Indigenous Trails is involved in a number of environment projects, keeping our commitment to protecting New Zealand’s environment. More details can be found below.

Project Management

A restoration project involving local Industries/authorities and Maori land owners is underway, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty area of Kawerau. The project includes remedial mitigation, restoration and management of land and water resources that have been polluted and destroyed by an industrial waste sludge disposal operation from the Pulp and Paper Mills in Kawerau.

This is a major rehabilitation project, involving large scale site rehabilitation and indigenous re-vegetation. The various aspects of the restoration project contain elements subject to ongoing monitoring to measure the success of the project and the techniques used in this ambitious initiative.

Site History

The site was originally a natural wetland, Lake Rotoitipaku, with extensive wetlands and springs on the lake margins and the Tarawera River on its eastern boundary. The area was and is still a site with active geothermal surface features. Prior to human arrival the surrounding hills were covered with podocarp/tawa forest but this was removed at an early stage following human settlement.

The site is also of significant traditional and historical value to the large tribal grouping known as the Te Arawa Iwi Tuwharetoa. Renowned as the traditional home and burial place of the tupuna (ancestor) Tuwharetoa and his grandparents and parents.

The site also allows for the road access to an adjacent area, now belonging to the Companies that contain a network of industrial treatment ponds constructed in the vicinity of another Lake, Rotoroa. The Treatment pond area uses a series of embankments. The development of roading, buildings, hard stands, and effluent treatment equipment has resulted in major changes and the loss of most natural character from the site also. Prior to the start of restoration works, remaining ecological values were associated with much degraded open water habitat rather than indigenous vegetation or wetlands.

Restoration Theme

A restoration theme has already been developed within the context of natural landscapes for the latter site.

Vision

To restore a network of wetlands and contiguous margins linked to other natural areas, that provide high quality habitats for indigenous plants and fauna, particularly water birds.

Project Goals

• To restore and manage the indigenous character of the site with a particular focus on wetland habitat and associated terrestrial margins.
• To enable the sustainable use of the site as a waste water treatment facility.

Fauna

Habitat enhancement works for indigenous fauna are being undertaken as an integral part of the restoration programme. The key elements of this objective are:

• to maximize the indigenous character of the enhanced habitats through the use of indigenous plants appropriate to the site;
• to maximize habitat diversity; to make selected small scale modifications to the site to create habitat elements that are uncommon, or not currently present on the site;
• to implement habitat enhancements in sympathy with the existing form of the site, and ongoing operational requirements.

Restoration Works and Planting

Project planning and site preparation are key elements for the long term success of the project. A restoration and management plan has been prepared which involves the removal of weeds and exotic trees, recontouring, and substrate restoration. About 7 ha were planted in 1999 and these plantings are now well established. A further 5 ha was planted in July 2000 and site preparation is underway for plantings of more than 230,000 indigenous seedlings including a diverse range of more than 50 species of terrestrial and wetland plants.

Monitoring

All plantings are inspected on a weekly basis. Photo-points and permanent vegetation plots have been established to monitor restoration of vegetation and habitats.

Regular monthly bird surveys are undertaken to monitor bird numbers following a baseline survey. A wide range of predators which prey on birds and/or their eggs and young are present on the site, including feral cats, mustelids, possums, rats, hedgehogs, magpies, mynas, and pukeko.

Possums and magpies are being controlled initially. Key bird species are being monitored to assess their productivity and survival in the absence of intensive predator control. If breeding success is poor, or if more sensitive species, such as bittern, establish in the restoration area, an integrated predator control regime will be implemented.

Encouraging Signs

The diversity of wildlife has increased following initial restoration works. Dabchicks, a nationally threatened species, are now breeding in the wetlands, a site where they had not been recorded previously. Scaup have also re-established.

Indigenous plant species are regenerating naturally in the restored habitats. In visual terms the site looks much better, and visitors have made many positive comments about the improvements. A very significant outcome to date is that the project has become a catalyst for other ecological restoration projects near Kawerau, and several other substantial projects are now underway, including another major wetland project.

Lake Rotoitipaku

A restoration plan to mitigate the damage to the Lake and its environs is in its early stages of development but it will include intense re-planting of indigenous species, restoration of traditional fisheries and the remediation of geothermal surface features.