A Vision for the Reserve - Letter to Auckland City Council, and all Auckland residents

Our vision is to create an ecological jewel in the midst of the City.:

• A wetland and forest habitat that provides year round food for native birds and insects.
• A place where residents can come and jog, walk the dog, play, reflect.
• A Reserve where children can learn about our native plants, birds and insects.

What is the best that this reserve could be?
A long term plan needs to be developed for the Reserve which takes into account all aspects - ecological, wildlife and plants, park users and recreation, and storm water treatment. A holistic plan would include actions that can be worked towards as time and funding permit over the coming years. When this plan is formulated, both Council and external funding can be applied for and Community support can be rallied to carry out some of the work.

Ecological Jewel
The reserve covers a large area and can make a significant ecological impact on Auckland city contribution to the environment, and provide a unique jewel for our residents and for future generations.
It can be a habitat for wildlife and native trees and plants. It can be part of a city wide green belt, form part of the migration path for birds, and be a breeding area for native species which can spread out into the city. We would like an ecological plan to be professionally developed for the Reserve which looks holistically at all aspects including the following:

What birds can this reserve support and nurture?

What habitats are required for each of these species?

• Wetland birds eg pukeko, ducks, heron
• Shallow wading areas
• Deep diving areas
• Wetland plants
• Fishes for feeding
• Island habitats
• Raft nests for birds when reserve floods
• Forest birds eg. Wood pigeons, tuis, fantails, kaka, kakariki, bellbirds, Kotuku
  • Large forest trees
  • All year food trees and plants fruits and nectar
  • Insects for feeding
  • Feeding boxes – nectar, grains?
  • Nesting boxes
  • Predator free habitat- increased predator trapping particularly rats.
• Migratory Birds
• Food supplies
• Endangered Species
  • Predator free habitat
  
  What insects can the reserve support, and what habitat is required? (e.g. What plants are required for caterpillars and nectar flowers for butterflies.)
  • Dragonflies
  • Moths
  • Butterflies
  
  What other species can the reserve support and what habitat is required?
  • Frogs
  • Reptiles, eg geckos, skinks
  • Bats
  
  What freshwater fish could survive in the wetland (with the gambusia) and what additional habitat is required
  • Kokupu
  • Eels
  
  What augmentation can be done to the existing planting areas to improve them?
  • Some large trees particularly Puriri, Rata and Pohutukawa to be planted at strategic locations which are sheltered (possibly on the slopes above the wetland adjacent to the existing gum tree forest, and along the boundary with the golf course )
  • Puriri ( particularly for kereru (native wood pigeon ( have fruit for 12 months of the year - one of the most desirable species for this reserve for birdlife)
  • Rewarewa (nectar for 3 months of the year)
  • Pigeonwood (fruit for six months of the year)
  • Kotukutuku NZ fuchsia
  • Northern Rata (nectar for four months of the year)
  • Kakabeak
  • Native broom
  • Titoki ( fruit for five months)
  • Hinau ( fruit for six months )
  
  What maintenance could be carried out to existing planting to assist?
  • Thinning of some trees/shrubs where they are crowding mature species (e.g. some mature Kowhai are being crowded out by Manuka).
  • Artificial frost protection for young frost sensitive Puriri, and/or creation of light-wells in some current bush areas for planting of Puriri.
  • Planting of Nikau and Tree ferns in light-well areas in current bush.
  
  What pest control is required is needed?
  • Rats/stoats/ferrets
  • wasps
  
  Recreation and educational usage of the parks
  
  • Additional seating at regular intervals and vantage points around the reserve
  • Improve the visibility at the existing lookouts
  • Maintain usage for walking, jogging, biking and walking dogs off leash.
  • Put up educational signage to keep dogs out of the wetland zone
  • Additional carparking area on Abbots Way for the increasing number of visitors to the Reserve Long term
  • Boardwalk through the wetland (similar to those at Manawa wetland)
  • Link up lookouts to other paths
  • Paths into forest areas, seats with bird feeding boxes in forest areas (like Tiritiri Matangi)
  • Provide educational signage for wildlife, wetlands, trees, plants
  • Convert part of the parks office in Abbotts Way into an educational resource room
  • Create city wide linkages/ green belts which allow migration of birds and others across the city. (Starting with a forested section of reserve within the former Winstone's Quarry site)