TRIP REPORT : Mana Island Tree Planting

 Saturday 12 June 2004 :   Mana Island Tree Planting

The day started gloriously clear and sunny, if a bit brisk, as eight BotSoccers, amongst the party of 26 people, boarded the ‘Marinowai’ at Fisherman’s Wharf, Paremata, just north of the Paremata railway station, at 9am.   We set off for the almost calm 30 minute crossing to Mana Island – the first trip of the season to get away we were told.   The ‘Marinowai’ was moored, we off-loaded a zodiac rubber dinghy from the roof and were shuttled in three trips to the wharf where we clambered out on to dry land once again.   Once all assembled we went to the “Lockwood” building where we were greeted and given a short talk by one of the DOC rangers on the history, vegetation and wildlife of the island and the obligatory OSH compliance notices.

Mana Island Landing Bay

Short History of Mana Island

In brief:   In pre-Maori times the island would have been forested but after people arrived the island was steadily cleared firstly for the growing of food and in European times for farming.   Mana Island was probably one of the first sheep farms to be established in NZ when three Sydney merchants established a sheep flock there in the early 19th C.   The island was continuously farmed until 1986 – 70 years of this period by the Vella family.   During the 1970s it was managed by MAF Ruakura Research as a quarantine station and exotic sheep breeding trials were carried out.   Then in 1978 a suspected outbreak of scrapie disease led to the total flock being destroyed and administration of the island was taken over by Lands and Survey who for a short while farmed cattle there.   In 1987 Mana Island was designated a Scientific Reserve, vested in the newly formed Department of Conservation and a mouse eradication and tree planting programme was commenced.   Since this time over 350,000 trees, out of a planned 400,000, have been planted on Mana Island.   The revegetation plan aims to reforest one third of the island, with one third remaining in grasslands and the remaining third comprising the coastal cliffs being left to regenerate naturally.

For a full history see the Friends of Mana Island web site www.manaisland.org.nz/history.htm.

Mana Island Planting – Chris Horne

Tree Planting

Following this talk we selected spades and cotton gloves and began the 20 minute trek up the hill to the day’s planting site on the central highlands.   We were shown the Mana way of planting trees by the rangers:   slightly different from the practice on the mainland;   partly owing to the dense sward of grass;   partly owing to the windswept, harsh and frequently dry environment that make it important that trees are firmly planted and in a slight hollow; and also because of the presence of pukeko (although we saw none) which necessitates the trees being protected by a short section of drainage pipe.   This has to also be firmly ‘planted’ to prevent it being blown away or removed by pukeko, but not too firmly that their later removal will result in the tree being torn out of the ground as well.

We had a break to eat our packed lunch which gave us time to view the scenery – the views back to the mainland and Titahi Bay were breathtaking.   The only disturbance to the tranquility was the roar from a group of jet-skiers in a race around the island from Titahi Bay.   By this time we had all warmed up a little, so a few layers of clothing were strewn about.   Another hour of planting completed our assignment for the day and were we took a leisurely walk around the upland perimeter track back to the “Lockwood” for a cuppa and sausage BBQ.   We planted about 600 trees comprising mostly cabbage trees, manuka, kanuka, Coprosma lucida, C. rhamnoides and C. robusta.

Leaving Mana Island to the setting sun

On the return walk we passed the old lighthouse site on the North Bluff, and the concrete gannet colony, and results of many previous tree planting efforts.   We also saw the created Waikoko Wetland.   Birds were numerous – the most obvious being the takahe, paradise ducks, oystercatchers, fantails – and lizards too were evident, scurrying from their sunbathing spots.   After the thirst was quenched many of the party then took the short walk along the beach northwards to the old woolshed that had some historic displays and literature about the island.

In the threatened species garden by the “Lockwood” we were pleased to see the Cook Strait, regionally critically threatened, endemic shrub Melicytus aff. obovatus flourishing alongside tiny plots of the nationally endangered and regionally critical Leptinella nana.   Also seen was Hebe elliptica var. crassifolia.   Near the landing we noted signage about northern rata, and admired several planted Metrosiders robusta / northern rata saplings thriving nearby.   We were pleased to see that barberry and karo has been removed from near the “Lockwood”, and that Euphorbia glauca had been planted along the approach to the wharf.

About 3.45 pm we began loading the ‘Marinowai’ for our return to Paremata, leaving the lowering sun behind us.   Fisherman’s Wharf was reached by 5 pm.   What a great day it had been.

Participants:   Barbara Clark, Kathleen George, Richard and Margaret Herbert, Dave Holey, Chris Horne, Amy Leask and Barbara Mitcalfe.

Our many thanks to the Friends of Mana Island for allowing us to join their volunteer planting programme for this day.   Planting occurs every weekend from May to July.   For more information and bookings contact Sue Chesterfield, phone: 04-233 8314; email: chesterfield@zfree.co.nz, website www.manaisland.org.nz.

Richard Herbert and Chris Horne

Mana Island Map - DOC