Sam Foster (Hamilton City Council) Revised assessment of SNA 38 Caldwell Native Bush

Transcription

1 PO Box 4225, Hamilton East, Hamilton 3247, New Zealand T: F: E: To: Sam Foster (Hamilton City Council) From: Gerry Kessels & Hamish Dean Date: 4 October 2013 Re: Revised assessment of SNA 38 Caldwell Native Bush Further to my memo of 13 September 2013 regarding Progressive Enterprises submission that portions of Caldwell Native Bush SNA No should be altered to reduce the extent of the SNA, myself and Kessels ecology botanist Hamish Dean, undertook a site visit of this area on 30 September 2013 as requested by Commissioner Wakeling. This memo outlines the results of our survey and provides recommendations for changes based on the survey. Photos of the site are presented in Attachment One. Vegetation Description The vegetation comprises a forest of planted native trees reaching between 10m and 15m in height. The stand is between about 50 and 75 years old. A range of podocarp and broadleaf species are present including totara, kahikatea, rimu, karaka, kowhai, rewarewa, kauri, titoki, and silver beech. Canopy trees appear healthy except for one kahikatea which has some canopy dieback. The understorey is relatively open but there is evidence of natural regeneration. Understorey species include planted tawa and miro, along with naturally regenerating kawakawa, karaka, mahoe, ponga, and houhere. Karaka seedlings are common in the groundcover and are very dense in places. Titoki and kahikatea were also noted in the seedling tier. Pest plants were sparse except at the eastern end where English ivy is common. Ivy is sparsely scattered elsewhere and occasional tree privet and Chinese privet were observed on the margins. Tuber ladder fern, wandering Jew and fruit salad plant were observed by the old building footprint on the eastern side. A number of flowering cherry trees were also present close to the railway and this species was also seen in the seedling tier. Kessels & Associates Ltd 1

2 A plant species list is provided as Attachment Two. Fauna No formal fauna surveys were undertaken. However, tui, grey warbler, fantail and blackbird were heard or observed within the SNA during our visit. The presence of tui in this SNA is notable in itself given that observations of this species were a rare occurrence within Hamilton until only recently. As Fitzgerald and Innes (2013) note, since monitoring began in 2004 tui abundance and distribution has increased across Hamilton. This increase in tui abundance is most likely a consequence of a combination of restoration efforts and animal pest control projects within key habitats. Long-tailed bats are not known to be present in this locality (LeRoux & LeRoux, 2012). Nonetheless, some of the larger cavity bearing exotic and indigenous trees in the SNA contain suitable roosting habitat for long-tailed bats. I understand that the owners have commissioned an ecological survey, including a bat survey, and the results of this survey will provide evidence of the presence or absence of bats within this SNA. Reassessment of the SNA Boundary Attachment Three is a map showing the existing outline of the SNA, the owner s suggested outline and our recommended amendment of the SNA. Our realignment of the boundary was determined by ground truthing using GPS combined with GIS aerial mapping. Our redefined boundary reflects what we consider to be the extent of indigenous vegetation within the SNA which retains a predominantly indigenous canopy, sub canopy and ground cover showing evidence of natural regeneration. The north-western arm of the original boundary comprises largely of exotic tree species and is not considered to be ecological significant in terms of the Waikato Regional Policy Statement criteria to determine ecological significance. Part of the south-western arm the submitter wishes to remove from the SNA designation can be removed as it also comprises of exotic species, but only up until the edge of the path (refer to Photos 1 & 2). A large macrocarpa tree on the north side of the SNA has also been retained within the SNA, and although it is an exotic species, it contains a number of cavity bearing attributes which may provide roosting habitat for bats. References Cornes, T.S.; Thomsen R.E.; Clarkson, B.D Key ecological sites of Hamilton City. Volume 2. CBER Contract Report 121. Waikato University, Hamilton. Fitzgerald, N & Innes, J Hamilton City biennial bird counts: Landcare research, prepared for Hamilton City Council LeRoux, D. S. & LeRoux, N. N Hamilton city-wide bat survey 2011/2012, Project Echo and Kessels & Associates, Hamilton Page 2

3 Attachment 1: Site Photos Caldwell Bush HCC SNA No. 38 Retain Exclude Proposed new SW edge of SNA Photo 1 South western arm as viewed from the north Photo 2 South western arm showing mature native trees to the left of the path Page 3

4 Photo 3 View of eastern arm the owners have offered to include in the SNA Photo 4 Caldwell memorial Page 4

5 Photos 5 & 6 Examples of Understorey tawa sapling above & karaka seedlings left Page 5

6 Attachment 2: Plant Species List : Caldwell Bush HCC SNA No. 38 Canopy Understorey Agathis australis kauri Beilschmiedia tawa tawa Alectryon excelsus titoki Brachyglottis repanda rangiora Cordyline australis ti kouka, cabbage tree Coprosma repens taupata Corynocarpus laevigatus karaka Coprosma robusta karamu Cupressus macrocarpa macrocarpa Corokia cultivar korokia Dacrycarpus dacrydioides kahikatea Corynocarpus laevigatus karaka Dacrydium cupressinum rimu Cotoneaster sp. cotoneaster Elaeocarpus hookerianus pokaka Crataegus monogyna hawthorn Hebe parviflora Eriobotrya japonica loquat Hebe sp. Euonymus sp. spindleberry Hoheria populnea houhere, lacebark Griselinia littoralis kapuka Knightia excelsa rewarewa Hoheria populnea houhere, lacebark Laurelia novae-zelandiae pukatea Ligustrum lucidum tree privet Nothofagus menziesii silver beech Ligustrum sinense Chinese privet Olearia angulate Macropiper excelsum kawakawa Phyllocladus trichomanoides tanekaha Melicytus ramiflorus mahoe Pittosporum crassifolium karo Monstera deliciosa fruit salad plant Podocarpus totara totara Muehlenbeckia australis pohuehue Prumnopitys taxifolia matai Myrsine australis mapou Prunus sp. flowering cherry Pittosporum tenuifolium kohuhu Pseudopanax crassifolius x. lessonii Podocarpus totara totara Pseudopanax lessonii houpara Prumnopitys ferruginea miro Solanum mauritianum woolly nightshade Prunus sp. flowering cherry Sophora microphylla kowhai Groundcover (<30cm tall) Alectryon excelsus Corynocarpus laevigatus Eriobotrya japonica Hedera helix Macropiper excelsum Myrsine australis Nephrolepis cordifolia Prunus sp. Pseudopanax crassifolius x. lessonii Solanum pseudocapsicum Sophora microphylla Tradescantia fluminensis titoki karaka loquat English ivy kawakawa mapou tuber ladder fern flowering cherry Jerusalem cherry kowhai wandering Jew Page 6

7 Attachment 2: Recommended SNA Site 38 Boundary Adjustments Page 7