Upper Hutt Branch Newsletter
June/July 2010
June Meeting
Topic: Tapu Teranga Marine Reserve – 20
years of toil, strife and determination
Speaker: Andrew Cutler
Andrew is a former Chair of Wellington Branch
and was one of the driving forces behind the
establishment of the Reserve.
Date: Wednesday 23 June
Time: 7.30 pm
Place: Heretaunga College Staffroom
Bring:
A gold coin donation for the hire of the
College Staffroom
$1 for the raffle
A friend who hasn’t been to one of our
meetings before
To Get There: Heretaunga College, Ward St,
Wallaceville, Upper Hutt. The staffroom is
opposite the main entrance to the college and
will be sign-posted. There is parking in the
college grounds or on Ward Street.
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PO Box 40 875 Upper Hutt
July Meeting
Topic: Discovery of Dinosaur Footprints in
New Zealand
Speaker: Greg Browne
Greg is a local member and will talk about the
discovery of dinosaur footprints in NZ Nelson,
as well as some interesting insights into the
diets of these animals 70 million years ago and
the botany of NZ at the time.
Date: Wednesday 28 July
Time: 7.30 pm
Place: Heretaunga College Staffroom
National AGM
Forest & Bird’s AGM will be at the Mercure
Hotel, 355 Willis Street, Wellington at 8:30am
on 26 June 2010. All Forest & Bird members
are welcome to attend.
The AGM will be followed by the Forest & Bird
Council meeting and annual conference, where
members and guest speakers will tackle the
most urgent conservation issues and challenges
we face today. Speakers at the conference will
include the Minister of Conservation, Hon Kate
Wilkinson; Labour leader Phil Goff and Greens
Co-leader, Russel Norman (TBC).For more
information about the AGM and the Conference
following please contact Samantha Partridge at
s.partridge@forestandbird.org.nz
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society
From The Chair
Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of
attending two very special events in the
Auckland region. The first was another release
of Kokako into the Waitakere Ranges. The
ranges are home to “Ark in the Park”, arguably
the largest of Forest & Bird’s projects, where
dedicated volunteers are working with the
Auckland Regional Council to create an
unfenced mainland island within the
Waitakere’s in order to restore the once-
flourishing dawn chorus of yesteryear. The
scale of this project is impressive – almost
2000ha of intensive pest control, which has
had to be extended because Kokako don’t know
where the control boundaries are! This project
speaks heaps for the resilience, dedication and
commitment of volunteers. The further
release of two Kokako, bring the total release
number to six and to join the successful
release of other “long-lost” species, makes it all
worth it.
The second event, later that evening, was to
give the keynote speech at the launch of the
Auckland branch of A Rocha, an international
Christian-based environmental organisation
dedicated to ensuring that humanity fulfils its
responsibility for preserving and protecting
God’s creation. A Rocha began over 20 years
ago in Portugal and has been active in New
Zealand for almost three years. The Auckland
branch has been “nurturing” for several years,
determining where their place could be within
the environmental community of wider Auckland
and trying to find a niche that best meets their
goals.
Both organisations, one being a part of this
country for over 87 years, the other just
starting out, have one thing in common – they’ve
done their homework, they’ve done their
planning. A third event, currently being
organised by Forest & Bird Upper Hutt, is
relevant here. This is the East-West Corridor
project, proposed to reforge the ecological
corridor that once bridged the eastern and
western hills at Taita. Such a large project,
involving many landowners and stakeholders,
requires much planning and resources, even
before the first plant is put in the ground. For
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Upper Hutt Branch June/July 2010
projects to be successful, they need people to
buy into them and support them in order that
resources, commitment, energy, dedication and
success become a reality. I have seen too many
projects fail because of poor planning and lack
of buy-in, agreement and resources. In too
many cases, people have often been “forced” to
buy in because not to would be seen as contrary
to being part of someone else’s grand outcome.
Such situations run the risk of dissent and
discord amongst the very group of people you
want to own the project. Projects need
partners and a great deal of work is involved in
meeting partner’s needs.
Forest & Bird has made plenty of mistakes in
carrying out numerous restoration projects
around the country. I would like to think that
we’ve learned something in the past 87 years;
enough at least to get our own house in order
as we advice and support others who are just
starting out.
Barry Wards
Chair & National President
Wellington Restoration Day
22 May 2010
The annual Wellington Restoration Day,
bringing together the myriad of ecological
restoration groups in the Wellington area for a
day of learning, networking and celebration of
achievement, was held on Saturday 22 May
2010, at Silverstream Retreat, Reynolds Bach
Rd, Upper Hutt, Below Lynne McClellan and Sue
Millar tell us about their experiences of the
day.
People on the Hulls Creek bridge comparing the
4/5 year old plantings with the original paddock
upstream.
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society
Restoration day participants at the electric
fishing exhibition - fish ladder to the right
Wellington Restoration Day
Speakers and Workshops
Recently eight local F&B members attended the
Greater Wellington Regional Council's
Restoration Day held at the Silverstream
Retreat. May 22, the date chosen for this
event, was significant as it was the
International Day of Biodiversity in the
International Year of Biodiversity. This annual
event is free (comes from taxpayer dollars)
and is a way for the Regional Council to thank
the various Care Groups in the region. There
are literally dozens of Care Groups in Greater
Wellington and it was great to see the displays
showing their latest projects.
The opening speaker was David Young from
Nelson. A lifetime ago he used to be the
Deputy Editor of the Listener. He is also the
author of several books.
His brief was to provide insights into the
current restoration upsurge with a national
focus as well as an international one. He
described the spiritual crisis of today with
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Upper Hutt Branch June/July 2010
humour and laid out the less obvious benefits
for the helpers of Care Groups and voluntary
organizations. He says they provide solace and
well being through the sense of community that
is created. They also satisfy the pioneering
spirit present in all of us and add meaning to
retirement for many people. Of course they
also help to preserve our heritage and our
biodiversity.
The next pair of speakers, Dr Leon Perrie and
Wayne Bennett spoke about eco-sourcing of
plants from two different perspectives.
Leon showed the genetics of the process and
why we need to be sensitive to sourcing of
plants while Wayne delighted us with a
practical look at the problems that can arise
He had a wicked sense of humour and used a
good set of photos. They were both powerful
advocates for biodiversity.
Various workshops followed. Top of my list was
the presentation by Peter Russell from the
Department of Conservation on The Need to
Weed. Peter is passionate about his topic and
does a lot of work in his own time. He thinks we
should be focussing on the next lot of garden
escapees before they become a problem. Much
monitoring and research is being done in this
area. So keep your eye in for those pesky
plants that have escaped from the garden.
The day's last activity was a field trip. The
choices were:
Moehau Park/Trentham Memorial Park (90
people) Hull's Creek (45 people) and the Dune
Restoration at Petone (30 people).
The day finished with nibbles and drinks at
6pm.
This is the second Restoration Day I have
attended and I have enjoyed both immensely.
It was good to talk with people who are not as
far down the track as Upper Hutt. It gives one
some perspective on the job. So keep an eye
out in the Branch newsletter for next year's
day held in May and give yourself a day off
from family cares to attend.
Lynne McLellan
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society Upper Hutt Branch June/July 2010

Wellington Restoration Day

Field Trip to Barton’s Bush and
Moehau Stream

Leaders: Richard Morgan (GWRC), Barry Wards

and Sue Millar.

This trip proved very popular and an extra bus

was needed to transport the ninety people that
wished to take part. After an initial talk
the group was divided into three, each with a
leader and helpers. We started by walking
through the well established Barton’s Bush
tracks where we started our bush restoration
projects sixteen years ago now. Then we
progressed on to the newly cleared, shallow
gully of Moehau Stream adjoining Barton’s
Bush on the Hutt River side, where planting will
begin shortly, and also looked at the areas
there that have already been planted. Some are
five years old and a good size now, and the
plantings done in the last two years are showing Last year, over 1900 people took part in the
good growth also. nationwide survey. For two years running, the
Many thanks to our members who helped house sparrow has been the most common
answer questions and made sure we did not garden dwelling bird. In 2007 silvereyes came
loose anyone - Gwen Beazley, Lynne McLellan, up tops in the survey, however, in recent years
Philippa Dunn, and Roz Brown. The only thing there has been a decline in population. This
that was lost briefly was one bus for the drop in numbers is thought to because of an
return trip! outbreak of avian pox in the Dunedin region.
Sue Millar
Survey forms and bird identification sheets
are available on the Forest and Bird website.
You can even enter your results online.
Annual Garden Bird Survey
www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-
Grab your biros and head outside for the 2010 do/news/birders-alert-2010-garden-bird-
Garden Bird Survey. survey

All you need to do is spend one hour anytime
between 26 June and 4 July looking for birds
in your garden, parks or school grounds and
record the largest number of each type of bird
you see or hear.
Your results will provide scientists with
important information about bird populations
and which types of birds might need help in the
future.
The bird survey is run jointly by Forest & Bird
and Landcare Research.
Please note: the survey must be done in the
timeframe indicated. Surveys completed
before or after these dates will not be
counted.

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Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society Upper Hutt Branch June/July 2010

1766 plants planted at Hulls Creek

6000 plants now ready for planting this
winter

Well done and thank you to everyone that made

this happen.

Scraping the Bottom

You may remember Adam Langford’s retelling

Hull’s Creek Working Bees of an encounter with an Albatross in an earlier
edition of our newsletter. Here Adam shares
The next working bees for Hulls Creek will be his memories of his part in the initial
on Sat June 26, Sat July 31, and Sat August exploratory work that led to the laying of the
29. Please check with Sue Millar (Ph:5267440) first Cook Strait power cable.
to find which area we will be working in.
My first job with the NZOI was to design a
system to dump tracer sand on the bottom of
Upper Hutt Forest and Bird Cook Strait from a position off the North
Statistics Island and a 15 mile (24 km) line to a point on
the South island. I also had to make a dredge
and a magnetic separator to pass the material
dredged up along the marker line.
Imagine my excitement when I was included in
the team to do the work. The scientist who had
conceived the idea was a crazy Englishman
named Dr Henry Pantin. He had been educated
Recently at our Upper Hutt AGM the various at Oxford and had a snotty-nosed Oxford
subgroups presented their annual reports. For accent, but despite this I liked and admired
those of you who weren’t able to make it here him, except for one occasion when he, by
are some of our local statistics extracted from accident, gave me a wash down with a high
these reports: powered hose. I called him all the ……..names
under the sun. He apologised profusely.
We spent three weeks at sea – a learning
4.5 cubic metres of gravel spread on period for me. For three days I struggled with
Rangi’s track in Ecclesfield reserve seasickness but recovered and couldn’t stop
15 mice trapped since 2007 eating. We did some test cores in the Taranaki
18 Hull’s Creek working bees Bight before returning to the Cook Strait to
33 Tuesday morning working bees dredge on each side of the drop. Each dredging
100 trees planted in Ecclesfield Reserve was carefully documented and stored.
117 plants planted in Te Marua Bush On our return the contents of each dredging
167 rats trapped since 2007 were passed through the magnetic separator
173 members in Upper Hutt Forest and Bird and Henry was able to make a very sound
(as of April 2010) declaration that there was little or no
190 possums trapped since 2007 movement of the sediment on that line, the
204 plans planted at the Reynold’s Bach site proposed route for the Cook Strait power
205 plants planted at Domain Bush, cable. That has proved correct.
Trentham Memorial Park Adam Langford.
454 plants planted at Mawaihakona stream,
Trentham Memorial Park
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Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society Upper Hutt Branch June/July 2010

More information on the laying of the Cook

Strait Cable can be found at
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/engineering-on-
the-sea-floor/2
Forest and Bird Local Branches
Editors Note
Thanks to our contributors this month, Barry
Wards, Lynne McLellan, Sue Millar and Adam
Langford. Many thanks are also due to Allan
Sheppard for the wonderful photos in this
edition.

F&B Lower Hutt Branch meeting:

Meets 1st Thursday of the month
The views expressed in this newsletter are not
necessarily those of Forest and Bird as a whole.
F&B Wellington Branch Meeting
Every effort has been made to ensure
Meets 3rd Thursday of the month
accuracy. Any errors or omissions are
regretted. Correspondence should be
Kapiti Branch Meeting
addressed to PO Box 40 875 Upper Hutt.
Meets 4th Wednesday of the month

Other Groups
Wellington Botanical Society
Meets 3rd Monday of the month 7.30 pm
www.wellingtonbotsoc.wellington.net.nz

Web Watch
Forest and Bird has a great website with heaps
of interesting information. It now includes
past copies of our newsletter.
www.forestandbird.org.nz

Also check out:

Kiwi Conservation Club www.kcc.org.nz

NZ Ecological Restoration Network

www.bush.org.nz

NZ Plant Conservation Network

www.nzpcn.org.nz

Newsletter Deadline
The deadline for the next newsletter is:
1 August 2010.
Please send any items to Penny or Marion,
preferably by email (so we don’t have to wear
our fingers out typing!) Thanks 

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Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society Upper Hutt Branch June/July 2010

Calendar of Events

Month Date Time Event Contact

June Wed 23rd 7.30 Upper Hutt Branch Barry Wards
Meeting 04 970 4266
June Sat 26 See F&B National AGM Samantha Partridge at
website s.partridge@forestandbird.org.nz
July Wed 28th 7.30 Upper Hutt Branch Barry Wards
Meeting 04 970 4266
August Wed 25th 7.30 Upper Hutt Branch Barry Wards
Meeting 04 970 4266
September Wed 27th 7.30 Upper Hutt Branch Barry Wards
Meeting 04 970 4266
The last
Working Bee, Hulls
Saturday Sue Millar
Monthly 9am to 12pm Creek,
of each 04 526 7440
month.
On hold Potting up, Upper Hutt Sue Millar
 over winter
 Depot 04 526 7440

2009 Branch Committee

Phone Email
Barry Wards 04 970 4266 (hm) Chairperson barry.wards@maf.govt.nz
04 894 0475 (wk)
Graham Bellamy 04 526 3053 Treasurer glbellamy@slingshot.co.nz
Fred Fowler 04 569 7187 Secretary Fred.fowler@ontrack.govt.nz
Marion Callus 04 527 8692 Newsletter/committee callus@xtra.co.nz
Penny Madsen 04 528 5303 Newsletter penny.madsen@ihug.co.nz
Lynne McLellan 04 526 7775 Newsletter Distributor lynne@letterlinks.co.nz
Sue Millar 04 526 7440 Horticulture millark@ihug.co.nz
Roz Brown 04 526 7573 Committee/Submissions roz@oilcrash.com
Gill Murgatroyd 04 970 3042 Committee
Richard Northmore 04 526 2572 Committee
Stella Watson 04 971 5076 Membership stellaw@paradise.net.nz
Adam Langford 04 973 7302 Committee
Heather Blissett 04 526 3668 Committee
Georgie Dobson 04 526 5119 KCC ralph.georgina@xtra.co.nz