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Natural regeneration vs re-vegetation By Jason Christensen

I have just spent a week at the south end of Kapiti Island helping DoC with their Rodent Audit. Whilstthere I had time to reflect on how this end of the island is very similar in many ways to Mana Island. Itwas also farmed until about the 1930s. But as far as I am aware there was never any planting done at thisend of the island. The vegetation and soils seems very similar to Manas but it has all been leftto naturally re-vegetate.

The species mix is also very much like Manas, and it has its areas of single mix species. A lot of thevegetation is not much higher than on Mana but yet this island had an extra 50-60 years head-start onMana. Certainly there are a few different bird species to help spread the seeds around but Mana will behelped in this regard with the recent translocations.

One thing that stood out as I was working my lines, is that Mana Island will be ahead of Kapiti in 50-100years time as it has had a good amount of Podocarpus species planted which Kapiti is lacking on thefarmed areas. They will come in time however, as they spread out from the forested areas where thecanopy species have survived farming and burning.

Nature will win in the end but it is very much worth the effort of you all putting on those woollen hatsand wet weather gear to head out on a rough se,a getting wind-blown spending the day planting the

Rock smaller than Kapiti, to one day have Mana Island the best Island Restoration project in the lower North Island. A great effort everyone.

Pigeon Post April/May 2013 From Mana Island

It certainly seems that the summer sun and dry is rolling into an unsettled and wet autumn, as it should.Things have definitely greened up out here. We had reached a point in February/March where we wereon the cusp of closing the island down to visitation due to the fire risk.

The Shore plover transfer of 15 juveniles went well in late February. Once released from their aviary tendays later, at least half have committed to setting up for the long haul on the island. One of the birds wholeft has been seen regularly on the Manawatu Estuary near Foxton. His colour leg band combination isWhite/Green White/Green is an indication of where his true allegiance lies; pre-release I had alreadynick-named him Manawatu. Lets hope his mate with the band combo of Green, White and Orange,whom I named Irish doesnt have any funny ideas!! As to where the other birds have ended up, whoknows, but if you are out and about on the adjacent Wellington coastline keep your eyes out for any of our Shore Plover friends.

A team from the Cape sanctuary were successful in catching about 90 Cook Strait Giant Weta. Theycombed the islands tracks after dark armed only with head torches and brave hands to secure their quarryin individual ice cream containers for the transfer to the Hawkes Bay the following day.

The Friends of Mana Island (FOMI) were joined by an enthusiastic team from one of their sponsors(Brother International) to undertake maintenance work on the concrete gannet colony. This involved theunenviable tasks of weeding and spray-painting the fake Gannet Guano around the birds. They enjoyedtheir trip and went away with an appreciation of the work being undertaken out here.

Every year at this time the island is surveyed for the presence (or, as is hoped, the absence) of Rodentsand Mustelids (Stoats) to ensure the island remains pest-free. Specially trained dogs are used to check theisland for signs. This year they were able to confirm that neither rats, mice nor stoats were present.

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As the days shorten and winter begins rolling in, work on the island ticks over. A couple of groups of Kiwi Conservation Club kids are heading out soon to help with some biosecurity, tree planting andcoastal clean-up work, as well as to learn about life on Mana and its importance as a pest-free sanctuary.

Mitre 10 Takahe Rescue, as they did last year, are helping to fund the building of more capture pens for the island Takahe programme. This will involve Mitre 10 staff and volunteers assisting in building pensfor birds in time for pre-breeding season transmitter, banding and health checks.

These additional pens will enable us to catch some newly paired young birds. For genetic reasons they arenot the most useful pairings so they will be separated and pair-bonded with other birds from down South.All this arranged marriage business doesnt sound all that fair, but sometimes we have to be cruel to bekind. With an entire population of only around 260 birds, managing Mana Islands population amongstthe other island and mainland populations for the best genetic diversity is crucial. For a very rare andflightless bird these Takahe seem to get around the country alright!!

Well thats about it for another month or two.

Ka KiteThe Islanders

Whitireia Park Restoration Group Planting Days

You may be interested in helping out at the Whitireia Park Restoration Group planting days this year. Wehave 2 public planting days:

1. Sunday 16 June from 10am to 1.pm - (backup day if wet Sun 23 June)2. Sunday 14 July from 10am to 1pm - (backup day if wet Sun 21 July)

This year we are extending the very successful dune planting at a bay we call Cable Bay which is aneasy 8 minute walk east of Onehunga Bay following the coastal track. We will have signs to follow for those who are unsure. I have also attached a map.

There are several different jobs to be done on the day. For the more physically able we need help toextend the post and rope fence around the planting site to keep motorbikes off the plants. Other tasks onthe day are to plant spinifex and pingao and back dune species and the third task is to put on plant

protectors to keep the rabbits from eating the plants. The planting is very easy for both children andadults.

During the July planting day we will be planting the wetland at the same bay and finishing off any coastal plants left over from Day 1.

If you are not local and are unsure about the weather, as it can be different at Whitireia Park from other areas of Wellington, contact Chris Gibbons 027 264 0871.

Both days will be followed by a BBQ lunch, (sausages & bread and hot drinks), we even cater for vegetarians!

Please pass this on to anyone who you think would be keen to help.

Robyn Smith, Whitireia Park Restoration Group

http://www.naturespace.org.nz/groups/whitireia-park-restoration-group

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