Whare Pārekereke (Nursery)
“Because Rimu and Kāhikatea were thought to be such an important structural element, as well as an important food resource for indigenous wildlife, and their rate of spread is slow, the possibility of planting island-grown seedlings could be considered.
From a species perspective re-establishment of Rimu and Kahikatea is a low priority, but from an ecosystem perspective it is a high priority.”
Kapiti Island Ecological Restoration Strategy, 2016
Propagating Rimu and Kahikatea in a nursery on Kapiti Island can help support the long-term recovery of mature forest ecosystems on the motu. These species are slow-growing, canopy-dominant trees that form the structural backbone of lowland forests.
Without intentional planting, they are unlikely to re-establish in sufficient numbers due to limited seed sources, competition from faster-growing species, and browsing pressure in earlier decades.
Ensuring their presence in restoration plantings will help recreate the complex vertical structure, habitat diversity, and ecological resilience characteristic of pre-human forest systems on the motu.
By focussing on high-priority taonga, we can maximise the impact of our mahi.
The pest-animal-free status of the motu has been well utilised with the translocation of threatened manu such as Tīeke, but the same can’t be said of threatened rākau.
Kapiti is under-utilised as a safe stronghold for plant species that currently risk local extinction on the mainland in the presence of introduced browsers.
We will work with experts to identify species which would benefit from being propagated on the island, maintaining our desire to maximise the impact of our efforts by focussing on high-priority species.
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