2. Mangatawa catchment consents for earthworks, storm water ...

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Figure 10. Beca plan 3932036-G034 showing the approximate extent of the Hungahunga / Toroa
ridge on which subsurface archaeological remains may be present.
Unrecorded archaeological sites
The majority of archaeological sites and features in the Bay of Plenty are unrecorded
and will only be identified following topsoil removal. Recorded archaeological
features only represent the surface expression of sites and these features generally do
not represent the full extent of a site. Typically a shell midden exposure in coastal
Bay of Plenty indicates the presence of more extensive subsurface archaeological
features. Ploughing and discing have often had little effect on these sites, which
generally retain high archaeological integrity following such activity.
It should also be recognised that drained swamp and wetland environments often
contain artifact rich archaeological sites as the anaerobic environments can preserve
organic materials that rarely survive elsewhere. Many wooden and organic artifact
assemblages have been recovered from wetland sites throughout the Bay of Plenty.
Wetland areas within the construction corridor have the potential to contain such sites
especially given the high concentration of archaeological sites on the surrounding hill
country and dune plain.
Land within the proposed construction corridor that is most likely to contain
unrecorded subsurface archaeological features include the subdued back dunes on the
northern side of the alignment between Te Maunga and Mangatawa Lane, the
ignimbrite and tephra based ridges extending across the alignment in the vicinity of
Kairua Road and Taranaki Lane and the intervening former wetlands