Hinewai Reserve

For the Monday field trip this week, we headed back towards Akoroa (what a drag! You can tell I just had a dreadful time there!) to the Hinewai Reserve. There, we met a an older gentleman with bright blue eyes who had been both browned and bleached by the sun. I have yet to meet a more passionate individual. He proved to be a fountain of information and a fabulous story teller.

The Banks Peninsula is older than the Southern Alps and was formed by three big volcanoes that errupted about nine million years ago and became extinct about eight million years ago. The biggest volcano, Akoroa, was upwards of 2,000m high. However, the Banks Peninsula was an island for most of its geological history.
New Zealand wasn't permanently colonized by people until about 700 years ago--there is some debate on that, but 700 is the most likely number. It is the only place where people didn't affect the mega-fauna where we evolved. Hugh emphasized this point with, "We're all Africans, really, just with different shades of skin." In 1770, when Cook and Banks were about, they thought the Peninsula was an island, yet, and it was another 20 years before Europeans figured it out.

There are about 550 vascular plant species in New Zealand, and only 20 have become extinct since colonization (Maori or otherwise). Hugh didn't present this information with any sadness or hint of guilt, he commented on how resilent plants were, how many are still here, and how, so many on the brink are, "Just itching to get back!"

Birds, unfortunately, are less resilent. I may have said this before, but the only land-based mammals in New Zealand are two types of bats. Other than that, it's mostly birds. The Maori wiped out about one third of the original species in New Zealand--including all of the Moa (a ratite, think NZ does the Ostrich). European settlers wiped out half of that remaining two thirds. We did see one Tomtit, and heard them throughout our entire hike. You may recall that I mentioned them as a potential bird up for reintroduction in Riccarton Bush. I believe, they are NZ's smallest bird, too. That is not what you are looking to on the left though. That is a Bell bird. They have the most interesting warble-y call. I wish I had some way of sharing it.

This is one of New Zealand's many vascular plants. It is literally called a "Terrible Nettle,"
and should be avoided at all costs. Apparently, they are incredibly painful, and five stings is enough to kill a guinea pig. I'm not sure why a study like that was ever performed, or if it is just in theory, but yikes!

Some how, I've managed to get this far without discussing the history of the Hinewai Reserve! My apologies. In 1985 Hugh (a botanist) was doing a survey of the Banks Peninsula area and met up with Morris White (a bird guy) who asked Hugh to scope out the best area to set aside for preservation. White, I guess, had some money to spare to put the land away. Hugh made the point that vegetation (habitat) is ESSENTIAL in anything that one is trying to protect. In September 1987, 109 hectares were set aside. Now, Hinewai is about 1209 hectares. Hugh was quick to say that one shouldn't mess with anything unless one KNOWS that it is good. I suppose in contrast to the, "Let's just see if this works!" that has led to rabbit, fox, etc in New Zealand and Australia.
There is a Possum Genocide going on at Hinewai with foot hold traps, box traps, and even poison. Folk also shoot the possum. Possums tend to eat and or otherwise destroy good plants.

Overall, we had a good, muddy hike. I only fell twice, but I still managed to cover my pants in mud. It was lovely.