Stuart Park Restoration

Project
Spring 2014
Winter Achievements

Hello to all and welcome to the spring newsletter

for the Stuart Park Restoration Project.
Spring is here and its great to be able announce planting
season is officially over in Stuart Park for this year.
When I say officially over, I really mean is the home driveway
is clear of trees for the first time in 4 months and my right
shoulder has had enough of chipping holes in rocky Stuart
Park!
In the last two weeks, the last wheelbarrow of Ngaios found
a home along the gorse bank and the remaining Melicytus
and Silver Tussock are in the ground out in the costal zone.

Getting gorse under control

For a project not even officially launched and with no budget

(or initially, any planting stock) everyone can be proud of
their achievements. We have cut and planted over 150 meters of tracks in the gorse bank, commenced planting in the
costal zone, established the Rata grove and even found two
species of rare plants along the way!
All the trees are in good condition, the Taupta and Ngaios
look as if they have been in the ground for years and nearly
a third of the northern rata have up to 150mm of growth
less then two months after being planted!
The only tree care job we have to do is put some mulch mats
around the trees in the second row of the gorse bank. This
was a much eroded site and we planted into very rocky soil.
Mulch mats made from old carpet underlay will assist on
retaining moisture in what little soil surrounds the broken
rock.

Establishing Northern Rata forest

After that we have some spring and summer jobs to keep us

occupied. So keep an eye on our Facebook page and
Naturespace for updates on working bees.
Thanks to all from the Stuart Park Restoration Team.
Supporting regen in the costal zone

Involving the kids

Discovering rare plants

Spring Job in the Park - Job No. 1

The first job we have for Spring is to clear the
rocky outcrops out in the costal zone.
These rocky outcrops are not only a landscape feature in the park, but often host rare
plants.
One outcrop has already being found to hosting two rare plants and we are hoping to find
more on these outcrops.
Next year we will replant around these
outcrops with lizard friendly species such as
Mingimingi and Tauhinu to establish habitats
for skinks.

Melicytus crassifolius in the long grass.

Obviously no lizards the seeds would have been eaten!

The boys (and Ivy) found more then Melicytus

crassifolius, Coprosma propinqua var. latiuscula
( a cook strait variant) has also been identified

Melicytus crassifolius found under gorse.

in this image.

Spring Job in the Park - Job No. 2a

The second job is to clear the gorse along the
costal track. The start of the track from the
beach is gorse free but the last 40 meters
has gorse and karo mixed amongst the
regenerating local species.
The are some excellent clusters of
regeneration along the track. If we cut and
treat the gorse stumps, gorse will struggle to
ever break though the natural carpet of native species again.

Nice view, pity about the yellow stuff!

Karo and gorse mixed up with Taupata and Mingimingi.

Spring Job in the Park - Job No. 2a - Karo Seedlings

Everyone has to become a Karo seedling expert! They too need to
be cleared along the track. They be anything from 5cm tall up to
mature trees. While a native, Karo are not indigenous to our region
and if not dealt with, threaten to dominate the landscape. If we
don't act we could have a similar problem to the wilding pines invading areas of the Marlborough sounds.

Carpet of Mingimingi spoilt by a fringe of gorse.

Birds in the Park

They may not be native but this spring

and summer there are two regulars in
the park you are bound to see or hear.
While your likely to see the
Yellowhammer, its more then likely
you will only hear the Skylark.
You can find more information
(including bird calls ) at:
New Zealand Birds Online.

Online Resources
Check out these excellent online
resources...

Weedbusters
Need information on dealing with
weeds in your garden or neighborhood?
http://www.weedbusters.org.nz

NZ Plant Conservation Network

This website provides information
about native plants and their
conservation in New Zealand.
http://www.nzpcn.org.nz

Naturewatch
Where you can record what you see in
nature and learn about the natural
world.
http://naturewatch.org.nz

NZ Birds on line
A digital encyclopedia of New Zealand
birds.
http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz

Eurasian skylark

At least 1000 skylarks were introduced into New Zealand between

1864 and 1875 and they quickly became well established throughout the
country. They are now very common
in open country, farmland, tussock
grassland, sand dunes and subalpine herb fields.
This dull, yellow-buff bird is streaked
and spotted brown on the upperparts
and breast. The adult has a small
crest, raised when alert. In flight the
white outer tail feathers and white
trailing edge to the broad wings can
be seen. During territorial flight displays between August and January, the male soars high and slowly descends, all the time
singing a continuous trilling song. The other call is a liquid 'chirrup' usually made in flight.
The diet is mainly seeds of grass, cereals, sedges, clover and weeds. This is supplemented with invertebrates such as beetles, flies, spiders, bugs and larvae of flies, beetles and
moths.
References: Heather, B.D.; Robertson, H.A. 2000 The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Auckland, Viking. Moon, G The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Birds.

Yellowhammer

Introduced into New Zealand between 1862

and the early 1870s and now found throughout the country in farmlands, orchards and
open
tussockland.
As the name suggests, the adult male has a
bright yellow head; underparts are also yellow, there is brownish streaking on the sides
of the face and on the crown, the breast has
a cinnamon wash and the flanks are pale
yellow. The adult female is duller with a more
streaky appearance. Both have reddishbrown, dark-streaked upperparts, rufous
rump and white outer tail feathers. The call
is a ringing metallic tink or twick; the male song is chitty-chitty-chittysweee often
characterised as a little bit of bread and no cheeeeese.
Yellowhammers eat a mix of seeds from introduced weeds, grasses, clover and cereals
and invertebrates such as caterpillars, beetles, flies, bugs and spiders.
They form flocks in autumn and winter but are territorial during the breeding season from
October to March. The nest is a cup of dry grass, lined with rootlets, moss, hair, wool and
feathers. It is usually built on or very close to the ground in gorse, brambles, bracken,
long grass, etc. The clutch of 35 whitish-pink eggs with dark brown scribbling lines is
incubated mainly by the female for 1214 days. Both parents feed the chicks which
fledge at 1213 days.
References: Heather, B.D.; Robertson, H.A. 2000 The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand.
Auckland, Viking. Moon, G The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Birds.

Stuart Park Restoration Project

Titahi Bay Community Group
Website: http://www.naturespace.org.nz
Email: stuartpark@titahi-bay.co.nz
Contact: John Hornblow
Phone: 236 8624