Atuanui

ATUANUI

You won't find Atuanui (Mt Auckland) on many tourist maps or itineraries. Just over 70 km north west of Auckland on SH16, the Atuanui Scenic Reserve is a 615 hectare native forest reserve of mature mixed podocarp and hardwood forest. It is the largest area of native forest between the Waipoua Forest and the Waitakere Ranges.

Highlights include some large kauri, rimu and puriri trees as well as a dominant taraire canopy and a rich variety of native vegetation. Kereru, tui, fantail and tomtits are some of the birds seen and heard at Atuanui.

There are many niche areas of high biodiversity, including king fern, stalked adders tongue fern, and several species of orchid. A wetland area at the mouth of the Mangatutu Stream on the Hoteo River is another special feature.

There is archaeological evidence of extensive pa sites and fortifications (including defensive ditches, terraces, middens and pits), on the peak, on the north-western slopes of Atuanui, and beside the Hoteo River.

The reserve is also the setting for the Mt Auckland Walkway - one of the very first walkways gazetted in New Zealand.

Pests damaging the bush

Unfortunately over the years Atuanui has suffered the depradatiions of imported pests, including possums, stoats, goats and deer. While still an important ecological site, it is a shadow of what it once would have been in terms of native birds and plants.

Possum control is now done every four - five years by the Department of Conservation (DoC). The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) Biosecurity also control possums in a 1700ha buffer zone of farmland around the reserve. Rodents are not yet controlled at Atuanui. Monitoring supported by the ARC will begin in March 2006 using tracking tunnels.

Current DoC policy is to control goats and deer in areas of highest conservation priority. At Atuanui licences for recreational hunting are issued for fortnightly periods. Despite this, large numbers of goats are seen in the reserve. DoC Contract hunters are now also visiting Atuanui more regularly to help control deer and goats and this seems to be much more effective.

Atuanui Restoration Project

The Atuanui Restoration Project is a community partnership initiated by Kaipara Forest and Bird with local residents, iwi, Auckland Regional Council, the Department of Conservation, the Rodney District Council and other supporters. The goal is to establish a mainland restoration project at the Atuanui Scenic Reserve to restore the reserve to a healthy, functioning forest teeming with native flora and fauna and a melodious dawn chorus. Navigator Tours is delighted to be able to make a small contribution to these efforts.

Plans and Priorities

From 2005 the Atuanui Restoration Project aims to:

* Monitor bird and invertebrate numbers, vegetation health and pest densities.

* Participate in ongoing Iwi and community consultation, especially with local landowners.

* Conduct a feasibility study for pest proof fencing at Atuanui.

* Investigate ways of improving Kereru breeding success at the reserve with nest monitoring and protection.

* Involve local schools in the restoration programme.

* Setup a website for the Atuanui Restoration Project.

The longer term goals include:

* Continue monitoring and carry out pest eradication and/or predator proof fencing.

* Re-introduce threatened bird species to the reserve such as stitchbird, kokako, robin, kiwi and whitehead.

* Continue to focus effort on increasing the breeding success of kereru in the reserve.

* Fund the upgrade of access to the reserve, walking tracks, and signs.

* Establish a visitor centre with the emphasis on community conservation education

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

There are many ways you can help including:

* Join as a member to help support

the project.

* Volunteer to help with a variety of

tasks from monitoring birds to

building a web-site.

* Spread the news about what is being

done at Atuanui.

* If you have any skills or time that

you would like to share for the

benefit of the Project, please let us

know.

DONATIONS WELCOME

The Atuanui Restoration project needs to raise funds for itsambitious work programme so donations are always most welcome.

If you would like to make a donation please make your cheque out to:

"Kaipara Forest and Bird ARP"

and send it to:

Convenor, Atuanui Restoration Project

Private Bag 1

Helensville 1250

North Auckland

Aotearoa-New Zealand

Everyone who makes a donation will be added to the Atuanui Restoration Project database of supporters and kept up to date with news of progress and achievements at the reserve. This list of supporters will also help us to apply for other funding for our work.

DOWNLOADS/LINKS

To download the Atuanui brochure, click here

To see the DoC map of the Mt Auckland (Atuanui) Walkway click here

Click here for the Autuanui pages on the website of the Kaipara Branch of Forest and Bird

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To find out more about the Atuanui Restoration Project contact:

Suzi Phillips

Convenor

Atuanui Restoration Project

Private Bag 1

Helensville

E-mail: suzi@dialogue.co.nz

Special thanks to the Auckland Regional Council and the Department of Conservation for their support (click on logo to access their websites)