Warrenheip and Maungatautari
Warrenheip is a private reserve (16 ha) on the mainland, owned by David Wallace and Juliette Chamberlain. The reserve is completely free of mammalian pests and predators (a rarity in New Zealand!), and as such Warrenheip is a small 'mainland island'. It is the site of the development (and success!) of the XcluderTM pest proof fence.
In 1999, a pest proof fence was constructed around the valley, and by October 2000 rats, cats, stoats, ferrets, possums, rabbits, hares, and hedgehogs were eradicated. A small area of less than 600m2 appeared to still have mice, but these were subsequently removed. Over a four-year period (1996 - 2000), 45,000 native trees were planted, and large volumes of exotic weeds were removed from the reserve. Exotic (introduced) plants, birds, and invertebrates are still present inside the reserve, but ecological processes can proceed unhindered by the introduced mammals that populate mainland New Zealand.
EcoQuest students have been involved in studies of flora and fauna in the reserve since the fence was first completed and all mammals were removed from within the reserve. Students monitor and document changes over time, following the removal of mammals and the active management and revegetation of the reserve.
In the past 3 years, several endangered species have been translocated to the reserve, including kiwi, giant weta and pateke (brown teal), EcoQuest students have been involved in the reintroductions and monitoring of these organisms at Warrenheip.
Maungatautari Ecological Island is the most ambitious ecological restoration project attempted on the New Zealand mainland to date. It is regarded by many as one of the most significant restoration projects in the world. Maungatautari is a 5000 ha volcanic peak covered in indigenous forest and surrounded by farmland. The project includes the establishment of a 50km predator proof fence around 3,400 ha of mature native forest, the eradication of all introduced mammalian pests inside the fence, and the reintroduction of native species, some of which (e.g. kiwi) have only recently disappeared from this forest.
Students learn about the ecological opportunities associated with eradication of mammalian predators and pests on the mainland, and the opportunities for community groups and private landowners to collaborate with conservation scientists in achieving a remarkable feat: predator-free native forest habitat on the New Zealand mainland. Maungatautari will in the near future provide a habitat not encountered on the New Zealand mainland since before European settlement. The fence was completed in August 2006, and eradication of mammalian predators was begun in October 2006. The only mammalian pests remaining inside the fence as of late 2009 are several small populations of mice and a small number of rabbits and hares. Eradication of these remaining pests is continuing and is expected to be successful before too long. EcoQuest students have been involved with the Maungatautari project from the start in 2001. EcoQuest has made a long-term commitment to monitoring the structure of both vegetation and invertebrate communities and changes in abundance over time of selected species of birds, as well as Hochstetter’s frogs following the eradication of mammalian predators.
