May 2013 Newsletter - Forest and Bird

May 2013 Newsletter
President: Debbie Waldin Phone 06 368 3337 Secretary: Angelina Smith Phone 06 367 3776
Early Days in Forest and Bird
Nave Bird Protecon Society
On 28 th March 1923 the inaugural meeng was held.
Mr. McKenzie an ex-prime minister was elected
President, and Captain Val Sanderson was the Secretary.
The first campaign was the eradicaon of sheep, goats
and cats from Kapi Island. Also they published a poster
“Save Our Nave Birds” which was posted at every
railway staon in New Zealand. People traveled a lot by
train in 1923. Very quickly it was realized that you
couldn’t save the birds unless they had somewhere to
live, so the ‘Forest” was added. There was a big
campaign to plant nave trees in all school grounds. In
1953 at the me of the coronaon of Queen Elizabeth,
the Society was honoured with the ‘Royal’ tle, and so it
has remained. Since then the Governor General,
represenng the Queen, has always been the Patron of
the Society.
Some of our Pioneers
Captain Val Sanderson regarded as the founder – was
first Secretary later President
Sir Thomas McKenzie – 1 st President also former Prime
Minister of NZ. Most famous for exploring in Fiordland,
pioneering the MilfordTrack, Lake McKenzie on the
Routeburn Track named aer him.
Leonard Cockayne – Founded Otari Nave Plant Museum
Sir Robert Falla - Discovered the last of the takahe in
Fiordland
W H Guthrie-Smith - Hawkes Bay conservaonist well
ahead of his me, wrote books, protected Lake Tura and
founded the Outdoor Pursuits Centre.
Perrin Moncrief – instrumental in formaon of Abel
Tasman Naonal Park. She was called the bloomer lady
because she wore shorts.
John T Salmon – published the “Nave Plants of NZ”.
Norm Dalmuir – from Levin, Naonal Treasurer for many
years.
Charles Fleming – famous naturalist, birds and plants,
lived by Waikanae Estuary.
Audrey Eagle – botanist and painter, author “Eagle’s
Trees and Shrubs”.
All these people won the Loder Cup, which is sll awarded
every year to outstanding conservaonists, and they were
on the Execuve of Forest & Bird at one me.
The Coming-of-age of Conservaon
In the 1970’s there was a big campaign to stop the
Government raising the level of Lake Manapouri. This
really caused people to become aware of the need for
conservaon and protecon of our special places. A
peon of over 250,000 was presented to the
Government asking not to raise the level of the lake, and
Forest & Bird’s membership grew at that me in leaps
and bounds.
In the 1980’s a new era began. A new Conservaon
Officer was appointed and the campaigns began. Logging
of nave trees was stopped; chipping of beech logs was
stopped; the Dept of Conservaon was formed; the
Resource Management Act was passed, and a World
Heritage area was declared in South Westland, all within
a few years. Joan Leckie

Reading the History of the Otaki
Gorge through the Vegetation
Ian Cooksley, our local DOC representative and a
foundation member of the Horowhenua Branch, led
this March trip along the Gorge Road as far as the
Gorge. We shared transport and stopped at 8 key
sites along the way to view the vegetation that
gives clues to past activities.
Our first stop was at the Totara Tunnel Reserve,
where there is a remnant stand of Totara hugging
the fenceline, each tree surrounded by rocks.
These trees are treasured by nearby residents as
well as the so called ‘consumption’ stone walls made
by relief workers during the depression years to
use up the hundreds of stones that covered the
paddocks.
Next stop was Waihoanga just by the present
swing bridge leading over to the settlement. The
Lawsons cypress here were planted for shelter and
just before the bridge at the Mansells homestead
a Gingko and Redwoods were planted. This was the
site of a flourishing settlement in the 1930s and
Andrea Hirschberg, who came with us on the trip,
told us that there are once again 40 residents
living over the bridge.
Onto the water ford, or “the splash” as the locals
call it. Near to the former site of the Isbister Mill
on the terrace above the road is a grove of
eucalypt trees planted as an alternative to milling
pine. The tramline leading to the mill ran for 4 kms
around the face. The local council offered to
bridge the ford but local pressure ensured that it
was retained.
Shield’s Flat was our next stop. Here there is a
platform with a large information board telling of
the history of this area. A pig farmer, Paddy
Shields, wife and 10 children settled near to here
during the depression years and the stone walls
were made as pig pens by the relief workers. A lone
spreading fig tree, planted many years ago, stands
alongside the road.
The Monument by the roadside was our next stop
with the great view of all the streams and rivers
meeting to become the Otaki Forks. Again there is
still a shelter belt of Lawsons cypress and just
across the road, there is still evidence of the
school, P.O. and orphanage, as well as the remains
of a variety of herbaceous shrubs in the clearing.
Ian pointed out an interesting shrub on the side of
the road that has leaves that smell of peanut
butter when crushed.
Further along the road at the overnight parking
area there are many hydrangeas and herbaceous
shrubs bordering the parking bays and Ian pointed
out a South American Beech tree planted as a trial
for future logging.
Our final stop of the day was School House Flat
where, to our surprise, the huge pine trees planted
by the Arcus’s have just been removed- they were
deemed to be a danger to the many campers that
enjoy this site over the summer months. Hazelnut
trees mark a former orchard and the single Miro
tree on the grass was in the garden.
Thanks for taking the time to share this history
with us Ian and we do hope that you will get time
to write it all down for future reference.
Margarette

“GODWITS OF THE MANAWATU ESTUARY”
Our March speaker was Jimmy Choi and he gave us a
fascinating talk on this subject. We all thought we knew
a great deal, but Jimmy was able to tell us much more,
as he has just completed his PH.D at Massey University
on Godwits and has even spent time in China doing the
field work.
There are 5 sub-species and the male godwit is smaller
and darker in colour with a slightly shorter beak. They
have a very strong gizzard and feed on worms, shrimps
and shellfish swallowing these shells and all.
Centuries ago people thought that they buried
themselves in the mud when they disappeared but we
now know of their migration patterns.
Birds are caught in a variety of nets in order to band
them and attach tracking devices to study them. Each
colour band indicates a certain study area and it has
been found that they return to exactly the same place
each year. They appear to have an internal calendar,
follow exactly the same route but also watch the
Trip to Pohangina 6 April 2013
The weather was lovely in Levin, but not quite as good in
Pohangina. However, an enthusiastic group of fifteen
walked the Pohangina Wetland run by a trust started by
Gordon and Anne Pilone. A well maintained wetland, not
many birds about but we did see a pair of black fronted
dotterel and a grey teal It started to rain towards the
end so we retreated to Lutterell’s who had offered us an
undercover place to have our lunch. This was great and
after we had eaten the rain cleared and we were able to
walk around the bush and wetland here which is on the
opposite side of the road to the Pohangina Wetland.
Luttrell’s have a very interesting museum which we also
visited. We finished with Devonshire tea at the Country
Fayre Café. Lena
weather and can leave slightly earlier if a storm is
brewing or later to avoid unfavourable conditions.
While in NZ they moult, grow strong new feathers in
preparation, stock up on food in readiness and are able
to shrink their internal organs to make them sleeker
and lighter for the marathon flight. They fly non-stop
to China, some 10.000Kms, stop over to feed and rest
then on another 6500Kms to Alaska where they breed.
One of the problems now facing our remarkable godwit
population is that the stop over spots in Korea are
being reclaimed as fish breeding ponds and so without
these stop over feeding/rest sites, there has been
quite a decline in the numbers of godwits over the last
period of years.
A very special night for all present. We were all
impressed by Jimmy’s enthusiasm and detailed
knowledge of this topic. Margarette
Margarette
Some of the group at Luttrell’s Tim Luttrell front right
Pohangina Wetland 2000 and 2012

DID YOU KNOW?
The Australasian Gannet
Takapu
This bird provides one of the most
dramatic sights around the NZ coast as it
plunges into the sea at high speed for fish.
They drop from heights as great as 30
metres , at speeds of up to 145kms and
tuck their wings in close to their body as
they slice into the water. Long narrow
wings, like those of the gannet, are built
for gliding and soaring on the air currents
created around cliff faces.
There are three accessible mainland colonies in
NZ - Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay, Muriwai,
a West Auckland beach, and the closest to us across
the water is Farewell Spit where 900 pairs nest.
Return Address
Horowhenua Forest &
Bird
C/- L. Berger
5 Gordon Place
LEVIN
Curlew at Ohau Estuary
Photo by Lena Berger
HELP NEEDED
For many years Naomi has been our very
efficient treasurer and now that she is
approaching 90years old she would like
someone to understudy her in this role with
the view to taking over the job in 2014.
There is a computer programme to enter all
the finances so all that is needed is a
computer, and some skill in operating this
programme.
Naomi would give you all the help needed to get
up to speed.
Any volunteers?
Talk to Naomi or any committee member about
it if you’re interested.
NZ is considered to be one of
the best places to
view gannets.
We would like to thank the Eastern &
Central Community Trust for their grant
which is enabling us to produce our
newsletter in colour.
A Tribute to Pauline Jackson
In February we were saddened by the passing of one of
our keen members Pauline, after a courageous battle with
cancer over the last 4 years.
Pauline was a keen observer of nature , loved the
outdoors, and came on many of our tramps. Before the
onset of her illness she was very fit and loved scrambling
over rough terrain. She will be greatly missed by our
organisation and by all who were fortunate to know her.
You were an inspiration Pauline.