T
his August, Random House published a
significant book titled “Paradise Saved,”
authored by Dave Butler, Tony Lindsay and Janet
Hunt. This inspirational story pays homage to the
more than 100 wildlife sanctuaries established
throughout New Zealand, all playing a vital role
in preserving and restoring our diversity and
protecting and nurturing endangered species.
Several are fenced at vast expense; all utilise
predator control equipment and are ably
supported by willing volunteers
Here on the Coromandel there are many similar
groups and individuals, mostly unheralded,
mostly constantly scrambling for funding to
continue their important work.
One such group, typical of the dedication
required to achieve meaningful results, is the
Rings Beach Wetlands project, working under the
umbrella of the Coromandel Peninsula Coastal
Walkways Society. This was started in 2006 by
Bruce Smith of Kuaotunu, who had just retired
and was looking for a project to give something
back to the community.
Bruce discussed his vision with another local,
Ian MacDonald who was in a similar situation,
and with the permission of DOC (who hold
the 267Ha in the Conservation estate) they
proceeded to blaze a trail and start forming
RINGS BEACH
TRACK
WELCOMES
NATURE LOVERS
Photos and story by Ian Patrick
a 4.7km back country walking track, now a
comfortable 2 hour round trip.
With the help of other volunteers, notably Sarah
Cooper (a trustee of Kauri 2000), thousands of
hours went into completing the track.
There is a small stream discharging onto the
western end of Rings Beach, and the team
discovered the origin of this stream: a wetland
spanning 4.5Ha, which was home to 3 pairs of
the endangered fernbird.
SHIFT TO WILDLIFE PROTECTION
With the track nearing completion the focus
The endangered fernbird makes its home in the
wetlands in the middle of the sanctuary.
shifted to the birdlife and the regenerating bush.
At that stage, Kauri 2000 had already planted
several thousand trees on the hill, which had
been clear felled of ancient kauri, mined, then
farmed by the ‘matchbox method’ right up until
the 1950s.
Bruce and Ian identified an area within a 100
metre perimeter of the wetland, created a network
of three parallel tracks and placed traps for
possum, stoats, rats and mice. Supported with
funding predominately from Waikato Regional
Council, an annual program of tree planting kick-
started the regeneration of a diversity of native
species in the area adjacent to the wetland.
Participation by local schools in the planting,
and a keen network of volunteers to monitor the
traplines, has seen over 4000 trees planted since
2009 with 3000 predators eliminated.
Not only is the birdlife benefitting, but wetas,
lizards and invertebrates are recovering.
Several hundred wilding pines have been felled
with support from DOC, which encouraged
small native trees to spring up wherever they
gained sunlight. The birdlife is recovering and,
as new trees grow, more species will make this
their home again.
Sadly, in December 2012, Bruce Smith passed
away, however, the foundations of his vision
were solidly established; and Ian MacDonald,
assisted by Kuaotunu locals, has maintained and
extended the dream.
The walking track is accessible from Matarangi,
and both ends of Rings Beach (along Bluff Road).
It is a pleasant easy walk on the main track, and
a loop around the wetland on a trapping track
presents a further option to explore the area.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Ian
Patrick at
igdmp@xtra.co.nz or07 866 0751.
42
COROMANDEL LIFE 2014-15 HOLIDAY
Above: Kauri
2000’s Sarah
Cooper works
with Ian
MacDonald to
clear some of
the 4.7km of
stubborn bush to
create the Rings
Beach Wetlands
Project track.
At left is a view
of the wetlands
from track.