Open Space issue 103 - November 2022

Word from the chair

The wind down to the end of the year has felt like it has come around a lot quicker than in recent years. Perhaps it’s a sign of life returning to – or should I say adjusting to – the new ‘normal’.

Looking back on the year, it has certainly shaped up to be busy and eventful. We have grown, both in experience and numbers, while staying true to our core values and our main objective – to inspire conservation on private land.

We were excited to welcome back events, a valuable part of connecting with our members. One of our most notable events this year was to celebrate reaching 5,000 registered QEII Open Space Covenants, which we’ve highlighted on page 8. This achievement was a collective one, each covenant protects a site of ecological, landscape, geological or cultural significance. These all add up to over 190,000 hectares of private land, protected by people across Aotearoa New Zealand who want to make a lasting difference. It was great to get local landowners together to celebrate the milestone in rural Wairarapa, hosted by the McDonald family, whose fifth covenant became QEII’s 5,000th registered covenant.

The sad news of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s passing was a significant moment this year, not just for us but for the world. Our connection to Her Majesty goes back to 1977, when the Trust was formed and named after Her Majesty in honour of her silver jubilee. I hope that her passion for conservation will be remembered through the work that we continue do in partnership with our covenantors.

We were also deeply saddened by the passing of Brian Molloy in late July.

Brian was a highly respected member of the conservation community who was well-known for his botanical knowledge. He had a long history with QEII as a previous board member and high-country rep. Brian was described by his colleagues as captivating and awesome and will be missed by the whole QEII whānau – you can read our tribute to Brian on page 32 as well as a tribute to Southland conservation legend Jan Riddell on page 35.

For our research and science-minded readers, we have a great article about pollen fossils found in a wetland on Tim Brownlie’s Frasertown farm, on the inland route to Gisborne. The pollen fossils provide an incredible insight into the plants that would have been found in the area up to 3,000 years ago. You can find the story on page 22, including some great photos of our native species under the microscope.

This issue also contains an excerpt of our 2021-22 annual report on pages 14-19. The full version will be published on our website. As well as financial information, it highlights some of our major achievements for the year, including new covenants, monitoring visits undertaken, our work with other partners, supporting members and an overview of the work we are doing as part of the Government’s Jobs for Nature funding. I hope you enjoy this issue of Open Space and I wish you all a wonderful summer ahead.

Bruce Wills Chair

Close up of moss and lichen. Photo credit: Malcolm Rutherford

Digital subscriptions for Open Space

Earlier this year we launched our new digital subscription, to ensure our members can read Open Space it in the way that suits them best.

If you would like to switch to a digital subscription, you can let us know by completing this form. This is also available to be completed online on our website, in the ‘Publications and Resources’ section.

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New photo for envelopes

Our Open Space packaging gives us the opportunity to feature one of your special protected places and share it with our readers.

The photo used on our current envelope was taken earlier this year, in the underground cave Te Ana o Te Atua – The Cave of the Spirit, in the Waitomo District.

This unique underground cave is protected by a QEII covenant and is a fascinating insight into an ancient world. The tomo or sinkhole openings

at the top of the cave have trapped and hidden away bones of animals that once roamed around Waitomo, such as moa.

Along with the bones are impressive stalagmites, stalactites, and the remains of a long-abandoned riverbed, which is the former passage of the Mangawhitikau stream.

Glow worms can also be found along the pathway with subtle lighting powered by solar panels to help visitors find their way. The photo gives

us an inside view of the cave and this unique covenant.

Te Ana o te Atua – The Cave of the Spirit, can be visited as part of the the Spellbound glow worm and cave tour. More information can be found on their website glowworm.co.nz

If you have a photo of your covenant that you would like to feature on a future envelope for Open Space, please send a copy of the photo with a short description to editor@qeii.org.nz

QEII CEO, Dan Coup, speaking at the 5,000th covenant event in the Wairarapa

In October this year, we were excited to celebrate registering the 5,000th Open Space Covenant, adding to the growing number of QEII covenants all over the country, protecting biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand for future generations.

ABOVE

The McDonald family with QEII chair, Bruce Wills, during the plaque unveiling

Covenantors and members from the local community got together in rural Wairarapa to celebrate the milestone at an event hosted right next to the newly protected forest on the McDonald family farm.

Even with a couple spells of rain, nothing could dampen the high spirits of the day, which began with formalities and speeches from QEII Chair Bruce Wills, landowner Toby McDonald on behalf of his family, Sia Aston from the Department of Conservation who attended on behalf of the Minister of Conservation and our regional representative for Wairarapa, Trevor Thompson.

The day ended with a walk through a small section of the newly protected 8.9-hectare forest, which the family have called ‘The Gorge’.

The covenant protects modified primary forest and a stream system that feeds into the Wainuioru River. QEII regional representative Trevor Thompson said this new covenant is a great addition to the QEII network of protected places.

“The Gorge has lots of great species, including kānuka and mānuka and the Threatened: Nationally Vulnerable songbirds, pōpokatea or whitehead. The McDonalds have also protected the last rimu on the farm, which is also one of few remaining in the district and they really enjoy knowing that it will be looked after.”

The 5,000-covenant milestone brings the total area of land in New Zealand protected with an Open Space Covenant to over 190,000 hectares, which is about the same area as the North Island’s three National Parks combined.

QEII chair Bruce Wills said the event was a great opportunity to highlight how landowners all over the country are contributing to the protection of biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“5,000 covenants is a huge milestone. It is the result of three or four new covenants registered every week since QEII started its work in 1978. It’s all thanks to landowners who registered the 4,999 QEII covenants before this one.”

“Each covenant is a generous gift to New Zealand, protected in perpetuity. The legacy of a covenant will continue after all our lifetimes, with the land remaining protected for future generations to enjoy.”

The McDonald family are excited that their covenant, protected in partnership with QEII, is the 5,000th and adds to the family legacy on their Wairarapa property.

“This area is special to us and being the 5,000th QEII covenant makes it even more special,” said Toby McDonald. “My grandfather first purchased land over here in 1914 and my dad protected a piece of bush with QEII. We’ve worked with them a few more times to protect more places on the farm and this is our fifth covenant.”

TOP TO BOTTOM

Three generations of the McDonald family, next to the 5,000th covenant

QEII regional rep for Wairarapa, Trevor Thompson, presenting landowner Toby McDonald with a gift during the event

QEII board director Karen Schumacher and covenantor Juliet McKee enjoying a walk through The Gorge covenant

QEII korowai

Another aspect that made this event special, was the korowai that Bruce Wills, QEII chair, wore during his speech. Korowai are worn as a mantle of prestige and honour. They represent honour, leadership, identity, warmth, protection, skill and beauty, and symbolise the obligation to care for people and the environment.

This korowai was gifted to QEII by one of our previous board directors, Gina Solomon and it was handmade in Kaikōura by Karen MacDonald from Korowai Designs.

Gina and Karen worked together to design the korowai to reflect the beautiful landscapes of Aotearoa New Zealand that QEII works to protect. It represents the flora, fauna and surrounding waters with a slight shimmer of the blue in the feathers. The Tāniko pattern on the woven portion of the korowai represents the pātiki/pātikitiki or flounder, connecting the korowai to our coastal waters, further incorporating the idea of mountains to the sea, ki uta ki tai.

Upon gifting it to QEII, Gina encouraged us to use the korowai for special occasions and to embrace the beauty and mana of it. The event at the McDonald family farm was the first event that we have been able to use the korowai, with Bruce remarking “I am extremely proud to wear it today and I can’t think of a better event than this one to wear it for the first time.”

RIGHT

QEII regional representative Trevor Thompson and Toby McDonald during a visit to The Gorge

BELOW LEFT

QEII chair, Bruce Wills, during his speech at the 5000th covenant event

BELOW RIGHT

QEII fundraising manager, Bryna O’Brien, tying the QEII korowai in place on Bruce Wills ahead of the event

QEII 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

We have included an excerpt from our 2022 Annual Report, which highlights some of our work over the last year, provides examples of new protection and includes our financial statements. The full version is available on our website, qeii.org.nz, in the publications and resources section.

If you would like a physical copy of our annual report, please get in touch with us on 0800 467 367, send an email to info@qeii.org.nz or submit an online enquiry.

Examples of new protection Peat Wetland

The Peat family have owned Mangapapa Station in the Waitōtara Valley for around 130 years. Located in South Taranaki, the station is a 3,500 hectare sheep and beef farm with 1,400 hectares of primary and regenerating bush and 30 hectares of wetlands.

David and Karen Peat are leaders in the district and a great example of landowners who manage their station sustainably, while obtaining good returns from the land. Their work tackling soil erosion saw them win a Taranaki Environmental Award in 2019, recognising their outstanding initiative to protect and enhance the region's high-quality environment.

Last year, David and Karen added to the protected landscape on their property by registering their fourth covenant, bringing their protected areas up to a total of six wetland lakes, plus their wetland margins.

The new covenant protects 1.86 hectares of lowland secondary reedland and open water, meeting National Priority 2 by protecting vegetation associated with wetlands and National Priority 4 by protecting habitat used by endangered species. The area is dominated by raupō, Carex and the aquatic native plant Azolla rubra. Mānuka (At Risk - declining) and sphagnum moss (At Risk – Naturally Uncommon) are also present.

Taranaki Regional Council contributed a third of the fencing cost, with QEII and the landowners also paying a third each. Taranaki Regional Council also contributed $3,000 towards revegetating the margins of the wetlands to enhance the diversity of this area.

All six of the protected lakes on the farm are part of a wider complex of over 50 lakes and wetlands known as the Puketoro or Makakaho Ponds, which are recognised as significant habitats by both the Regional and District Councils. Wetlands in Taranaki are underrepresented and are considered At-Risk by the LENZ Threatened Environment Classification.

The wetland lakes provide important habitat for Nationally Threatened and At Risk indigenous species such as pūweto (spotless crake), dabchick, North Island fernbird and grey duck. All six protected wetland lakes, totalling 15.4 hectares, have been fenced off, protecting the lakes, water quality and the swampy vegetation that surrounds them and allowing the wetlands to thrive.

Along with the formal protection and fencing of the wetland lakes, David and Karen have planted 10,000 native plants around the wetlands and are undertaking predator control to benefit the Threatened and At Risk wildlife found in the area. David and Karen have also noticed that the birdlife has increased significantly, with trees and plants thriving and shooting up quickly.

RIGHT FROM TOP:

A view over one of the protected wetland areas on the station

Looking east over wetland lake

Deep beds of sphagnum moss in mānuka on the wetland edge

Avoca Valley

In 2018 the Summit Road Society purchased Tussock Hill Farm, near Christchurch, which was made possible thanks to generous bequests and donations. Renamed Linda Woods Reserve, the 233 hectare farm has been partially covenanted and is being transformed for the benefit of public enjoyment and the environment.

The Summit Road Society has been working tirelessly to protect the Port Hills and provide public access since 1948 and the purchase of the Linda Woods Reserve provides one of the last puzzle pieces in a corridor of reserves across the Port Hills for all to enjoy.

The Summit Road Society has worked in partnership with QEII for three decades and has eight open space covenants. The Summit Road Society wanted to protect 126 hectares of Linda Woods Reserve, over half of the farm, with a covenant to ensure legal protection of the site and secure all their efforts to revegetate the area.

Once a key route for Ngāti Wheke on their journey from Rāpaki to Ihutai (the Avon Heathcote Estuary) and an important source of mahinga kai (food gathering), Avoca Stream now runs dry for much of the year. The local community has been involved since the 90s and they are now carrying out considerable recloaking/planting of the stream to restore and protect its mauri for future generations to experience as past generations once did.

Funding from the Department of Conservation’s Jobs for Nature – Mahi mō te Taiao project allowed the Summit Road Society to fast track the large-scale restoration project in Avoca Valley. In the past year, they have put over 39,000 eco-sourced plants in the ground and it was important to Marie Grey, secretary of the Summit Road Society, that the covenant protected both the plantings and the existing native grassland, shrublands, rock outcrops and public access tracks. The project also received support from Wai-Ora, Ngāti Wheke, the Avoca Valley community, Christchurch City Council, and generous donations from members of the public, businesses, and Environment Canterbury.

The involvement of volunteers and community members is essential for the restoration of the valley. Carrying out the restoration at landscape scale has provided better outcomes for joint predator control and planting, with volunteer planting days helping to build momentum and buy-in from the wider community. Marie says that the best part of having volunteers involved in the project is seeing people get excited about what could happen. Repeat volunteers come out and see the change that they are making and get excited when they see the wildlife return. Following these restoration actions, people are starting to see pūkeko and kōtare more frequently, along with more invertebrates. The valley is starting to buzz with life.

This covenant is all about the landscape, with expansive views across city and plains. What little is left of the original vegetation cover is an inspiration for the massive revegetation effort. Pockets of trees, shrubs and special rocky outcrop plants on the volcanic cliffs are reminders of what has thrived in this valley. Meeting National Priority 2, this site contains spring and seepage areas that support wetland species. The area also meets National Priority 3, containing volcanic rock outcrops and boulderfields that are naturally uncommon and vulnerable ecosystems, supporting species such as prostrate kōwhai.

The site also meets National Priority 4 by protecting several Threatened and At-Risk species, including grassland speargrass, matagouri, rauhuia, Banks Peninsula sun hebe, Banks Peninsula hebe, Banks Peninsula button daisy and Juncus distegus. The covenant adds to a corridor of protected land on the Port Hills as it is contiguous with Duncan Park and Witch Hill Reserve. The area is enjoyed by thousands of people each year as it can be publicly accessed and viewed from the Port Hills Trust Board-Mt Vernon Park (Rāpaki Track).

LEFT FROM TOP:

A young volunteer, Matthew, helping with planting. Photo credit: Marie Grey Plantings in place around Avoca Valley.

Photo credit: Marie Grey Relict trees around spring. Photo credit: Alice Shanks

QEII National Trust covenants and Manaaki Whenua Threatened Environments Classification (2012)

95% of registered covenants are

100 ha or less

QEII National Trust-owned properties:

• 26 properties (1,433 ha)

(14 formalised & 12 registered as covenants).

• 1 license to occupy (85 ha)

Organisations with the most covenants: Pāmu (Landcorp Farming Ltd)

• 227 registered covenants (9,859 ha)

Public Conservation Land Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai [2022] Threatened Environments Classification 2012 created by Manaaki Whenua (Landcare Research) and licensed for re-use under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 NZ

Canterbury: region with largest area of new covenants registered in 2021/22

979 ha

Southland: region with the largest proportion of covenant area classed as wetland

21%

Taranaki: region with the largest number of new covenants registered (and proposals approved) in 2021/22

24 (33)

Otago: region with the greatest area of registered covenants

64,869 ha

Northland: region with the largest number of registered covenants

770

Gisborne: region with the highest % of covenanted land classed as acutely or chronically threatened

50%

Canterbury: region with the greatest area of land covenanted in 2021-22 classed as acutely or chronically threatened 252 ha

Canterbury: region with the greatest area of covenanted land classed as acutely or chronically threatened

4,546 ha

Legend

Registered and approved QEII National Trust covenants

Covenants registered or approved since 30 June 2021 (dots represent locations only and not actual area of covenanted land)

Regional Council boundary

DOC Public Conservation Land Threatened Environments Classification (2012)

Acutely threatened (<10% indigenous cover left)

Chronically threatened (10-20% indigenous cover left)

At risk (20-30% indigenous cover left)

Critically underprotected (>30% left and <10% protected)

Underprotected (>30% left and 10-20% protected)

Less reduced and better protected (>30% left and >20% protected)

Tararua rep loves life on the farm

“ I love this region, there’s a great community of farmers, iwi and landowners who are humble, but environmentally, many are going above and beyond to protect and restore the land.”

Lou Hagger grew up on sheep and beef farms in the Wairarapa and since joining QEII as the Tararua rep a year ago she has felt right at home.

“I love this region. There’s a great community of farmers, iwi and landowners who are humble, but environmentally, many are going above and beyond to protect and restore the land,” Lou says.

She has a personal stake in restoration too, moving two years ago from Levin to a 1 hectare block at Mangatainoka on former dairy farmland.

She has been propagating native seeds and has started replanting the block, which includes a waterway flowing to the Manawatū River. Last year she completed a New Zealand Certificate in Conservation at Pūkaha/ Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre.

Much of her childhood spare time was spent on horseback on farms. She hunted possums, rabbits and hares with her fox terrier and rode with her father on musters and lambing beats. Lou credits her father with teaching her about native species, hunting and the importance of achieving a balance on the land.

The farming background has been an asset in building relationships with covenant holders. “It’s meant I can talk to landowners about the different breeds they’ve got on their land and it’s good for getting an understanding about their goals and aims for their different areas.”

Lou took over from long time Tararua rep Bill Wallace, who is still in the QEII team, managing QEII’s properties. She started in the latter part of 2021 and is grateful to him for leaving the role in such fine shape. “Bill was meticulous, and he was very highly thought of by the local landowners. I’ve been told more than once I’ve got big shoes to fill,” Lou says.

ABOVE

Lou and and her horse Tuki

RIGHT

Lou during a visit to Awapikopiko Reserve in Tararua

There are around 150 covenants in the Tararua region, which stretches from Pūkaha/Mount Bruce in the south to near Norsewood in the north. The Tararua and Ruahine ranges border the west and the Pacific Ocean marks the eastern edge. Most of the region was once covered by 70 Mile Bush or Te Tapere Nui o Whatonga and there is widespread support for protecting remaining bush pockets.

“It’s a great region and there’s so much history in this area,” Lou says. “There are middens and historic kūmara pits and some special places for iwi. It’s a privilege to help protect these areas for future generations.”

QEII and Horizons Regional Council are supporting Ngāti Kahungunu with covenants on a 3,700 hectare coastal sheep and beef property at Cape

Turnagain to protect bush and coastal ecosystems, including the Cape Turnagain pimelea moth (Notoreas perornata ‘Cape Turnagain’), which is found nowhere else.

Lou sees working closely with all the stakeholders in the community –including landowners and lessees, iwi, local authorities, and volunteer groups – as the key to continuing Bill’s legacy. She wants to play her part in pulling the community together to tackle problems such as weeds, especially old man’s beard, and deer and goats.

“I was recently at a covenant at the southern end of the Tararua region where the covenantor has deer fenced the area and it looks incredible. The hangehange and the more palatable species that deer or goats would normally decimate are

up to shoulder height now. The whole bush is healthy and there’s a good variety of species emerging in the groundcover, it’s very satisfying.”

Bill and other QEII regional reps have shared their knowledge and experience as Lou has settled into her position. “The reps seem to stay for a long time in their role and so the things they’ve learned along the way and can share are really valuable,” she says.

Lou’s job, the project on her own block, two young adult sons and the “menagerie” of animals, including a horse, two dogs and a few sheep keep her busy. She is also planning to finish some more papers in conservation and ecology, but she still loves to escape back to the bush when she can.

“ It’s a great region and there’s so much history in this area…It’s a privilege to help protect these areas for future generations.”

TIME TRAVEL AT TIM’S PLACE

Malcolm Rutherford, QEII regional representative for Gisborne

When most people think of pollen they probably think of sneezing, allergies and in some cases, that film of green or yellow stuff that coats our homes and vehicles in spring. Seed-bearing plant species produce vast amounts of these dust-sized pollen grains, which are transported around the landscape by wind, or insects or birds to facilitate reproduction.

Every species has its own distinctively shaped and patterned pollen grains making them readily identifiable under the microscope. These physical features and the ability of pollen to resist decay, means that when pollen is found preserved in layers of peat or lake sediments that accumulate year after year for thousands of years in wetlands or lakes, they can be used by palaeoecologists to reconstruct what plants used to grow in the area, and past climatic conditions.

I never expected a routine covenant monitoring visit with Frasertown farmer Tim Brownlie to lead to us into the world of palaeoecology.

On my way back from that monitoring visit, Tim and I came past a small wetland in a natural basin. I realised that the natural basin shape of the wetland would mean that it would have not been washed out in a flood, in fact, it would have just accumulated material for who knows how long. I wondered out loud whether there would be any bones “in there” thinking of our many species of moa and other extinct birds. However, Tim remarked that there would be a layer of cattle bones before anything more interesting was found.

In recent years, the values of wetlands have been well promoted and celebrated for the benefits they provide, including providing habitats

for a range of species, functional benefits such as slowing flooding, recharging ground water, and sequestering carbon. On a functional farm however, wetlands can be perceived to be a hassle, and this wetland was just that – a cattle trap with a layer of vegetation hiding a very soft underbelly.

Over the generations of farming on the property, there have been multiple attempts to drain this area, all of which were unsuccessful, so Tim decided to turn a cattle trap into a biodiversity asset. We were more than willing to assist and ensure no more attempts were made to drain this wetland and looked at protecting the area with another QEII covenant.

Tim also mentioned that there was another similar wetland nearby, which became part of the covenant proposal. Although there is not much in the

way of plant diversity in the wetlands, what is present is unique for the east coast lowlands including sphagnum moss and the native insectivorous plant Drosera growing together, a classic combination for a raised bog. The moss in these wetlands grows on top of itself, and as old plants die and partially decompose in the wet and acidic conditions, they slowly form peat. These conditions are perfect for trapping and preserving millions of tiny pollen grains produced by plants growing in the local area over time. The layers of peat in this wetland were essentially acting as an archive of past ecosystems.

I saw the rarity of a natural peat-filled basin like this on the East Coast as a real opportunity and I had heard of palaeoecology and the study of pollen to understand ecological changes by analysing the pollen from core samples. I reached out to

Janet Wilmshurst, a palaeoecologist from the Long Term Ecology Lab at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and mentioned that this site would make a great research location.

Janet suggested I send a sample, which is how, some months later; Tim and I found ourselves hammering an old vacuum cleaner tube into the ground on the edge of a newly fenced wetland. The core was stiff mud containing occasional small sticks, grasses, and other organic matter. Getting the “core” we had just collected out of the tube required some workshopping and ingenuity, but we got there in the end and sent them, vacuum sealed – no pun intended – to Janet, who analysed the pollen in the samples.

The pollen grains were isolated from the mud, concentrated, mounted on microscope slides, and identified under a 400x light microscope. The pollen was identified using a reference library to create a plant species list. She also calculated the pollen as a percentage of all pollen types counted, giving some index of the forest composition. Janet identified the mud as typical of sediments that accumulate in a lake and suggested the wetland site was formerly a shallow lake surrounded by tall forest with very few wetland plants.

The pollen analysis generated a list of at least 43 pollen and fern spore types, a significant increase from the 11 known native species recorded in the wetland today. Although, it’s likely

that this represents a higher number of species, as some plant species have pollen that is too difficult to distinguish from another species in the same Genus or Family.

The assembly of species from the past represented a diverse North Island lowland forest, the likes of which we don’t see much of today. Not only was pollen recorded from big emergent podocarp trees such as rimu, miro and tōtara, but also from numerous broadleaf trees and shrubs that made up the canopy including maire, pokaka, mahoe, akeake, rewarewa, kohekohe and nīkau. Janet also recorded the presence of tree ferns, climbers, perching plants, parasitic plants and ground ferns. Some of these species such as Clematis and

several mistletoe species were much more abundant in the area before possums and other herbivores were introduced. One of the most exciting pollen finds was te pua o te rēinga Dactylanthus, or the wood rose, a unique semi-parasitic plant that grows as a root-like stem attached to the root of host tree, which is now in serious decline nationally.

Janet also compared the pollen recorded in Tim’s wetland with other pollen records from eastern Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne and it’s likely to have accumulated between 3,000 to 1,000 years ago. The expansive new list of plants identified in these lake muds has not only provided new insights into the type of vegetation that once cloaked the farm centuries before people

arrived, but also the dynamic nature of local landscape history. It provides a great reference for anyone wanting to do local restoration planting, knowing that the plant species from the past will likely be well-adapted for growing in the local conditions.

The Brownlie family have farmed at Pakowhai for almost 100 years and now that the two peat bog wetlands have been protected with QEII covenants, no more sheep or cattle will meet their demise. The wetland has captured 100 years of farming in the form of cattle bones in the layers of sediment and now provides insight into the history of the vegetation of the area.

The bog will continue to record the information on climates and

vegetation for a long time to come. Who knows what might show up if a vacuum cleaner tube were to be pressed into the peat to take a core sample in another 1,000 years.

BELOW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

Dactylanthus pollen under a light microscope. Photo credit: Janet Wilmshurst, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research

Rimu, matai, totara and tree fern pollen captured on one field of view on a microscope slide from the lake mud samples. Photo credit: Janet Wilmshurst, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research

Drosera and sphagnum. Photo credit: Malcolm Rutherford

REMEMBERING HRH QUEEN ELIZABETH II

We were saddened by the news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

Our connection to Her Majesty goes back to 1977, the year our organisation was formed and the year of Her Majesty the Queen’s silver jubilee. To commemorate the anniversary, the Trust was named in her honour with both the Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust Act and our organisation bearing Her Majesty’s name.

Over the years we have had a few visits of Royal nature, including one from Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip during their visit to New Zealand in 1986. We hosted Her Majesty at Taupō Swamp, a 30 hectare flax swamp protected by QEII, 20 km north of Wellington between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay. Taupō Swamp was the first major wetland to be protected in the Wellington region and the visit allowed Queen Elizabeth II to see the work that we do, first-hand.

Our royal connection has continued over the years and in 2015, QEII National Trust was endorsed to deliver New

Zealand’s contribution to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy initiative to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s long reign and leadership of the Commonwealth.

During our three-year involvement with the programme, we established 44 Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy covenants across Aotearoa New Zealand protecting 2,831 hectares of native forest on private land. Together they are a hugely important contribution to the protection of New Zealand’s unique biodiversity.

The programme celebrated a special class of open space covenants, including the Carol Whaley Native Bush in Auckland where we hosted The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018 to dedicate 17 hectares of native forest to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy.

We are grateful for the support given to our work by Her Majesty and we will continue to operate as her namesake for the foreseeable future.

ABOVE Her Majesty the Queen examining a photo display during her visit to Taupo Swamp

LEFT Queens Commonwealth Canopy Covenant sign at Carol Whaley Native Bush

BELOW

Margaret Shields MP and Hon Les Gandar, former Chair of QEII National Trust with HRH

FUTURE CARE FOR YOUR COVENANT

As covenantors near the age of retirement and begin to make plans for the future, one important concern is what will happen to their covenant. How can you ensure that the time and energy you have put into protecting and enhancing it will be sustained?

Covenantors, and Partners in Protection –Ōhākī donors, Scott Nicol and Maria Deutsch know the feeling well. “The forest is where our hearts and souls are – something similar to being our turangawaewae. We have always seen ourselves as guardians rather than owners and will continue to look after it [after we are gone]; we want it to thrive as in turn it helps us thrive.”

For many, covenanting with QEII provides much needed surety for the future of their property, with QEII as a perpetual trustee. For Scott and Maria, protecting their property Te Kaainga Tawhai (a whole-of-title covenant of 36 hectares) with a QEII covenant provided the reassurance they needed.

“It was a feeling of relief to know that when we signed the covenant for Te Kaainga Tawhai there would be an advocate for the land when we die or have to sell it,” say Scott and Maria.

LEFT

Beech tree, growing inside the Te Kaainga Tawhai covenant

Covenants need carers

QEII reps and head office staff sometimes receive calls from covenantors asking how they can better protect their covenant and their legacy. QEII chief executive Dan Coup says that some covenantors are looking to downsize or move on from their properties, while others are considering how to manage their property in their will.

“Since launching our Partners in Protection –Ōhākī gifts in wills programme last year, we’ve seen an increase in questions from covenantors about how to manage their property in their will,” says Dan. “We respect that dedicated landowners are keen to ensure their efforts will be cared for long after they’re gone.”

ABOVE

Attendees at a Deep Nature Workshop at Te Kaainga Tawhai

Often covenantors make contact with QEII with a desire to leave ownership of their property to QEII because of good relationships and the trust that has been built over the years, however that is often not the best solution for either the covenant or QEII.

“At the heart of QEII, and why we’ve been so successful over the last forty years, is our work in partnership with landowners to help them manage their covenanted land. We’re able to protect new areas, inspire landowners to enhance their covenants and support them with practical advice and expertise,” says Dan. “If we were to take on ownership of new properties, our ability to provide this support would need to be balanced with the demands of managing ownership of additional properties.”

While there have been a few situations where QEII has taken ownership of a property, like Remarkables Station in Queenstown, it is the exception rather than the rule. “The best case scenario is for the unique aspects of a property to be protected by an Open Space Covenant – that’s what QEII does best – and for a new owner to manage the covenant with QEII rep support,” says Dan.

Dan says it’s understandable that covenantors might be nervous or concerned about the future of their covenanted land under a new owner, but QEII puts in a lot of effort up-front to ensure new owners are aware of their obligations and supported in their stewardship.

“QEII makes contact with new owners very early on to inform them about the values within their covenant and provide guidance and advice on how to best manage their covenant,” says Dan. “You can tell your rep about the nuances of caring for your covenant and they can pass on your wisdom to the next owner.”

“We work really hard to build positive relationships from the get go. There are no guarantees, however we trust that the next generation of landowners will uphold the incredible work that we have all undertaken in the past 45 years. QEII will be there to support them in that and uphold the protection that the covenant provides.”

We can work together

Scott and Maria are proud of their covenant and this has informed their decision to support QEII through their intention to give the proceeds of the sale of their property as a gift in their will.

“Our care and the energy that other people brought to this site, together with the gorgeous forest and adjoining river, have created a beautiful energy in this place,” say Scott and Maria. “It has a real sense of peace, wellbeing and belonging and every person arriving there can feel it and comments on this. At times we offer workshops at Te Kaainga Tawhai to invite people into a deeper connection with nature and this adds to what makes it special.”

Dan Coup appreciates Scott and Maria’s wonderful foresight and their understanding of QEII’s work. “Scott and Maria understand that QEII needs financial resources to undertake its charitable work and that their contribution will help us to support the next owners of their property and others.”

“We understand that choosing to make a gift in your will is a major decision,” says Dan, “and we’re also very aware of the incredible work that goes into establishing a covenant. We have a long-game approach and we need to ensure that all of us – current and future landowners, alongside QEII – are working to encourage and protect our open spaces in perpetuity.”

Scott and Maria are excited about the opportunities that the use of their gift will provide. “We hope our funds can contribute to an ever-increasing participation of New Zealanders in taking care of our nature,” say Scott and Maria. “Ideally, we would like QEII to expand its engagement with landowners across Aotearoa to also include Māori participation alongside Ngā Whenua Rāhui.”

“For conservation to be fully imbedded as a core part of living well on our planet it has to come from within us... That means landowner action is a powerful symbol of respect for the land or, in some cases, the disrespect of the land. QEII’s work helps landowners be able to take the respectful pathway. We would like to support this journey.”

RIGHT FROM TOP Scarlet Mistletoe Puawananga Native Clematis

Scott and Maria’s lessons learned when writing their will*:

• We have made a will with flexibility in it, and one option is the sale of the covenanted land and gifting of the proceeds to two charities (QEII and the Kea Conservation Trust).

• We suggest exploring the different variables and options and talking to the charities/potential giftees directly to explore the best pathway that meets both your vision and that of the charity.

• With bequests there are no guarantees until the will is executed; changes may occur in people’s lives ahead of this time, so consider these and you’ll be prepared for eventualities.

• Ensure you brief your executors of the will, so they understand why you have made this decision.

* We recommend that you seek legal advice when writing or considering changes to your will.

If you have any questions about how to include QEII in your will you can contact Bryna O’Brien, Fundraising Manager, on 027 295 5369 or bobrien@qeii.org.nz.

ABOVE Sir Brian Lochore with Brian Molloy (March 2004)

RIGHT

Brian Molloy viewing a North Canterbury kānuka remnant (2014)

Remembering Brian Molloy

QEII National Trust is deeply saddened by the death of former QEII director and all-round good bloke, Dr Brian Molloy who passed away on 31 July 2022.

Brian Molloy was a highly accomplished and well-respected member of the conservation community and, over his lifetime, he collected a long and impressive list of accomplishments. He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to conservation and was known as the unofficial ‘godfather’ of QEII National Trust through his decades-long association with the Trust.

Brian and QEII National Trust

Between 1989 and 1998, Brian was a Director on the QEII Board. Afterwards, he moved on to work as our high-country representative; a role he kept until 2012. His colleagues describe him as captivating and awesome, and he was known for starting phone conversations off with: “It’s Old Trouble here.”

Brian was deeply caring and generous towards his colleagues and was known for sharing his passion for conservation and botany with others.

His impact at QEII continued well after he retired from his high-country role, with the establishment of the QEII Brian Molloy Doctoral Research Scholarship. The scholarship supported a full time supervised doctoral research degree and was created in recognition of Dr Molloy’s contribution to QEII and to promote and advance ecological science and conservation in New Zealand.

Brian received the high-country committee of Federated Farmers award in 2000, a lifetime conservation achievement award from the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network in 2006, and the Bledisloe Trophy from the Canterbury Botanical Society for his contribution to New Zealand botany in 2010. Brian was awarded an Associate of Honour by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture in 2007 and went on to be elected as a companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2011.

His contributions to orchidology were also recognised and he had a hidden spider orchid named after him, Molloybas cryptanthus, as well as Gastrodia molloyi, which we featured in issue 98 of Open Space in May 2020. He was awarded the Hatch Medal of the New Zealand Native Orchid Group, for his outstanding contribution to orchidology in New Zealand, in 2011.

On his departure from QEII, Brian wrote “the QEII family and its achievements are a standout both nationally and globally and I have benefitted from my time with the family, especially our unique network of inspiring landholders. So, thanks again folks. Keep well, enjoy your organisation, and above all, have fun.”

We will, Brian.

We have shared snippets of these stories below; they can be read in full on our website qeiinationaltrust.org.nz/ remembering-brian-molloy/

ABOVE FROM LEFT Branches Station (Nov 2010)

Brian Molloy and Chappie Foley

QEII remembers Brian

Since hearing of his passing, colleagues at QEII have been sharing their stories and reminiscing about their time with Dr Brian Molloy ONZM. We have collected these stories to capture his memory and to memorialise the incredibly significant contribution he made to QEII, botany and conservation in New Zealand.

“ The main thing I learnt from Brian that has stuck with me has been his appreciation of the land. He would state that it is essential to listen to, and see, what the land is trying to tell you.”

– Rob Smith, regional representative for South Canterbury

“ When I first started working for QEII, he was the most patient, respectful, and kindest person. I was just one of many in succession in that role at the time, but for all his standing in the world he always had the time and patience to answer any questions.”

– Kerri Lukis, land protection team leader

“ He knew his audience and he knew how to bring them on board. Brian didn’t take an adversarial, campaigning approach to conservation. He wanted to get alongside people and bring them with him.”

– Alice Shanks, regional representative for Central Canterbury

“ He was a strong advocate for QEII’s position on engaging with landowners and he would often say that QEII sinks or swims on our relationships with landowners. The Landowner has to be Number One, and QEII reps are just the lucky people who get to put landowner wishes into something more substantial.”

– Miles Giller, regional representative for North Canterbury

“The intergenerational linkages that Brian tapped into still exist on many covenants. Among the many in my patch are Dr Leonard Cockayne’s fenced grassland enclosure plots on Northburn Station near Cromwell which Brian along with the Pinckney family was instrumental in protecting by way of a QEII covenant.”

– Rob Wardle, regional representative for Central Otago

Passion, talent and hard graft –Remembering Jan Riddell

Written by Jesse Bythell, Mark Sutton and Maurice Rodway.

QEII staff and reps are privileged to meet many people who care deeply about our environment and actively work towards its protection. Over the years these links can form into productive collaborations and deeply felt connections as shared goals are achieved and lengthy projects brought to fruition.

Jan Riddell is a person who is held in high esteem by everyone who worked with her and is with sadness we reflect on her recent death due to cancer at the age of 67.

Jan was a fourth-generation farmer who was always keen to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in, whether the task involved physical labour or slogging through long meetings or technical data. She had a very clear sense of service to her community and her strong voice allowed others to feel confident to speak up as well. While sensitive to others’ views, Jan was able to clearly present her point which was reliably backed up by solid data and this steady approach allowed her to work with a wide range of people with diverse interests.

Her training was in physical geography, hydrology, botany and geology so it was natural that she became involved in wetland research and protection from an early stage in her career, later going on to achieve many things for conservation at a regional and national scale. Family life on the farm also helped her develop her skills as gatherings were often characterised with robust family debates, not arguments, which laid a good foundation for tough negotiating in other fora.

Jan brought a rare combination of farming know-how, conservation and resource management concern, practical skills, technical knowledge, people skills, hard work and quiet determination to every project she was involved with. Jan worked for the Waiau Trust for over twenty years, an organisation that has collaborated productively with QEII. Our regional rep Mark Sutton, worked closely with Jan to bring about some impressive landscape scale protection and restoration in the Waiau catchment. Jan also protected a rare limestone forest with a QEII covenant at her own farm at Limehills, which supports a range of threatened plants.

Jan packed a lot into her lifetime, and we shall continue to remember her ready smile and steadfast approach to getting things done. She leaves behind her husband Dave and daughter Emma, and an incredible legacy of achievements for nature and the people of Southland and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Listing all of Jan’s achievements is a big task, these are just some of the key roles she held:

• The Nature Heritage Fund (NHF) Committee from 20012022, (Chair 2017-mid 2022)

• New Zealand Conservation Authority (NZCA) member 2013-2020; Minister for Local Government nominee

• Southland Conservation Board member 1990-2001 (several as Chair)

• Environment Southland Councillor 1989-1995 and 2010-2016

Waiau Fisheries and Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Trust planner 1996-2020

• Gamebird Habitat Trust 2020-2022

• Forest Hill Foundation secretary – working on pest eradication in Forest Hill Scenic Reserve

• Enthusiastic supporter of (and weeder for) DOC’s direct seed drilling project.

Her significant achievements, while on the NHF Committee, included the permanent protection of:

Large areas of South Island high country natural ecosystems and catchments

• Lowland wetland ecosystems including estuarine wetlands, peat domes; and recently parts of the Upper Taieri Scroll Plain

• Biodiversity values in Waitutu forest and the surrounding Fiordland National Park.

“I knew her as a conservation legend from the south. Someone with a deep love and knowledge of land, of water, rivers, streams and wetlands. A conservationist who knew and understood farming, hydrology, planning and local government. Jan was thoughtful, resolute and very humble. She was ambitious for people and nature and not herself. Jan may not have had a towering physical presence, but you always listened to what she said. She was strategic, astute, clear-sighted, staunch, and plain spoken in her desire for healthy nature. Jan was undaunted by obstacles, either by individuals or some of DOC’s weird processes. She was dogged and just kept going, navigating around unhelpful people with grace or finding another option to reach the outcome for nature that she and others wanted. One of Jan’s many strengths... was being able to see issues from different perspectives and use these to frame her contribution.

As Conservation Minister I always appreciated her advice, it was always wise and thoughtful.”

– Eugenie Sage, former Minister of Conservation

SUPPORTING STEWARDSHIP IN COVENANTS

The registration of a QEII covenant is just the start of a story. Improving and enhancing the values inside a covenant is an ongoing journey.

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Ready for planting action, Aran Arrieta and her son Patxi Scott-Arrieta

Volunteers on the hillside with healthy flax. Other riparian vegetation from a previous community planting in the foreground

One of the ways we support landowners with their stewardship is through contestable funds like the Stephenson Fund and the Auckland Council Fund. This funding can help landowners with a range of projects including pest animal and ecological pest plant control, revegetation and supporting recreational use.

The funds are run annually and applications for the 2022 round were invited during JulyAugust. We email members when funding rounds are open for applications, so if you need to update your contact details, please let us know.

The Stephenson Fund

Established in 2017 and named after key founders of the QEII National Trust, Gordon and Celia Stephenson, the aim of the fund is to encourage stewardship on QEII covenants and strengthen our partnership with landowners by providing funding for projects that will enhance these protected places.

Revegetation in Whangārei

With help from the Stephenson Fund, a longterm coastal forest revegetation project near Whangārei is back on track.

After several earlier successful public planting days, the project on the Bowden family’s Tawapou property at Tutukaka was unfortunately stalled by Covid.

However, on a single planting day in July 2022, run by the Tawapou Conservation Trust, 150 volunteers added more than 8,000 native plants into an area that will eventually see 70 hectares of pastoral land re-established as coastal forest.

Ninety-four per cent of the 120 hectare Tawapou farm is protected by a QEII Open Space Covenant, which includes several significant stands of pohutukawa dominant forest.

The long-term aim of the conservation trust is to revegetate the entire pastoral areas left on the farm. Already more than 150,000 natives have been planted where pine and kikuyu once dominated.

This year’s plantings, mostly on steep hillsides around a raupō swamp and creek, will enhance valuable habitat for eels, kākahi (freshwater mussels), frogs, pāteke, spawning whitebait (inanga) and threatened native birds such as bittern and kiwi.

Trust spokesperson Helen Bowden said the planting project has been a highlight of her year. “I was thrilled at the response from the community to, at last, connect with people again through this conservation project.”

Auckland Council Fund

Thanks to our ongoing partnership with Auckland Council we have been able to continue to provide support to covenantors in the Auckland region to help with stewardship in their QEII covenants.

Fraser Brown and Julia Nevill received funding for a revegetation project on their Wellsford covenant through the second round of the Auckland Council Fund in 2021. Since covenanting, they have worked hard to control pest plants and predators and were looking to revegetate an area of the covenant that meets the Kaipara Harbour estuary edge, increasing the forested area of the covenant and mitigating the uptake of pest plants.

An area of the covenant retired from cattle grazing in 2020 was the focus for this project. In preparation for revegetation, in addition to pest plant and animal control, the area was sprayed. In June, planting took place with over 3,000 trees going into the ground. A variety of native species were planted, including mānuka, kānuka, karamu, totara, pururi, kōwhai, tī kōuka, and karo.

Fraser Brown said they are excited by the progress of their revegetation project and are looking forward to watching the newly planted trees grow. “We’re thrilled with the improvement in the bush quality and quantity that we have seen since covenanting.”

Planting progress at the Wellsford covenant in June 2022.

Corrections

Two corrections have been made for issue 102 of Open Space, published in May 2022.

• Two images were captioned incorrectly on page 29 with Pinus radiata listed as the species. The correct captions should read Pinus contorta

• On page 25, the story featuring the Buswell family incorrectly referenced Taranaki as their location. The correct area is Te Kuiti, with the covenant located in the Ruapehu District.

Both corrections have been made to the digital version of Open Space, available on our website.

ABOVE

District Council Location Covenant Name Area (ha) Main open space type

Timaru Hanging Rock Taniwha Gully 0.9505 Lowland calcareous limestone scarp with Māori rock art, revegetated shrubland, modified primary carex sedgeland

Dunedin Taieri Mouth Kuri Bush 6.2288 Coastal modified primary and secondary forest

Timaru Geraldine Kelly Bush 7.3162 Lowland modified secondary regenerating podocarp/hardwood forest, gorse shrubland

New Plymouth Ōkato Fleming Wetland 0.2092 Semi-coastal modified primary reedland

New Plymouth Ōkato Fleming Wetland 0.6544 Semi-coastal modified primary reedland

Southland Clifden Broadlands Bush 12.3856 Lowland modified primary forest

Thames-Coromandel Opoutere Toku Mawhiti Pounamu 5.5372

Coastal modified primary (Pōhutukawa-pūriri-kohekohe) and secondary (kānuka-broadleaf) forest and modified primary duneslack reedland

Thames-Coromandel Opoutere Te Kuwaha Ohui 0.8799 Coastal secondary (kānukabroadleaf) forest

Carterton Carterton The Gorge 8.7 Lowland modified primary forest and gorge system

Southland Manapouri Big Bend Covenant Extension 4.183 Submontane modified secondary peat field, secondary scrubland and exotic grassland

Southland Te Anau Kerry's Covenant Extension 14.4168 Submontane modified primary shrubland, wetland, forest and modified secondary grassland

Southland Te Anau Lynmore Shrubland Covenant 6.7962 Submontane modified primary shrubland and modified secondary grassland

Hastings Maraekakaho Pigsty Wetland 63.07 Lowland modified secondary sedgeland, reedland, openwater and modified secondary forest.

South Wairarapa Pirinoa The Guy and June Hume Bush 12.27 Lowland modified primary, secondary, modified secondary forest

Kaipara Dargaville Dennis Hope Block 5.484 Semi coastal modified primary kahikatea/nikau alluvial forest

Gisborne Tutamoe Tutamoe South Covenant 17.189 Lowland modified primary and secondary forest

Dunedin Waitati Manunui 3.2363 Semi coastal modified primary and modified secondary forest

New Plymouth Ōkato Kingswood West 0.419 Semicoastal modified primary forest

New Plymouth Ōkato Kingswood East 0.681 Semicoastal modified primary forest

South Taranaki Ararata Larcom Homestead 1.5301 Lowland modified primary forest

District Council Location Covenant Name Area (ha) Main open space type

Christchurch Purau

Hidden Valley 71.6128 Lowland primary rockland, modified primary scrubland and treeland, secondary forest, tussockland and treeland.

Dunedin Broad Bay 4.3921 Semi-coastal modified secondary forest and shrubland

Christchurch Lyttelton Te Ahu Pātiki Park 494.7393 Lowland secondary forest; montane modified primary forest, rockland, sedgeland and scrub; secondary shrubland and grassland

Stratford Te Popo Cookson Block 9.9861 Lowland modified primary forest

Stratford Te Popo Schumacher Bush 3.9137 Lowland modified primary forest, secondary reedland and open water

Christchurch Port Hills, Christchurch Avoca Valley 126.2573 Lowland exotic grassland to be extensively restored to forest, modified primary grassland, volcanic rock outcrops, exotic shrubland, and modified primary shrubland, open space/landscape values and public recreation.

Kapiti Coast Ōtaki Duggan Bush 7.0644 Lowland modified secondary forest

Kapiti Coast Te Horo Davis Bush 2.586 Lowland modified secondary forest

Timaru Orari Gorge Orari Gorge 3 38.788 Lowland modified primary and secondary forest, secondary scrub and exotic grassland

Marlborough Awatere Valley 5.9077 Submontane modified secondary sedgeland, boulderfield and exotic forest

Marlborough Awatere Valley 24.0234 Montane modified primary forest, stonefield; modified secondary shrubland and exotic grassland

Wairoa Nūhaka 1.604 Semi-coastal secondary forest

New Plymouth Inglewood Vujcich First Bridge 3.8229 Lowland modified primary forest

Waikato Waitetuna 6.42 Lowland modified secondary forest

Waikato Tamahere Ngapuna 1.2936 Lowland revegetated treefernland Wairoa Frasertown Swamp (Area A) and Raupo (Area B) 1.8511 Lowland scrub, rushland, wetland, and grassland

Far North Russell Ruru Valley 3.815 Coastal modified secondary broadleaf forest and modified secondary raupō reedland

Matamata-Piako Matamata Te Muri 0.2008 Lowland revegetated forest

Tararua Norsewood Aporonui 1.5742 Lowland modified secondary forest and treeland

Ōtorohanga Ōtorohanga Pitts-Brown Family Covenant 6.0849 Lowland modified primary forest and modified secondary sedgeland

Waikato Mangatangi Black Pond Farm Ngahere 11.0613 Lowland secondary forest and exotic grassland

District Council Location Covenant Name Area (ha) Main open space type

Far North Russell Watering Creek 0.18 Coastal secondary forest Matamata-Piako Waharoa Monymusk Wood 1.1722 Lowland secondary forest

Central Otago Millers Flat The Rookery 79.6975 Montane modified secondary shrubland and secondary tussockland

Whangarei Parua Bay Charles and Lucie Sanctuary 31.7102 Lowland secondary and modified secondary forest

Central Hawke's Bay Elsthorpe Makara Bush 2.752 Semicoastal modified secondary forest

South Wairarapa Tauherenikau, Featherston Dead Rabbits Run 1.28 Lowland primary forest remnant predominantly on a terrace riser. Kapiti Coast Te Horo Lumsden Bush 1.9063 Lowland, dryland secondary forest Whangarei Tangihua Lamb - Kaikōmako 1.638 Lowland modified secondary forest Westland Kowhitirangi, Hokitika Warren Deidrichs Covenants 4.562 Lowland semi-modified primary forest

Westland Kowhitirangi, Hokitika Warren Deidrichs Covenants 9.834 Lowland semi-modified primary forest

Westland Kowhitirangi, Hokitika Warren Deidrichs Covenants 3.5353 Lowland semi-modified primary forest

Waikato Glen Murray 10.7941 Lowland secondary podocarp broadleaf forest Waitomo Benneydale 2.06 Lowland modified primary forest Manawatu Tangimoana Tangimoana Farm Wetland 6.6671 Semi-coastal modified primary wetland

Whangarei Horahora Heenan 22.0708 Coastal modified primary rushland saltmarsh; semicoastal modified secondary forest, rushland and reedland; and lowland modified secondary forest

Central Hawke's Bay Pōrangahau Motumokai Bush 12.4743 Semi-coastal modified secondary forest

Kaipara Arapohue, Kaipara Totara Park 2.368 Lowland secondary podocarp (Tōtara-taraire (kahikatea)) forest

Marlborough Ōkiwi Bay Rosemary Ives Covenant 45.8622 Semicoastal primary, secondary and modified secondary forest

Carterton Mangatariri Valley Duntulm Amatiatia 59.93 Lowland primary and modified secondary forest

Carterton Mangatariri Valley Duntulm Pikirangi 87.2

Lowland primary, modified primary and modified secondary forest, and modified secondary shrubland

Regional Representatives

Greg Blunden

FAR NORTH AND KAIPARA 09 407 9701 gblunden@qeii.org.nz

Nan Pullman WHANGĀREI 09 434 3457 npullman@qeii.org.nz

Chris Floyd NORTH AUCKLAND 021 066 2165 cfloyd@qeii.org.nz

Jessica Reaburn NORTH-WEST AND EAST AUCKLAND 021 026 23436 jreaburn@qeii.org.nz

Paul Goldsmith SOUTH & WEST AUCKLAND 021 622 368 pgoldsmith@qeii.org.nz

Melissa Sinton ŌTOROHANGA-TAUMARUNUI 027 867 6407 msinton@qeii.org.nz

Zipporah Ploeg WAIKATO EAST 027 579 0277 zploeg@qeii.org.nz

Robbie Bennett WAIKATO 07 824 5051 rbennett@qeii.org.nz

Jason Roxburgh HAURAKI-COROMANDEL 07 868 2401 jroxburgh@qeii.org.nz

Paul Kayes WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY 027 457 2395 pkayes@qeii.org.nz

Hōri Barsdell EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY 027 634 8958 hbarsdell@qeii.org.nz

Joanna Buswell NORTH TARANAKI 027 668 7905 jbuswell@qeii.org.nz

Carol Burgess NEW PLYMOUTH 021 932 555 cburgess@qeii.org.nz

Jake Goonan SOUTH TARANAKI

Malcolm Rutherford GISBORNE

022 327 0445 jgoonan@qeii.org.nz

022 310 6818 mrutherford@qeii.org.nz

Troy Duncan HAWKE’S BAY 021 629 426 tduncan@qeii.org.nz

Lou Hagger TARARUA 022 477 3833 lhagger@qeii.org.nz

John Williamson CENTRAL – MANAWATŪ 06 328 6851 jwilliamson@qeii.org.nz

Trevor Thompson WAIRARAPA 027 333 3243 tthompson@qeii.org.nz

Rob Cross WELLINGON – KĀPITI 0210 238 5619 rcross@qeii.org.nz

Tom Stein

NELSON – TASMAN & MARLBOROUGH 0274 453 890 tstein@qeii.org.nz

Clare Moore NELSON – TASMAN & MARLBOROUGH 021 656 035 cmoore@qeii.org.nz

Martin Abel WEST COAST 03 753 3012 mabel@qeii.org.nz

Miles Giller

NORTH CANTERBURY

Alice Shanks CENTRAL CANTERBURY

Rob Smith

SOUTH CANTERBURY

Cathy Rufaut COASTAL OTAGO

03 313 5315 mgiller@qeii.org.nz

03 337 1256 ashanks@qeii.org.nz

03 689 7735 rsmith@qeii.org.nz

021 100 8347 crufaut@qeii.org.nz

Rob Wardle CENTRAL OTAGO 0204 012 6483 rwardle@qeii.org.nz

Mark Sutton WAIAU CATCHMENT

021 540 814 msutton@qeii.org.nz

Jesse Bythell SOUTHLAND 0204 003 2109 jbythell@qeii.org.nz