Bay Harbour: August 26, 2020

PAGE 8 Wednesday August 26 2020
BAY HARBOUR
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News
Planting milestone on Quail Island
A NATIONALLY-significant
ecological project has reached
a milestone 22-years in the
making.
The 100,000th tree has been
planted by the Otamahua/Quail
Island Ecological Restoration
Trust on the island
The trust has been working
for 22 years to restore the
coastal broadleaf-podocarp forest
which originally covered the
island.
As well as planting 100,000
trees, all pests except for mice
have been eradicated as part of
an eco-restoration project in
partnership with the Department
of Conservation and Ngati
Wheke of Rapaki.
Trust chairman Ian McLennan
explained the project seeks to
plant the greatest possible diversity
of species to provide a steady
food supply for birds, lizards and
insects.
Native bird numbers are
increasing and three important
species – kereru, korimako
(bellbird) and pipiwharauroa
(shining cuckoo) have been
nesting on the island since
2016.
This is an indication that the
plantings have been a success, he
said.
Another milestone has also
been marked – totara planted
in 1998 are producing fruit, and
seedlings are growing in the
understorey, he said.
This year the trust received
funding to buy 2000 trees and
tree guards from the Ministry
for Primary Industries’ Matariki
Tu Rakau Fund.
A plaque was placed on the
island on Sunday to acknowledge
the funding, and to also honour
the memory of botanist Dr Colin
Burrows.
Burrows planned and
guided the planting on the
island between 1998 and
2014.
“It was a big leap of faith for
Colin and the original members
of the trust to start planting in
DEDICATED: Volunteers from the Otamahua
Trust and Fulton Hogan after an other
successful planting.
PHOTOS: OMAR SEYCHELL & KERRY MOORE
1998 on a dry, bare, pest infested
island,” McLennan said.
“However, the initial plantings
were a success, and soon
thousands of trees were being
planted every year by dedicated
volunteers.”
An intensive pest eradication
programme also started, and
with help from the Department
of Conservation, the trust eradicated
rabbits, rats and mustelids
by 2006.
McLennan said it will be another
100 years before the forest
bears any resemblance to what
was lost.
“The restoration project will
continue and the hard work of
the trust and its volunteers will
be enjoyed by many generations
to come.”
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