Community conservation
The battle for
Cheesman’s Bush
Graham Cheesman in his treasured forest. Photo: Chris Stott
The pressure of Auckland’s growing population is threatening one of the finest examples of taraire-puriri forest in the Auckland Region. Mélissa Irace reports.
T
he battle for Cheesman’s bush began two years ago after Auckland Transport announced it wanted to build a 32km dual carriageway through one of the last remaining stands of lowland forest in the region. Officials said the road expansion, part of the SH1 Southern Motorway network from Manukau to Papakura, would cater for an estimated doubling of traffic volumes due to urban development – new housing – expected by 2041. Part of the road expansion included building a bridge over land at Mill Road, Totara Park, Manukau, which was owned by Forest & Bird member Graham Cheesman. Only 0.8 percent of the ancient taraire/pūriri forest that once dominated this area remains today. For nearly 20 years Mr Cheesman has nurtured and protected four hectares of this precious biodiversity on his private land. The new road proposed to cut across part of this rare mature forest canopy – removing 1,500m2 of it and building a bridge across a further 500m2, felling approximately 20 canopy trees – diverse ecosystems in their own right that support a range of invertebrates, lichens, fungi and epiphytic vascular plants – and topping several more. Cheesman’s Bush is also an integral component of the proposed South-East Wildlink, which will connect the biodiversity hotspots of the Hunua and Waitakere Ranges, as well as the Hauraki Gulf Islands.
Ancient taraire to be topped for road bridge
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| Forest & Bird
When he discovered the full impact of the road, Graham and the South Auckland Forest & Bird branch joined others to raise awareness. The Redoubt Ridge Environmental Action Group’s “Save Graham’s Bush” campaign saw nearly 6,000 people sign their online petition. Forest & Bird’s legal team also stepped in to help, with Peter Anderson presenting legal submissions at the Notice of Requirement hearing in September this year. Evidence was also called by independent ecologist Nick Goldwater and South Auckland Branch Committee member Lindsey Britton. Peter Anderson said: “The fate of Cheesman’s Bush was something the hearings panel were obviously grappling with. They appeared to accept the evidence from Forest & Bird and others about the high ecological value of Cheesman’s Bush but there was no simple alternative. Rerouting the motorway away from Cheesman’s Bush would have significant cost and logistical implications. An alternative was to raise the bridge and lengthen the span. Nick Goldwater told us that the effects could be dramatically reduced by doing so, but again this came at a significant cost. We await the decision with interest.” Whatever the outcome of the hearings, South Auckland Forest & Bird branch members are clear that a road should never have been suggested for this site in the first place. South Auckland branch member and Old Blue recipient Graham Falla said: “New Zealand does not have very many man-made ancient monuments. Most of our monuments are built by nature, wonders that visitors come from across the globe to see. “Cheesman’s Bush deserves to be classified as an ancient monument, a living one, and treated accordingly. Can we imagine cutting off the head of a Greek Venus de Milo sculpture or putting a road through a medieval cathedral?” *Graham Cheesman passed away while this article was being written and before finding out the fate of his beloved ancient forest.