PowerPoint Presentation

A Biodiversity Corridorto link the Hunua Ranges via the Redoubt/Mill Road ridge to the WaitakeresWhat is a Biodiversity corridor and why should anybody within the Auckland Super-city be at all interested?

Auckland Super-city Biodiversity CorridorThe Auckland Super-city cuts-off Northland from the rest of the North Island.

The Auckland Super-city covers over one degree in latitude from North to South so that it is around 127 Km in length as the crow flies. All things considered this would require around three hours of driving to traverse using the main roads and of course much longer if it is desired to pass through the Waitakeres and the Hunuas. This said it also includes areas very rich in biodiversity to the North North-West and the South-East but at the same time it is beset with extreme paucity in species representation within the isthmus area cantered on Otahuhu.Auckland Super-city Biodiversity CorridorIndustrial infilling across the isthmus

Note the obvious roof-tops in the biologically impervious industrialised areasAuckland Super-city Biodiversity CorridorNorthland is already an island!No other city in the world strangulates its national territory into two segments and this biological fact means that the number of species in the north will progressively decline in respect to those in the south.This is a problem.What to do?Link together the green-spaces to the north & south of the city with a biodiversity corridor

A biodiversity corridor should be continuous, ideally roads would have to go under it. What is this? Unthinkable you say well, in the meantime roads exist so we can do nothing about them meaning at this point the metropolitan corridor will have to be in contiguous sections, better than nothing but anyway even more important is that these components be publically owned or that public commitments concerning bush- & tree cover be made. That is where the idea of covenants comes in. It is no good planning a corridor that depends on existing private rights to property in order that tree-cover (at least in some form) be maintained. A green-belt or a green-biodiversity corridor is just that and it cannot be cobbled together from a bunch of existing barren football fields though such disparate bare patches may still play their small part. Nor can it be the narrow verge by the motorway though such verges may be seen as part of a corridor complex. Nor can it be the shoreline mangrove verge because neither Tui nor Kuraru or most bush-and field birds for that matter, will or can survive in such a specialised system though mangroves are still valuable and have an inclusive component in a corridor-system.

Auckland Super-city Biodiversity CorridorJust what is a Biodiversity Corridor anyway?

A Biodiversity Corridor is a continuous strip of land assigned to support wildlife throughout a region in a city contextBut Redoubt Ridge is a critical necessity for such a corridor Why? Because in all of South-Auckland even from as far north as the Harbour Bridge, this ridge is the nearest centre of ecologically-active & expanding native-bush that can be used in our reach toward the Waitakeres.

7The corridor should be continuous, ideally roads would have to go under it. What is this? Unthinkable you say well, in the meantime a metropolitan biodiversity corridor will have to be constructed in contiguous sections (stepping-stones). Better than nothing. But Redoubt Ridge is a critical necessity for such a corridorWhy? Because in all of South-Auckland even from as far north as the Harbour Bridge, this ridge is the nearest centre of ecologically-active & expanding native-bush that can be used in our reach toward the Waitakeres.

THE PROSPECT OF PENETRATING THE CITY WITH A CORRIDOR OF TREED SPACE THAT WOULD ATTRACT HABITATION BY KERERU THROUGHOUT APPEARS TO BE DAUNTING. This is particularly the case when it becomes apparent that the pivot-point for such a corridor, the biodiversity rich Redoubt Ridge system to the south of the city, is about to be shattered by a multi-lane super-expressway running smack through the remnants of the ancient bush.

10Actual bush-cover in southern margin parks Around the edge of the built-up areas there are relatively few stands of bush. Starting from Redoubt Ridge:

Marginal bush intrusion & replanting exists in some additional stream-bed reserves. Four Hunua foot-hill parks in Papakura are not tallied.Moving North:Moving South:Murphys Bush 13 haTotara Park itself 45 haPoint View Reserve 27 haTotara Park West face (Goodwood Heights, 15 small reserves) 13.7 haKennedy Drive Res. 2.5 haManurewa (5 reserves) 11.6 haChisbury Terrace Res. 5 haHerkts Bush 0.5 haMurvale Reserve 3 haKirk's Bush 6 haMcLeans Park 10 haTHE PROSPECT OF PENETRATING THE CITY WITH A CORRIDOR OF TREED SPACE THAT WOULD ATTRACT HABITATION BY KERERU THROUGHOUT APPEARS TO BE DAUNTINGThis is particularly the case when it becomes apparent that the pivot-point for such a corridor, the biodiversity rich Redoubt Ridge system to the south of the city, is about to be shattered by a multi-lane super-expressway running smack through the remnants of the ancient bush.It is a BIG ASK butIT CAN BE DONE!

But:UNRESTRAINED INTRUSIVEROADWORKSMUST STOP !Close to 100 properties will be directly affected on Redoubt Road, Everglade and Holyford Drives alone. This will increase to over three hundred when both Murphys Road and Mill Rd to Alfriston are counted. This is the beginning of a huge project eventually extending down to Drury.

The property at 242 Redoubt Rd, west end of the ridge, will be wiped-out completely. It has a rich, unique bio-structure, is an important way-station for Kereru & should not be destroyed. Karaka seedlings and many other natives including Totara, Nikau, Pittosporum, Kawakawa and Coprosma appear under the dominant Pin-Oaks (friendly exotics). Puriri and Bush Lawyer also feature as fruiting adults (next slide is 142).242 Redoubt Road

House at 242 Redoubt Rd (top of Murphys Road). The property at 142 Redoubt Rd, west end of the ridge, will be wiped-out completely. It has a rich, unique bio-structure, is an important way-station for Kereru & should not be destroyed. Karaka seedlings and many other natives including Totara, Nikau, Pittosporum, Kawakawa and Coprosma appear under the dominant Pin-Oaks (friendly exotics). Puriri and Bush Lawyer also feature as fruiting adults (next slide is 142).Auckland Super-city Biodiversity CorridorCounter Proposal:Redoubt Ridge is needed for a Biodiversity Corridorto run from the Hunua Ranges via the Redoubt/Mill Road ridge to the Waitakeres

WHY?What is a Biodiversity corridor and why should anybody within the Auckland Super-city be at all interested?

Auckland Super-city Biodiversity CorridorExisting Old-Growth Bush on proposed route:The Express-Way is scheduled to tear through the area containing the last major protected remnants of bush that exist within South Auckland. Apart from those being discussed there are no other significant COHERENT STANDS WHATSOEVER between Totara Park to as far north as DINGLE DELL in St Heliers or BELFAST RESERVE in Hillsborough let alone in the superior state that is claimed by many of these South Auckland patches!

The Express-Way is scheduled to tear through the area containing the last major protected remnants of bush that exist within South Auckland. Apart from those being discussed there are no other significant COHERENT STANDS WHATSOEVER between Totara Park to as far north as DINGLE DELL in St Heliers or BELFAST RESERVE in Hillsborough let alone in the superior state that is claimed by many of these South Auckland patches!

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Proposed road will tear-through critical high diversity BUSH south of Redoubt Rd.

Create a south-east Biodiversity Gateway into Totara Park along Puhinui Creek (1 & 2 below). Remove road-bed & replace with fly-over.

Kereru with Specific Markings struck recently by vehicle on Murphys Rd. Kereru are observed to fly very low across Murphys Rd between the two sections of bush. This bird was recognised as one of a previously mated-pair frequenting #280 Redoubt Road. A total of 5 birds are known to range over a core area of 7 properties between #280 across to #120 Redoubt Rd. In one stroke this population was reduced by 20%-25% courtesy of a speeding car. The survivor has spent the rest of this summer alone. Every Kereru is a precious gift and this loss must affect us all!

24Kereru with Specific Markings struck recently by vehicle on Murphys Rd.Kereru are observed to fly very low across Murphys Rd between the two sections of bush. This bird was recognised as one of a previously mated-pair frequenting #280 Redoubt Road. A total of 5 birds are known to range over a core area of 7 properties between #280 across to #240 Redoubt Rd. In one stroke this population was reduced by 20%-25% courtesy of a speeding car. The survivor has spent the rest of this summer alone. Every Kereru is a precious gift and this loss must affect us all!It is clear that in comparison to areas north of Totara Park, and indeed all the way up to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, that Redoubt Ridge is bursting with life. So eager is the bush to expand away from its constraints that seedlings are springing out of the ground in every direction, providing that conditions are right. But even amidst this abundance, few people are aware of how remarkable this really is. Totara regeneration in damaged edge of Everglade Park (Everglade Drive roadside in Totara Heights).

It is clear that in comparison to areas north of Totara Park, and indeed all the way up to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, that Redoubt Ridge is bursting with life. So eager is the bush to expand away from its constraints that seedlings are springing out of the ground in every direction, providing that conditions are right. But even amidst this abundance, few people are aware of how remarkable this really is.

27Everywhere one goes outside of this context the situation is dire. The bush struggles to reproduce itself, efforts at replanting amount only to the establishment of a few miserable flax bushes, some cabbage trees, a bit of Coprosma, Ti Tree and Pittosporum here and there. Yet on Redoubt Ridge the old bush strains to be let free at every turn.

Poor awareness: what is the reason for this?It is perhaps that Kiwis have not yet learned to value their bush? They still speak disparagingly of young bush as rubbish as scrub and so forth. The early settlers spent so much time clearing the bush that we still think of bush as an impediment to progress instead of a priceless heritage. There is too much bush around anyway is an oft-heard refrain!

The facts are to the contrary: In New Zealand the estimated number of Native Bush vascular plants is around 2,500 species. Exotic vascular plants already in NZ amount to some 20,000 species 2,000 of which have escaped into the wild. At every turn the combination of progress together with the pressure exerted by exotic forms better adapted to the disturbed environments we make & remake for ourselves, push the bush into increasingly marginalised positions. So much so that our bush will be gone and sooner than we think.Slow learners?Some Kiwis seem very slow to understand that NZ natives trees are very rare, even unique in the whole world. Absolutely no foreign forest looks or feels like Kiwi bush. Not in South Africa, not in South America and in the northern Hemisphere just forget it. Tasmania, sort of, in some places, a bit like, but not the real thingBut not on Redoubt Ridge! Here they know already! (292 Redoubt next)Puriri: eight years fromplant-out.Joyce is 5 high.Soil iscomposted Gorse.5 = 1.5m

Some Kiwis seem very slow to understand that NZ natives trees are very rare, even unique in the whole world. Absolutely no foreign forest looks or feels like Kiwi bush. Not in South Africa, not in South America and in the northern Hemisphere just forget it. Tasmania, sort of, in some places, a bit like, but not the real thingBut not on Redoubt Ridge! Here they know already! (292 Redoubt next)

32Key-stone species for a biodiversity corridor:Kereru and Puriri are absolutely the two most important species. If Puriri can be established to the age of 15 years or so then, when these trees fruit, Kereru will inevitably follow, provided they are not killed by speeding cars or discouraged by an unbroken array of barren roof-tops and a continuous maze of busy streets. Once Kereru induct fruiting Puriri into their home ranges then the bush will inevitably follow.Auckland Transport Authority has not even considered consulting with the Auckland Council Biodiversity Team in relation to siting the road-bed. How can that be? One wonders in bewilderment!

Answer: Create an Auckland Biodiversity Authority with equivalent political standing. Allocate to this body the power of veto over inappropriate road-works. Fund it initially with of the current Auckland Rate-Payers contribution to the Auckland Transport Authority, as a direct deduction from the Auckland Transport budget.

What to do about the arrogant-imperialistic attitude struck by Auckland Transport Authority in the matter of road-routing and so forth?I WILLSURVIVE!

Self-sewn Puririswaddled by its planted friends.

ENDPresentation by:J R E HargerPhD, Population Ecology, UCSBAdvisor: Dr J H ConnellProfessor EmeritusUniversity of California @ Santa Barbara

Director, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commissionof UNESCO (retired)

A more complete explanation of the corridor will be screened during question-time