TRIP REPORT : Clive and Phyl Paton’s conservation covenant

 Saturday - Sunday :   2 - 3 December 2006

Petalochilus chlorostylus.   Photo: Jeremy Rolfe.

The Atarangi covenant is well-known for its large population of northern rata, Metrosideros robusta, discovered by Jo Hansen in recent years.   On Saturday Clive kindly lent us 4WD vehicles to ferry our camping equipment to the hut.   Slow, careful driving was needed, and en route we noted the extensive trackside plantings and festoons of the native convolvulus Calystegia tuguriorum in flower.   After setting up tents and a quick cuppa we set off to climb to “Rata Ridge”.   First we traversed the manuka flat affectionately named “Spongy Pud” by the Paton family, where ground-cover of mosses, ferns including Lindsaea linearis, and occasional orchids such as Petalochilus chlorostylus is developing after earlier grazing.

As we climbed we passed through regenerating rimu and into hard beech, kamahi, and white maire, noting the frequent occurrence of Coprosma linariifolia, and the occasional, epiphytic orchid, Drymoanthus adversus in flower.   After gaining the ridge crest we could see that we needed to tramp right round the headwaters of the catchment of a TR tributary of Waihora Stream, in order to reach the ratas, south of Bush Ridge T, 358 m.   At lunch, under young northern rata beginning to flower, Clive told us the history of the covenant.   Nearby was a distinctive area of 3-4 m tall Dracophyllum longifolium and associated epacrids, then it was a steep scramble down to the stream, where we saw the first fuchsia saplings and a range of other streamside species.   After nearly two hours of wading we arrived back at the hut and settled in for the night.   Next day we botanised a small, TR tributary which enters Waihora Stream at NZMS 260 S27, 011837, finding the (uncommon) Trichomanes endlicherianum.   We thank Pat Enright for his lists and Clive for the use of his hut and for his hospitality during this very pleasant trip.

The Patons’ crib at Waihora Valley.   Photo: Barbara Mitcalfe.

Participants : Bev Abbott, Gavin Dench, Bryan Halliday, Chris Hopkins, Chris Horne, Gordon and Sheelagh Leary, Rodney Lewington, Barbara Mitcalfe, (scribe), Clive Paton (leader), Darea Sherratt, Sunita Singh, Robyn Smith.