Tōtara Reserve is a valuable remnant of the indigenous forest which used to blanket the entire valleys of the Pohangina, Ōroua and Rangitīkei rivers. This precious remnant is home to a wide range of indigenous plants and animals, but also a number of introduced pests. Control of these pests is required to protect the remaining forest from further biodiversity loss. Horizons Regional Council currently spends almost a third of Tōtara Reserve’s operating budget on pest control.

Pest animal and pest plant control at Tōtara Reserve must continue to be vigilant. This is because the reserve is long and narrow with a large boundary facing the river, the road and farms, all of which provide easy entry for pests.

Long-term aspirations

  • Tōtara Reserve is a noisy bush, alive with birdsong.
  • An up-to-date species database and reporting would be available to inform preservation and protection activity.
  • Vulnerable species are protected.
  • There is abundant evidence of non-bird species such as bats, lizards and snails.
  • All edges of the bush have dense native flora, creating resistance to pest plant incursions and slowing flood flow impacts.
  • Abundant native growth links Tōtara Reserve to all other nearby reserves.
  • Currently pest animal control is carried out in Tōtara Reserve via a network of bait stations and traps.
  • The feral deer population in the district is growing and damaging the forest understory, preventing it from fully regenerating. Hunting is not legally permitted within scenic reserves.
  • Weeds like banana passionfruit, cathedral bells, Chilean rhubarb (Gunnera) and old man's beard are a significant issue and are currently receiving control in the forest to suppress them.
  • Currently there is minimal monitoring of biodiversity in the forest, with the exception of five-yearly habitat assessments, occasional bat recording, and bird counts.
  • How are people allowed to interact with the forest without damaging it?
  • Doing more monitoring of native plant and animal species to increase our knowledge of what lives in the reserve would mean we would be better able to protect it.
  • The Pohangina River is a dynamic and ever changing natural entity that can have a significant impact on the forest and recreational facilities.
  • Monitoring and managing flood risk to people is important to keep people safe.

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