koromiko
    20 Kanuka
    30 Manuka
    30 Mahoe
    40 Ngaio
    40 akiraho
    10 heketara
    80 flax (tenax)
    30 Kohuhu
    40 Tarata
    10 Lancewood
    30 Kowhai
    30 Tree lucerne
    Trickle Falls - 200
    beat the gorse to areas that residents clear and increase biodiversity
    40 Ngaio
    30 Tree Lucerne
    10 Kowhai
    10 Lacebark
    10 Kohuhu
    10 Cabbage tree
    10 Flax around edge of track and boundaries
    10 Lemonwood
    20 Fivefinger
    10 Rimu (WCC cons)
    10 Totara (WCC cons)
    10 Rewarewa (WCC cons)
    10 Miro (WCC cons)
    10 Kahikatea (WCC cons)
    Varleys Track - 200
    Improve landscape values and reduce the fire risk
    80 Ngaio
    80 Flax (Phormium tenax)
    20 Oleria panniculata
    20 Tree lucerne
    Upper Nikau Track/Goat exclosure - 300
    increase biodiversity - WCC conservation grant
    40 Nikau (except these are from Mike)
    40 Pigeonwood
    40 Miro
    20 Rimu
    20 Totara
    20 Kahikatea
    20 Tawa
    20 Kohekohe
    20 Pukatea
    20 Hinua
    20 Tree fuschia
    20 Kamahi
    Sally Alley extentions - 300
    increase biodiversity - WCC conservation grant
    60 rimu
    50 Tawa
    30 Kohekohe
    30 Miro
    30 Tree Fuschia
    20 hinau
    20 Maire (black)
    20 Toru
    20 Rata (from project crimson)
    20 Nikau (from Mike)
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    Wellington City Council