TRIP REPORT : Private forest, Western Hutt Hills

 Saturday 3 August 2002 :   Private forest, Western Hutt hills.

The chance to be in the first group to botanise this forest attracted nineteen members and friends, despite early rain.   Sheltering indoors, while we enjoyed hot drinks, Tony O’Rourke and Marlen Schmieg described the property and its history.   Their 3.9ha property is believed to have been cut-over 80–100 yeas ago.   It is listed in the Hutt City Council District Plan as part of Significant Natural Area no.23, which describes the remnant as “A regionally representative example of relatively unmodified lowland mahoe forest, with large numbers of bird species, including the NZ pigeon”.

Before the briefing ended, the rain stopped, and we began a fascinating exploration of the bush along the upper part of the drive, and tall forest and shrublands to the west, and in a gully to the south.   We compiled lists of about 105 species of indigenous vascular plants and 19 species of non-vascular indigenous plants, and 50 adventive species.   Among the species we saw were kahikatea, rimu, miro, nikau, titoki, tawa, karaka, hinau, pukatea, ramarama, kamahi, kiekie, 4 species of climbing rata, 29 species of ferns, including an unusual-looking Blechnum which Dr Patrick Brownsey believes may be a hybrid between B. chambersii and B. membranaceum, and the orchid Drymoanthus adversus.

We thank Marlen and Tony for their hospitality, and permission to visit their forest.   We will send them a copy of the species list.

Participants: Rae Collins, Penny Currier, Kathleen George, Chris Hopkins, Chris Horne, Lorraine Iremonger, Darryl Kee, Gordon Leary, Sheelagh Leary, Rodney Lewington, Diane Lowe, Cath Mathews, Barbara Mitcalfe, Tony O’Rourke, Emil Schmieg, Marlen Schmieg, Darea Sherratt, Patricia Tankersley, Julia White.

Chris Horne