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Archives For 30/11/1999

Funky fungi hunting in Westland

Department of Conservation —  24/07/2014

By Jo Mead, Partnerships Ranger in Franz Josef

We can often get fixated on the grandeur of the Southern Alps and the centuries-old rimu forest in this amazing place where we live and work in Westland.

Southern Alps with big boulders in the foreground.

The grandeur of the Southern Alps

However if we stop and look down at our feet among the leaf litter and fallen branches, we can find sights that are just as incredible — funky fungi as well as some spectacular mosses and ferns to discover.

Leaf litter and broken branches.

Amongst the leaf litter and broken branches

Here are some photos I’ve recently taken of the amazing fungi, ferns and mosses I’ve come across.

Yellow wax-gill fungus on Mananui Tramway south of Hokitika
We’re stumped on this one. We’re calling it “waxy orange-peel fungus” for now
Saprophytic fungus eating a woodpile.
Pore fungus – can anyone tell us which one it is? It’s living on a log along the Canoe Track at Lake Kaniere
Polystichum (we think) with capsules ready to release spores
Beautiful kidney fern about to release spores
Jelly fungus living above a prickly gorse carpet at Waita River
Fungal fairy forest along the Lake Wombat track near Franz Josef
In Jobs at DOC, Native plants, West Coast , , , , ,
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Army of volunteers in Te Urewera

Department of Conservation —  22/07/2014

By Richard Wagner, Partnerships Ranger based in Te Urewera

The New Zealand Army recently held a two-week exercise training in Te Urewera National Park. After the exercise had finished, the army arranged a day to give back to DOC and the local community.

Looking across Lake Waikaremoana in Te Urewera National Park.

Te Urewera National Park

Working alongside DOC rangers ten soldiers cut and marked six kilometres of the Whakatakaa Hut Track and another three kilometres was cut and marked by another seven soldiers.

Soldiers from Victor Company, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

Soldiers from Victor Company, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment

The Biodiversity Team also had ten soldiers cutting and marking whio traplines and another ten building a new kōwhai ngutukaka / kakabeak enclosure along the Ngamoko Track.

This was a great way for the army to work with DOC. The army were also able to visit the local Te Kura o Waikaremoana School, where the tamariki/children put on kai / food for their manuhiri / visitors.

Children sitting in the Pinzgauer six-wheeler truck.

Having a go in the driver’s seat

The children thoroughly enjoyed the army visit, especially jumping on and in the Pinzgauer six-wheeler truck, looking at the weapons and eating the army ration packs.

Ko enei whakaahua, ko ngaa tamariki harikoa mai Te Kura o Waikaremoana, me nga hoea i awhi mai nga kaimahi a Te Papa Atawhai.

In East Coast, Volunteers , , , ,
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Training ground for whio/blue duck

Department of Conservation —  19/07/2014

The Central North Island DOC Services team is working on an exciting project to bring captive bred whio/blue duck to the Tongariro National Trout Centre near Turangi and to prepare them for life in the wild.

Adult whio/blue duck standing on a rock by a river in the wild.

Adult whio/blue duck in the wild

A new whio hardening facility is being opened which will provide a safe environment for young birds from the whio captive breeding programme to develop their white water skills before they are released into the wild.

Sign for the whio hardening facility at the National Tongariro Trout Centre.

Whio hardening facility coming soon

Construction of the hardening facility began in April and will hopefully be completed by the end of September. The project involves the conversion of an old water raceway into a stretch of fast flowing river complete with rocks and gravel to mimic a natural stream bed.

Conversion of the raceway at the National Tongariro Trout Centre.

Raceway conversion

Young whio need to develop the strength to tackle fast flowing rivers which will be their home in the wild, and this new facility will act as their gymnasium.

Liner laid down for the whio hardening facility.

Liner for the whio hardening facility

The facility will also be a retirement home for some of the older birds that have played an important part in DOC’s breeding programme.

Whio that are too old to breed or to adjust to life in the wild will have a safe home to live out the rest of their lives.

Rocks and gravel laid down to mimic a stream bed.

Rocks and gravel to mimic a stream bed

This project is part of the Whio Forever partnership between DOC and Genesis Energy to save New Zealand’s unique whio/blue duck.

Follow updates about the whio hardening facility on the Taupo Trout Fishery Facebook page.

In Central North Island, Native animals , , , ,
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Rimutaka Forest Park rangers

Don Herron —  17/07/2014

Ever wondered what DOC rangers do in a typical busy day? Well, Rangers Daryl and Keith help look after a wonderful piece of New Zealand’s bush very close to Wellington.

Ranger Daryl Stephens at Papatahi Hut checking off a list.

Ranger Daryl making sure Papatahi Hut is up to scratch

Rimutaka Forest Park is a 40 minute drive from Wellington city.

From the Catchpool Valley (the most popular entrance to Rimutaka Forest Park) you’re only a 2-3 hour easy tramp away from six awesome DOC huts, with full kitchens—including cookers, cutlery, crockery, and firewood. One hut even has a gas BBQ, inside flushing toilet and a hot shower.

A DOC ute before being loaded up with gear.

The trusty DOC ute

As these huts are very busy someone has to make sure that they are always in good working order.

This is where Ranger Daryl and Keith come in.

Every month they load up their trusty DOC ute and spend 3-4 days at the huts, making sure everything is spick and span.

They have lots of different jobs to do. Some are fun (cleaning the toilets), and some are less so (having a nap on the bunks to make sure the mattress is comfy).

Driving the DOC ute off-road beside a stream in Rimutaka Forest Park.

Off-road

Their day starts early, loading up the ute with all they think they need, from soap and toilet paper, through to firewood, gas and chainsaws.

Ranger Daryl Stephens checking a hose pipe near the stream.

Checking the water supply

Once they are at the hut they have an extensive list to go through to make sure the hut is okay:

Clean the loos, the gutters, the floor, wash the decks, check the cookers, check the water in the tanks, check the water pipes, check windows, check all the walls of the hut, a visual inspection of the roof, check no bush is too close to the hut, check the animal traps, check the signs, remove all rubbish and of course sign the hut book!

This is done for all six huts. They also walk the main tracks and check for windfall and track damage. I’m tired just thinking about it all.

Last and not least some advice from Ranger Keith:

“Empty wine bottles do not make good candle holders as they can fall over and start a fire, so please take them home with you.”

And if you do take away empty wine bottles, Ranger Daryl guarantees that:

“You will get good tramping karma and it will never rain on your tramping trip ever again.”

Ranger Daryl Stephens inspecting the water tank at a hut.

Water tanks

So, the next time you spend a night in one of our wonderful backcountry huts think about these rangers who spend their day making it comfortable for you to use, and make sure you leave a nice comment in the hut book.

The six huts in the Rimutaka Forest Park can be booked on a per night basis and sleep 4-14. They’re perfect for families and people wanting to know for sure that they have a bed for the night. They are also sole occupancy huts (meaning you don’t need to share with anyone else!). These huts can get busy, so it’s best to book early.

Haurangi Hut | Jans Hut | Turere Lodge | Raukawa Hut | Papatahi Hut | Boar Inn

In Huts, Jobs at DOC, Wellington/Kapiti , , , ,
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Bringing robins back to the Bay of Islands

Department of Conservation —  15/07/2014

This blog post was originally posted on the Explore Group’s website.

The Project Island Song partners—the Guardians, Ngati Kuta and Patukeha hapu and DOC—recently translocated 43 North Island robin/toutouwai from Pureora Forest in the central North Island to a new home on Moturua Island in the Eastern Bay of Islands/Ipipiri.

North Island robin/toutouwai in a tree. Photo: Richard Robbins/Sally Wells.

North Island robin/toutouwai.

Dr Kevin Parker from Parker Conservation and Massey University lead a large team of 20 which doubled as a training exercise for groups from both Pureora and the Bay of Islands.

The translocation was initiated between the hapu from both areas.

Robins being unloaded on Moturua Island. Photo: Richard Robbins/Sally Wells.

Robins being unloaded on Moturua Island

Firstly, a team from Nga Hapu o Rawhiti in Pureora went ahead to locate and pre-feed the birds, then the full crew arrived for three days of catching.

The catching was mainly done using clap traps, with some mist netting.

The male quota of 25 was caught by the middle of the second day, but the females proved a bit more elusive, with 18 caught by the end of day three.

A North Island robin being banded on Moturua Island. Photo: Richard Robbins/Sally Wells.

A North Island robin being banded

The toutouwai were then transported to Paihia overnight in a campervan provided by Wilderness Motorhomes, and then taken to Moturua Island the next morning where kaumatua and kuia were there to welcome them along with around 50 people who were transported to the island by the Explore Group.

Robins being released on Moturua Island by local volunteers. Photo: Richard Robbins/Sally Wells.

Release time

This was Project Island Song’s first wild to wild translocation.

To find out more visit the Project Island Song website.

Ranger and conservation dog on the boat. Photo: Richard Robbins/Sally Wells.

Ranger and conservation dog

In Islands, Native animals, Northland , , , , ,
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