Tiromoana Bush Year 3 (2007-2008) Summary Report
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Tiromoana Bush Advisory GroupTiromoana Bush Year 3 (2007-2008) Summary Report Introduction This report summarises the activities undertaken as part of the Tiromoana Bush restoration project during the year 1 July 2007 – 30 June 2008. The report is structured in the same manner as the Work Plan prepared for and approved by Hurunui District Council. For each item, the original goal in the Work Plan is presented, then the progress made in achieving this discussed. 1. Management Planning Action 1.1: Annual Work Plan Preparation Complete review of 2007/08 restoration work, and prepare 2008/09 work plan in time for the June 2008 Tiromoana Bush Advisory Group meeting. The review of the 2007/08 work plan is contained in this report, while the 2008-09 annual work plan has been produced and is appended to this report for approval by the Tiromoana Bush Advisory Group at its 2 October 2008 meeting. Action 1.2: Tiromoana Advisory Group Meetings Hold Advisory Group meetings in December 2007 (Tiromoana Bush) and June 2008 (Christchurch - review of 2007/08 work and approval of 2008/09 work plan). Unfortunately no meetings of the Tiromoana Bush Advisory Group were held over this period, although a catch-up meeting was held on 2 October 2008 (in Christchurch) to review the 2007/08 work and approve the 2008/09 work plan. [More effort will be made to ensure that these meetings are held as planned during 2008/09.] 2. Monitoring Action 2.1: Photopoints Re-photograph existing photopoints in December 2007, including all permanent vegetation plot and restoration plot photopoints. The photopoints were re-photographed on the 11th January 2008. A report has been prepared on this which is appended. In summary, the photopoints are starting to show the effects of stock removal at Tiromoana Bush, with gorse expansion obvious in several photos while rank grass growth is clearly evident and forms a striking contrast with adjacent farmed areas. It will, however, be some years before major changes are obvious (eg, expansion of kanuka forest). The permanent vegetation plot photopoints are being rephotographed as the opportunity arises, but not all were done in 2007/08 (but all will be in 2008/09). The restoration plot photopoints were rephotographed and are discussed under Action 2.2 below. Action 2.2: Permanent Plots (a) Establish five permanent plots in areas of gorse shrubland. (b) Establish 8-12 permanent plots in grassland (stratified by distance from kanuka remnants and aspect). (c) Establish additional permanent plots to monitor restoration plantings once they are established (see Section 9.3 of the Management Plan). (d) Remeasure existing restoration monitoring plots. (a & b) No permanent plots have been established in gorse and only one has been established in grassland. [This will be addressed as a high priority in 2008/09.] (c & d) No new restoration plots were established as the new plantings in 2007 were largely infilling of existing restoration areas. However, four of the five permanent plots in August 2006 were remeasured in September 2008 and a report describing the results of this assessment is appended to this report. Action 2.3: Bird Monitoring Remeasure the bird monitoring lines established in 2005 in October 2007 (this is the last base-line measurement). The bird survey was repeated in October 2007 and a copy of the final report is available. The most obvious result to come from this survey is a decline in the abundance of all bird species, both native and exotic (Figures 1 and 2). Because this decline has now occurred for two years, the bird survey will be repeated again in October 2008 to determine if the decline continues. One possible reason for the decline is that rodent numbers may have increased in Tiromoana Bush as a result of the rampant grass sward that has established with the cessation of domestic stock grazing. This grass sward means high seed availability for mice, hence greater rat numbers which in turn means more bird predation. If the trend of declining bird numbers continues, then a predator control programme will need to be implemented. However, it is not proposed to continue bird monitoring after 2008, with a gap for 3-5 years before the next monitor anticipated. Action 2.4: Other Faunal Monitoring Explore options to establish baseline invertebrate monitoring (eg, through DOC or a university student) plus some specific weta monitoring (eg, using weta homes). Some discussions were held with a Lincoln University student, but no further progress to date. 
Figure 1. Mean counts of indigenous individuals in different habitats, 2005-2007 (with standard error bars) 
Figure 2. Mean counts of introduced individuals in different habitats, 2005-2007 (with standard error bars) 3. Plant and Animal Pest Control Action 3.1: Weed Control (a) Continue mapping of woody weeds; (b) Complete removal of wilding conifers; (c) Complete removal of willows (possibly by trunk poisoning); (d) Remove any hawthorn present; (e) Prioritise and if necessary remove other woody weeds. (a) Mapping of weeds has continued as they are encountered. (b) Wilding conifer removal has not progressed past the work completed by Target Pest prior to their bankruptcy. Wilding conifer seedlings are regularly pulled out as they are encountered – this is likely to be an ongoing job. (c) A number of willows were successfully poisoned (February 2008), although more in the lower part of Kate Stream, and some close to the landfill still need to be killed. A poison mix comprising 20 g/l water Escort (metsulphron) and 20 ml/l water pulse (organosilcon) was used based on the recommendation of Nick Ledgard (SCION). Holes were drilled to 50-100 mm depth at 50 mm spacing around the trunks of target willows and the chemical mix squirted into these. (d) No hawthorn have been encountered. (e) Four cherry plums (Prunus cerasifera) up to 15 cm basal diameter and 5-6 m tall in kanuka woodland (visible in PP7e) were cut but not poisoned. As they may well resprout they should be checked again during 2008/09 summer. Carefully checking of all bush areas for this species in autumn is advised as the trees are particularly obvious when the leaves turn yellow. Action 3.2: Animal Pest Control (a) Review AHB and CWS control programmes targeted at a variety of animal pests around the landfill and more widely across Tiromoana farm and Tiromoana Bush (eg, rats, cats, mustelids and possums) to determine their potential benefits for biodiversity in Tiromoana Bush. (b) Maintain an ongoing review of rabbit and hare numbers and instigate control as required. (c) Undertake Canada goose control if numbers dictate in consultation with relevant organisations. (a) The review of animal pest control programmes has not been undertaken but will be once the 2008 bird monitoring results are available. (b) CWS have been undertaking regular (2-4 weekly) hare control across Tiromoana Bush. (c) No Canadian goose control has been undertaken., Action 3.3: Fencing Continue to maintain boundary fences. This work has occurred as required. 4. Plant Restoration Action 4.1: Restoration Propagation
(a) Wai-ora Forest Landscapes have now started actively collecting beech seedlings from Remnant A and have ca. 50 growing on in their nursery. They have also collected considerable quantities of duff and hope to germinate further seedlings from this. If insufficient material can be obtained from Remnant A, duff will also be collected from Remnant B (but not seedlings), while seed and duff will be collected from other black beech sites in the Motanau Ecological District. (b) Collection of seeds and cutting continues as does propagation of this material. In addition, seedlings of a range of species have been collected and are being grown on from Remnant A (Table 1). These will eventually be planted out as part of the restoration plantings or as enrichment plantings. Table 1. Plant material collected and under propagation from Remnant A.
(c) Total number of plants established in the restoration plantings was 2000 in 2007 (Table 2). This reduction in number from 4260 in 2006 is a result of the failure of tree lucerne plantings, and the decision to increase native plant size in the nursery prior to planting (shifting from RX90 to 1.5 litre pots except for purei and flax) as a means to ensure that plants had a better chance of survival once planted out. As a result, fewer plants can be grown on and planted out for the same cost. However, the smaller plant number should be offset by higher survivorship. Weed control continues for existing plantings. Table 2. Plant numbers established in 2006 and 2007.
(d) The propagation review was not undertaken, but it would seem like a good idea to still do this. 5. Recreation and Community Relations Action 5.1: Public Walking Track (a) Complete and open Stage 2 of the Tiromoana Bush walkway. (b) Complete two shorter link tracks. (c) Ongoing maintenance of walkway. Stage 2 of the walkway was opened to the public, while the two shorter link tracks have now been marked out but are yet to be opened. Walkway maintenance involves a minimum of two mows per annum plus other maintenance as required and is undertaken by CWS under the supervision of Bob Bennett. Action 5.2: Newsletter, Brochures and Web Page (a) Update Tiromoana Bush web site on a regular basis. (b) Contribute material to the Transwaste Canterbury newsletter as required. Some updates have been made to the webpage and contributions made to the Transwaste newsletter as required. Action 5.3: School Liaison (a) Work with Untouched World Foundation to further Tiromoana Bush restoration goals and provide education to participating students. (b) Make presentation on Tiromoana Bush project to interested staff and students at Rangiora High School, Hurunui College and Kaiapoi High School. Two Untouched World Foundation visits were made to Tiromoana Bush in August 2007 and May 2008. The school children on these trips have assisted with a variety of activities including weed mapping, track maintenance and permanent plot re-measurement. Action 5.4: Voluntary Workers Facilitate voluntary input from individuals and groups to assist with the Tiromoana Bush project. There has been no progress on this yet. Action 5.5: Research Support ENSIS field-scale research on direct seeding (Nick Ledgard). (b) Implement field trial to assess the effect of opening out kanuka canopy on understorey regeneration (David Norton). (c) Support research undertaken by University of Canterbury M.For.Sc. student on historical changes in Tiromoana Bush vegetation cover and current vegetation pattern (Arison Arihafa). (d) Support other research relevant to the objectives of the Tiromoana Bush project on a case-by-case basis. (a) Nick Ledgard’s has received ongoing financial and logistical support. (b) The field trial assessing the effect of opening the kanuka canopy on regeneration has been established and will be monitored over the next few years. (c) Three University of Canterbury students are currently undertaking research in Tiromoana Bush which will add to our knowledge of the bush and regeneration patterns. Arison Arihafa (M.For.Sc. report) has mapped the vegetation pattern and assessed change on the cover of woody vegetation from the 1950s through to the present day. Rebecca Coles (B.For.Sc. dissertation) and Lucas Makrosimnok (M.For.Sc. report) are looking at natural regeneration under kanuka stands, with Rebecca looking at the effects of aspect and distance from gullies, while Lucas is looking at growth rates in the vegetation monitoring plots, as well as the relationship to canopy cover. 2 October 2008 Page File Ref: TASS-10-02 |