Environmental Pest Plants

APPENDIX 1

CATCHMENT-BASED ECOLOGICAL OVERVIEWS

1.1 Waterways

Description

Forty-three percent (43%) of the waterways in the Waihi catchment flow through high gradient landforms, more than one third through low gradient landforms, the remaining fifth are in medium gradient landforms.

The land cover adjoining streams is divided nearly equally between pastoral grassland (52.3%) and indigenous vegetation (45.5%).

There are three times the length of pastoral grassland adjacent waterways in low gradient landforms as high gradient landforms.

Table 1.1: Summary of stream length and soil types and land cover within Waihi catchment.

Valley Landform

Low High Medium Length in Geology Landcover Gradient Gradient Gradient (km) Kilometres (km) (km) Volcanic Bare ground 0.5 (0.6%) 0.6 (1.2%) 1.1 (0.5%) acidic Indigenous 15.3 (17.9%) 16.7 (35.0%) 75.1 (73.8%) 107.1 (45.5%) forest Pastoral 69.7 (81.5%) 30.5 (63.8%) 22.7 (22.3%) 123.0 (52.3%) Scrub 3.5 (3.5%) 3.5 (1.4%) Urban 0.4 (0.4%) 0.4 (0.2%) Total 85.5 (36.4%) 47.8 (20.3%) 101.8 (43.3%) 235.2

Rivers and Streams Within the Catchment

The Ohinemuri is the main waterway, with the following tributaries:

Waione Ruahorahora Taiari Waitawheta Mangakino

Water Quality

Water quality is monitored at four sites within the Ohinemuri catchment. Ammonia and turbidity scores are mostly excellent, total phosphorus levels are satisfactory, but total nitrogen levels are mostly unacceptable. Quality indicators for contact recreation score excellent to satisfactory in c.90% of measurements.

A B

Water quality indicators measured at two sites in the Ohinemuri River. A: above Waihi; B: at Karangahake.

1.2 Land use capability

Soils on flat land around Waihi are highly versatile Land Use Classes 2 and 3. The remainder of the catchment is hill and gully country with soils of limited versatility, primarily LUC 6 and 7. All land classes have erosion as the primary limitation on land use.

LUC Class Area (ha) % of Catchment 1 0.0 0.0 2 3,262.4 19.6 3 1,536.8 9.2 4 560.8 3.4 5 0.0 0.0 6 7,972.3 48.0 7 2,675.5 16.1 8 615.2 3.7 Town 1.5 0.0 TOTAL 16,624.6 100.0

LUC Classes Waihi Sub-Catchment

Class 8 3.7% Class 2 Class 7 19.6% 16.1%

Class 3 9.2%

Class 4 3.4%

Class 6 48.0%

Waihi LUC and Land Cover 9000

Other 8000 Pasture & Crop Exotic Forest & Scrub 7000 Indigenous Forest & Scrub

6000

5000

4000

Area (ha) Area `

3000

2000

1000

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LUC Class

Figure 1.1: Waihi catchment - land cover and land use.

1.3 Land use

Spatial Pattern

Catchment size: 16,630 ha.

Catchment location: northern end of the Kaimai Range.

Predominant land uses: accounts for 93% of catchment:

- indigenous forest 7,595 ha (47.7% of catchment), middle to upper catchments on land of moderate to high relief associated with slopes of Kaimai Range. - pasture grassland 7,615 ha (45.8% of catchment) in middle reaches of catchments on land of low to moderate relief.

Urban landforms: 38.4 ha (0.2% of catchment at Waihi township).

Wetlands: There are no significant wetland areas within the Waihi catchment.

Most modified: Upper reaches of the Waihi catchment around Waihi have been heavily modified by conversion of forests to pastoral land uses.

Least modified: The middle reaches of the Ohinemuri catchment and catchments flowing from the Kaimai Range retain tracts of indigenous vegetation on steep slopes though this has been modified by logging and mining.

Table 1.2: Land uses within the Waihi catchment.

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment Broadleaved indigenous hardwoods 522.3 Indigenous forest 7,594.8 Manuka and/or kanuka 189.2 Indigenous Forest 8,306.3 50.0% Coastal sand and gravel Estuarine open water Flax 0.9 Herbaceous freshwater vegetation Herbaceous saline vegetation Lake and pond 28.2 Mangrove River 8.1 Wetland Systems 37.2 0.2% Afforestation (imaged, post LCDB 1) 54.1 Afforestation (not imaged) 13.1 Forest harvested 6.4 Other exotic forest 7.0 Pine forest - closed canopy 55.1 Pine forest - open canopy 102.6 Exotic Plantation Forest 238.4 1.4% Orchard and other perennial crops 190.4 Short-rotation cropland Orchards and Crops 190.4 1.1%

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment High producing exotic grassland 7,603.2 Low producing grassland 10.4 Pastoral Lands 7,613.6 45.8% Deciduous hardwoods 3.6 Major shelterbelts 12.3 Mixed exotic shrubland Gorse and broom 15.2 Other Exotic Vegetation 31.1 0.2% Surface mine 169.1 Surface Mine 169.1 1.0% Built-up area Transport infrastructure Urban parkland/Open space 38.4 Urban Landforms 38.4 0.2% Grand Total 16,624.4 100.0%

Legal Protection

This section provides an overview of the areas protected by legal statute and covenants, for the purpose of biodiversity protection.

Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation administers 6,882 ha within the Waihi catchment for conservation purposes.

Reserves to protect indigenous ecosystems, vegetation, habitats, or species comprises 6,876 ha (99.9%).

Reserves that have other primary aims, which could conflict with protection of natural values, comprises 6.4 ha (0.1%).

Table 1.3: Department of Conservation administered lands within the Waihi catchment.

Reserve Type (DOC Legal Description) Area (ha) Conservation Park - S.19 Conservation Act 1987 6,791.7 Fixed Marginal Strip - S.24(3) Conservation Act 1987 48.9 Historic Reserve - S.18 Reserves Act 1977 1.2 Local Purpose Reserve - S.23 Reserves Act 1977 5.1 Scenic Reserve - S.19(1)(a) Reserves Act 1977 6.5 Scientific Reserve - S.21 Reserves Act 1977 0.5 Stewardship Area - S.25 Conservation Act 1987 27.7 Under investigation for protection, agreement not signed. 0.2 Grand Total 6,881.9

The upper Waihi catchment includes 732 ha of the Ngatukituki Forest Sanctuary and minor parts of the East Ngatukituki and West Ngatukituki Ecological Areas.

Nga Whenua Rahui

There are no Nga Whenua Rahui kawenata within the Waihi catchment.

QEII

There is one QEII covenant within the Waihi catchment.

Table 1.4: QEII covenants within the Waihi catchment.

Covenant Area (ha) 5/03/276 0.1 Total 0.1

1.4 Indigenous vegetation and flora

Vegetation Pattern

Forty-one percent (41%) of the c.7,600 ha of indigenous forest is dominated by kauri, with 619 ha of kauri-softwoods hardwoods-beeches and 2,045 ha of kauri-softwoods hardwoods forest. Most contemporary kauri forest is in a state of active regeneration, as emergent mature trees have been removed by historical logging operations. Tawa- dominant forest covers 819 ha, and rimu/tawa covers 2,668 ha. Most contemporary tawa-dominant forests probably had a stronger component of emergent rimu that has been removed by logging operations. At higher elevations, on and around the crests of ridges at high elevation, is 156 ha of highland and steepland softwoods-hardwoods forest.

Table 1.5: Indigenous forest types within Waihi catchment.

Forest Type Area (ha) Beeches 200.6 Highland and steepland softwoods-hardwoods 156.4 Highland softwoods-beeches 27.7 Kauri-softwoods-hardwoods 2,045.5 Kauri-softwoods-hardwoods-beeches 619.7 Rimu-beeches 18.7 Rimu-tawa 2,668.3 Tawa 819.8 Unclassified 1,037.9 Grand Total 7,594.8

Species Lists

There are at least 16 lists of vascular plants within the catchment.

Rare or Threatened Species

The Department of Conservation Bioweb database includes the following records:

Brachyglottis kirkii (At Risk-Declining) Nematoceras aff. rivularis (Data Deficient) Olearia cheesemanii (At Risk-Naturally Uncommon) Pimelea tomentosa (Threatened-Nationally Vulnerable) Pittosporum kirkii (At Risk-Declining)

Pseudopanax laetus Rorippa divaricata (Threatened-Nationally Vulnerable) Sticherus flabellatus Syzygium maire Thismia rodwayi (At Risk-Naturally Uncommon)

1.5 Pest plants

Plant Pest RPMS Status Waihi (no. of sites) Privet (2 species) Occupier control.* 4 Woolly nightshade Containment. Occupier control. 3-4 Wild ginger Containment. Occupier control. 1 Pampas Banned from sale & propagation.** 2 Hawthorn Not RPMS. ? Barbary Not RPMS. ? Old man’s beard Eradication. 0 Climbing spindleberry Eradication. 0 Wildling pines Not RPMS. Black wattle Not RPMS.

The Waikato Region‘s Pest Management Strategy (RPMS) stipulates that privet is required to be controlled on valid health complaint only from someone living within 50 m. Roadside privet is required to be controlled. The RPMS also identified pampas is required to be totally controlled in parts of the Waikato region. Control is required on transport corridors and in quarries/mines

Other environmental weeds within the Waikato Region include:

banana passionfruit hakea eleagnus Japanese honeysuckle

Weeds that are shade tolerant, as juveniles at least, are capable of invading intact indigenous forest and species that have bird dispersed seeds can be transported some distance from source populations. Exotic species with either of these characteristics have high potential for forest invasion.

Information on pest plants can be found in Environment Waikato‘s Regional Pest Management Strategy (available on the internet at: http://www.ew.govt.nz/policy-and- plans/Regional-Pest-Management-Strategy/Regional-Pest-Management-Strategy- 2008-2013/. More information on a wide range of pest plants refer to Environment Bay of Plenty‘s excellent pest plant resources on the internet at http://www.envbop.govt.nz/Environment/Pest-Plants-and-Weeds.aspx

The Department of Conservation also maintains a pest plant database and this includes the following records for the Waihi catchment:

Acacia mearnsii Aquilegia vulgaris Allium triquetrum Berberis glaucocarpa

Buddleja davidii Osmunda regalis Choisya ternata Paraserianthes lophantha Cortaderia selloana Phytolacca octandra Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora Pinus radiata Cupressus lusitanica Rubus fruticosus agg. Cytisus scoparius Rumex sagittatus Dendrobenthamia capitata Salix cinerea Elaeagnus x reflexa Salix fragilis Erica lusitanica Salix spp. Erigeron karvinskianus Selaginella kraussiana Hedera helix Senecio bipinnatisectus Hypericum androsaemum Senecio mikanioides Leycesteria formosa Solanum mauritianum Ligustrum lucidum Tradescantia fluminensis Ligustrum sinense Verbena bonariensis Lonicera japonica

1.6 Pest animals

Affecting Species Affecting Vegetation Control Underway Indigenous Fauna Possum   Goat   Red deer  Fallow deer Feral pig Ship rat   Norway rat Mustelids  Cats  Mice  Hedgehog  Wasps  Pest fish

State of the Vegetation

The Waihi catchment includes rata view sites, foliar browse lines, and permanent vegetation plots. Foliar Browse Index vegetation monitoring in northern Kaimai Range (Willems 2000) suggests that the overall condition of current vegetation is moderate to good. Possum impacts appear to be concentrated on a subset of individuals belonging to possum preferred species, particularly kohekohe where most trees score between 65% and 95%. However, a small number of individuals have much lower covers, some as low as 15%. Historically, declines in northern rata have been noted in the northern Kaimai Range. Although most monitored rata trees score 5 or 6 in rata view monitoring (6 being minimal or no impact, 5 being moderate impacts, significant dieback evident) a small number of trees have scored 4 (severe impacts) every year, however the number of northern rata suffering severe impacts has increased slightly through time (Woods 2008).

1.7 Indigenous fauna

Terrestrial Indicator Species

Avifauna

A typical suite of common forest bird species is present, including kereru and tomtit. Kākā and falcon are likely to be itinerant visitors. There are pre-2004 records of kiwi in one part of the catchment (a cluster with the adjacent Tuapiro catchment).

Bats

Long-tailed bats are likely to be present.

Lizards

There are no records from this catchment, but common species will be present.

Other Notable Species

Hochstetter‘s frog (Leiopelma hochstetteri) occurs in the Mangakino, Mangakiri, and Waitawheta catchments (Smuts-Kennedy 2003, Department of Conservation Bioweb database).

Te Aroha Stag Beetle (Geodorcus auriculatus) has been collected, post-1980, in the upper Mangakino catchment.

Mecodema pluto has been collected around Te Aroha.

State of Terrestrial Indigenous Fauna

Bird, bat, reptile, and invertebrate populations are probably comparable with those of other mainland forests not subject to intensive predator control.

Fish Species

Five (5) indigenous species are known to occur within Waihi catchment (compared to 20 different species for the wider Kaimai catchment), but more species are undoubtedly present.

Two (2) indigenous species are considered to be in Gradual Decline.

Two introduced fish species have been recorded within Waihi catchment (compared with nine introduced species for the wider Kaimai catchment).

Table 1.6: Fish species recorded within the Waihi catchment.

Scientific Name Common Name Threat Status Indigenous Anguilla australis Shortfin eel Not threatened Anguilla dieffenbachii Longfin eel Gradual decline Gobiomorphus basalis Crans bully Not threatened Gobiomorphus cotidienus Common bully Not Threatened Gobiomorphus huttoni Redfin bully Not threatened Paranephrops planifrons Koura Gradual decline Exotic Oncorhynchus mykiss Rainbow trout Introduced Salmo trutta Banded kokopu Introduced

Notable Aquatic Habitats

None in catchment.

1.8 Recreational use

Remnants of historical mining and logging activities throughout catchment.

Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway.

The northern Kaimai Range can be accessed through tracks starting from the end of Franklin Road in the Waitawheta Valley.

Huts at Daly‘s Clearing and middle Waitawheta River.

1.9 Current management

Department of Conservation

Monitoring - Seven foliar browse lines; - Eight rata view sites; - Three 20 × 20 m vegetation plots established 2006; - Five 20 × 20 m vegetation plots established 2005; - Goat monitoring.

Pest plant control - Dickeys Flat - gorse, Japanese honeysuckle, blackberry, montbretia, barberry, lemon mint. - Karangahake - Mexican daisy, woolly nightshade, eleagnus, laurel, pampas, Madeira vine, periwinkle, tradescantia, Japanese honeysuckle, montbretia, ivy, buddleia, cotoneaster, selaginella, chocolate vine.

Pest animal control - Long-standing goat control programme. - Entire catchment subdivided into goat management zones and small hunting blocks.

Recreation - Information centre at Waikino; - Maintain Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway; - Maintain an extensive network of tracks and huts throughout northern Kaimai Range within Waihi catchment; - Hut at Daly‘s Clearing, Waitawheta River; - Hut Waitawheta River; - Shelter in upper catchment.

Regional Council

- Natural heritage - Environment Waikato; - Clean Streams programme.

EW owns (or in a few cases administers on behalf of the Crown) riparian areas which are conservation areas and part of the Waihou Valley Scheme. EW also looks after the channels of all the main stream to ensure that these are stable and efficient (erosion control and channel clearing of willows and other blockages).

There are also soil conservation compartments (fenced off areas of indigenous bush or exotic plantings) in that area which are not owned by EW but subsidised under the WVS scheme and protected either by QE II covenant or a Land Improvement Agreement. Also WVS constructed fences along the foot of the Kaimai Range in many places, effectively becoming the boundary with the Forest Park.

EW administers three reserves totalling 21 ha within Waihi.

Environment Bay of Plenty provides technical advice, expertise, logistic and financial support to conservation on private land through its Environmental Programmes. Fencing is one component of EBOP‘s Environmental Programmes, 2,615 m of fencing has been erected, and is monitored by EBOP, within the Waihi catchment under Environmental Programmes.

District Council(s)

Hauraki District Council has undertaken an inventory of privately-owned natural areas within the District.

Community

Habitat Enhancement Landcare Programme Waihi - works around Waitete stream immediately to the north of the project area to improve habitat around Waihi and educate school children through hands on involvement in growing and planting.

Waihi District Walkways Inc - aim to create a series of walkways with riparian planting to enhance to restore biodiversity and to protect the social and cultural heritage values of the areas

Forest and Bird Waihi - undertakes indigenous vegetation restoration by planting on riverbank of the gorge, and planting a park beside recreation fields within Waihi.

Positive Aspects of Management

Care group activities in the Waihi area.

Goat control within forests of upper catchment.

Large areas of indigenous forest in upper catchment in Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park.

Several threatened and uncommon flora species in Karangahake area.

Aspects that Need to be Addressed

Large scale impacts of pest plants in vegetation remnants in lower catchments, particularly in Karangahake area

Ongoing plant pest spread into the upper catchments.

Threats posed by pest animals in areas not subject to active management.

2. PAEROA

2.1 Waterways

Description

Forty-one percent (41%) of the waterways in the Paeroa catchment are high gradient streams, one half are low gradient streams, the remaining nine percent (9%) are medium gradient.

Ninety-three percent (93%) of the land cover adjoining streams is pastoral grassland.

Table 2.1: Summary of stream length and soil types and land cover within Paeroa catchment.

Valley Landform Low High Length in Geology Landcover Medium Gradient Gradient Kilometres Gradient (km) (km) (km) Alluvium Pastoral 9.1 (11.3%) 9.1 (5.7%) Soft Pastoral 21.6 (26.8%) 1.1 (7.6%) 22.7 (14.2%) Sedimentary Urban 0.7 (0.9%) 0.8 (0.5%) Volcanic Indigenous 0.02 (<0.1%) 0.03 (0.2%) 5.2 (8.0%) 5.2 (3.3%) acidic forest Pastoral 48.3 (60.0%) 12.5 (86.8%) 55.5 (85.6%) 116.2 (72.8%) Scrub 0.8 (5.6%) 2.7 (4.2%) 3.5 (2.2%) Urban 0.7 (0.9%) 1.4 (2.2%) 2.1 (2.3%) Total 80.5 (50.4%) 14.4 (9.0%) 64.8 (40.6%) 159.7

Rivers and Streams Within the Catchment

The following streams flow into a lower section of the Waihou River:

Omahu Mangaiti Patuwhao Hotahika Waitoki Rotokohu Ohinemuri

Water Quality

Water quality is monitored at Karangahake on the Ohinemuri River. Ammonia and turbidity scores are mostly excellent, total phosphorus levels are satisfactory, but total nitrogen levels are mostly unacceptable. Quality indicators for contact recreation score excellent to satisfactory in c.90% of measurements.

Water quality indicators measured at Karangahake on the Ohinemuri River, reflective of water quality in the lower Ohinemuri River around Paeroa.

2.2 Land use capability

Soils on flat land around Paeroa are highly versatile Land Use Classes 2 and 3. The remainder of the catchment is hill and gully country with soils of limited versatility, primarily LUC 6 and 7. All land classes have erosion as the primary limitation on land use.

LUC Class Area (ha) % of Catchment 1 143.2 1.4 2 2,127.9 20.5 3 2,753.5 26.5 4 665.7 6.4 5 0.0 0.0 6 3,174.1 30.6 7 1,489.6 14.4 8 2.5 0.0 Town 22.0 0.2 TOTAL 10,378.4 100.0

LUC Classes Paeroa Sub-Catchment

Other Class 1 Class 7 0.2% 1.4% 14.4% Class 2 20.5%

Class 6 30.6%

Class 3 26.5%

Class 5 Class 4 0.0% 6.4%

Paeroa LUC and Land Cover 3500

Other 3000 Pasture & Crop Exotic Forest & Scrub 2500 Indigenous Forest & Scrub

2000

Area (ha) Area 1500 `

1000

500

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LUC Class

Figure 2.1: Paeroa catchment - land cover and land use.

2.3 Land use

Spatial Pattern

Catchment size: 10,389.7 ha.

Catchment location: Western slopes of northern end of the Kaimai Range, from spot height 825 to Karangahake hill north to the Ohinemuri River and west to the Waihou River.

Predominant land uses: accounts for 91% of catchment:

- pasture grassland covers 8,490 ha (81.7% of catchment) in middle and lower reaches of catchments on land of low to moderate relief. - indigenous forest covers 853 ha (8.2% of catchment), middle to upper catchments on land of moderate to high relief associated with slopes of northern Kaimai Range.

Urban landforms: 38.4 ha (0.2% of catchment).

Wetlands: There are small wetland areas between stopbanks on either side of the Waihou River.

Most modified: The alluvial flats around the Ohinemuri and Waihou Rivers have been heavily modified by conversion to pastoral land uses by removal of floodplain forests, land drainage, stop-banking and other catchment works.

Least modified: Slopes of Karangahake mountain retain tracts of indigenous vegetation on steep slopes though this has been modified by logging and mining.

Table 2.2: Land use within the Paeroa catchment.

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment Broadleaved indigenous hardwoods 188.0 Indigenous forest 852.9 Manuka and/or kanuka 89.4 Indigenous Forest 1,130.4 10.9% Coastal sand and gravel Estuarine open water Herbaceous freshwater vegetation 46.2 Herbaceous saline vegetation Lake and pond 0.9 Mangrove River 116.6 Wetland Systems 163.6 1.6% Afforestation (imaged, post LCDB 1) Afforestation (not imaged) Forest harvested Other exotic forest 5.0 Pine forest - closed canopy 53.8 Pine forest - open canopy 194.8

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment Exotic Plantation Forest 253.7 2.4% Orchard and other perennial crops Short-rotation cropland Orchards and Crops 0.0 0.0% High producing exotic grassland 8,389.6 Low producing grassland 95.8 Pastoral Lands 8,485.4 81.8% Deciduous hardwoods Major shelterbelts 0.9 Mixed exotic shrubland Gorse and broom 265.6 Other Exotic Vegetation 266.5 2.6% Surface mine 34.3 Surface Mine 34.3 0.3% Built-up area 7.9 Transport infrastructure Urban parkland/Open space 36.8 Urban Landforms 44.6 0.4% Grand Total 10,378.4 100.0%

Legal Protection

This section provides an overview of the areas protected by legal statute and covenants, for the purpose of biodiversity protection.

Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation administers 319 ha within the Paeroa catchment for conservation purposes.

Reserves to protect indigenous ecosystems, vegetation, habitats, or species comprises 306.8 ha (96.1%).

Reserves with other primary aims comprise 12.6 ha (3.9%).

Table 2.3: Department of Conservation-administered lands within the Paeroa catchment.

Reserve Type (DOC Legal Description) Area (ha) Conservation Park - S.19 Conservation Act 1987 267.7 Fixed Marginal Strip - S.24(3) Conservation Act 1987 10.5 Local Purpose Reserve - S.23 Reserves Act 1977 0.2 Recreation Reserve - S.17 Reserves Act 1977 1.7 Scenic Reserve - S.19(1)(a) Reserves Act 1977 37.5 Stewardship Area - S.25 Conservation Act 1987 1.6 Unprotected land with values not under action/invest for protection 0.1 Grand Total 319.4

Nga Whenua Rahui

There are no Nga Whenua Rahui kawenata within the Paeroa catchment.

QEII

There are two QEII covenants, with a total area of 107.9 ha within the Paeroa catchment.

Table 2.4: QEII covenants within the Paeroa catchment.

Covenant Area (ha) 5/03/276 102.3 5/03/733 5.6 Grand Total 0.1

2.4 Indigenous vegetation and flora

Vegetation Pattern

Twenty-nine percent (29%) the indigenous forest within Paeroa is tawa-dominant. Most contemporary tawa-dominant forests probably had a stronger component of emergent rimu that has been removed by logging operations. Areas of kauri- dominant forest (not mapped) occur around Karangahake Mountain.

Table 2.5: Indigenous forest types within the Paeroa catchment.

Forest Type Area (ha) Rimu-tawa 137.5 Tawa 109.1 Unclassified 606.3 Grand Total 852.9

Species Lists

No lists of vascular plants are known from the catchment, although two are available for the catchment divide with the adjacent Waihi catchment.

Rare or Threatened Species

The Department of Conservation Bioweb database includes the following record:

Pimelea tomentosa (Threatened-Nationally Vulnerable).

2.5 Pest plants

Plant Pest RPMS Status Paeroa Privet (2 species) Occupier control* 4 Woolly nightshade Containment. Occupier control. 3-4 Wild ginger Containment. Occupier control. 1 Pampas Banned from sale and propagation.** 2 Hawthorn Not RPMS. ? Barbary Not RPMS. ? Old man’s beard Eradication. 0 Climbing spindleberry Eradication. 0 Wildling pines Not RPMS. Black wattle Not RPMS.

The Waikato Region‘s Pest Management Strategy (RPMS) stipulates that privet is required to be controlled on valid health complaint only from someone living within 50 m. Roadside privet is required to be controlled. The RPMS also identified pampas is required to be ‗totally controlled‘ in parts of the Waikato region. Control is required on transport corridors and in quarries/mines. Other environmental weeds within the Waikato Region include:

banana passionfruit; hakea; eleagnus; Japanese honeysuckle.

Information on pest plants can be found in Environment Waikato‘s Regional Pest Management Strategy (available on the internet at: http://www.ew.govt.nz/policy-and- plans/Regional-Pest-Management-Strategy/Regional-Pest-Management-Strategy- 2008-2013/. For more information on a wide range of pest plants refer to Environment Bay of Plenty‘s excellent pest plant resources on the internet at http://www.envbop.govt.nz/Environment/Pest-Plants-and-Weeds.aspx

The Department of Conservation also maintains a pest plant database, and this includes the following records for the Paeroa catchment:

Acacia mearnsii Ligustrum lucidum Agapanthus praecox Ligustrum sinense Akebia quinata Lonicera japonica Allium triquetrum Lotus pedunculatus Amaryllis belladonna Mentha pulegium Anredera cordifolia Paraserianthes lophantha Cortaderia selloana Phytolacca octandra Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora Pinus radiata Cytisus scoparius Plectranthus spp. Digitalis purpurea Polygala myrtifolia Elaeagnus ×reflexa Rumex sagittatus Erica lusitanica Selaginella kraussiana Erigeron karvinskianus Senecio angulatus Eriobotrya japonica Senecio mikanioides Hedera helix Solanum mauritianum Jasminum polyanthum Tradescantia fluminensis Kerria japonica Verbena bonariensis Laurus nobilis Vinca major Leucanthemum vulgare Zantedeschia aethiopica

2.6 Pest animals

Affecting Species Affecting Vegetation Control Underway Indigenous Fauna Possum   Goat   Red deer  Fallow deer Feral pig  Ship rat   Norway rat Mustelids  Cats  Mice  Hedgehog  Wasps  Pest fish

Goats are a very significant threat. Red deer are only present in extremely low numbers. Possums also pose a significant threat to indigenous vegetation in the Paeroa catchment by selectively browsing preferred species, progressively eliminating canopy tree species, and changing forest canopy composition and forest dynamics as a result.

State of the Vegetation

Foliar Browse Index vegetation monitoring in northern Kaimai Range (Willems 2000) suggests that the overall condition of current vegetation is moderate to good. Possum impacts appear to be concentrated on a subset of individuals belonging to possum preferred species, particularly kohekohe where most trees score between 65% and 95%. However, a small number of individuals have much lower covers, some as low as 15%. Historically, declines in northern rata have been noted in the northern Kaimai Range. Although most monitored rata trees score 5 or 6 in rata view monitoring (6 being minimal or no impact, 5 being moderate impacts, significant dieback evident) a small number of trees have scored 4 (severe impacts) every year, however the number of northern rata suffering severe impacts has increased slightly through time (Woods 2008).

2.7 Indigenous fauna

A suite of typical forest bird species is present, including kereru and tomtit. Kākā and falcon are likely to be itinerant visitors.

Other Notable Species

None known.

State of Terrestrial Indigenous Fauna

No information on the state of terrestrial indigenous fauna is available for the Paeroa catchment. Bird, reptile, bat, and invertebrate populations are probably comparable with those of other mainland forests not subject to intensive predator control.

Fish Species

Nine (9) indigenous species are known to occur within the Paeroa catchment (compared to 20 different species for the wider Kaimai catchment).

Two (2) indigenous species are considered to be in Gradual Decline.

Three introduced fish species have been recorded within Paeroa catchment (compared with nine introduced species for the wider Kaimai catchment).

Gambusia (Mosquito fish) are present, and is classified as an Unwanted Organism.

Table 2.6: Fish species recorded within the Paeroa catchment.

Scientific Name Common Name Threat Status Indigenous Anguilla dieffenbachii Longfin eel Gradual decline Paranephrops planifrons Koura Gradual decline Anguilla australis Shortfin eel Not threatened Cheimarrichthys fosteri Torrentfish Not threatened Galaxias maculatus Inanga Not threatened Gobiomorphus basalis Crans bully Not threatened Gobiomorphus cotidienus Common bully Not Threatened Retropinna retropinna Smelt Not Threatened Exotic Oncorhynchus mykiss Rainbow trout Introduced Salmo trutta Brown trout Introduced Gambusia affinis Mosquitofish Unwanted organism

Notable Aquatic Habitats

None in catchment.

2.8 Recreational use

Remnants of historical mining and logging activities throughout catchment. Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway. Karangahake mountain can be accessed via tracks starting at the end of Crown Hill Road.

2.9 Current management

Department of Conservation

Monitoring - No formal ecological monitoring.

Pest plant control - None.

Pest animal control - Ongoing goat control. - FBI line on divide with Waihi catchment.

Recreation - Maintain Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway - Maintain tracks on Karangahake Mountain

Regional Council

- Natural heritage - Clean Streams programme.

Clean Streams is an Environment Waikato project to encourage and support farmer efforts to reduce the impacts of farming on waterways. Advice and financial support of up to 35 percent of farmers‘ costs for fencing and planting waterway margins is available.

There are also soil conservation compartments (fenced areas of indigenous bush or exotic plantings) in that area which are not managed by EW but subsidised under the WVS scheme and protected either by QE II covenant or a Land Improvement Agreement. Also WVS constructed fences along the foot of the Kaimai Range in many places, effectively becoming the boundary with the Forest Park.

EW administers three reserves totalling 265.3 ha within the Paeroa catchment.

District Council(s)

Matamata-Piako District Plan contains protective provisions, such as controls on clearance of indigenous vegetation, relating to the Katiaki Zone, which extends along the flanks of the Range within the District. The District Plan also includes a schedule of Significant Natural Areas and the District Council maintains a fund for fencing of natural areas.

Community Projects

No current activities known.

Positive Aspects of Management

Goat control within forests of upper catchment.

Contiguous with large area of indigenous forest in northern part of Kaimai- Mamaku Forest Park.

Aspects that Need to be Addressed

Further protection of indigenous vegetation.

Impacts of plant pests in indigenous vegetation remnants: woolly nightshade, privet, pampas, Japanese honeysuckle.

Threats posed by pest animals in areas not subject to active management.

Further protection and enhancement of waterways..

Grazing of forest remnants in upper catchments

3. TE AROHA

3.1 Waterways

Description

Forty one percent (41%) of the waterways in the Te Aroha catchment are high gradient streams, one-half are low gradient, the remaining nine percent (9%) are medium gradient.

Ninety three percent (93%) of the land cover adjoining streams is pastoral grassland.

Table 3.1: Summary of stream length and soil types and land cover within the Te Aroha catchment.

Valley Landform Low High Length in Geology Landcover Medium Gradient Gradient Kilometres Gradient (km) (km) (km) Alluvium Pastoral 0.3 (2.3%) 0.3 (0.6%) Urban 0.8 (6.2%) 0.7 (1.3%) Soft Pastoral 8.2 (63.1%) 8.2 (15.0%) Sedimentary Urban 0.04 (0.03%) 0.04 (0.3%) Volcanic Indigenous 0.6 (4.6%) 31.5 (85.1%) 32.1 (58.9%) acidic forest Pastoral 3.0 (23.1%) 2.1 (47.2%) 5.5 (14.9%) 10.7 (19.6%) Urban 0.1 (0.8%) 2.3 (52.3%) 2.4 (4.4%) Total 13.0 (23.9%) 4.4 (8.1%) 37.0 (67.9%) 54.5

Rivers and Streams Within the Catchment

The following streams are tributaries of the Waihou River:

Tui Tunakohoia Tutumangao Haehaenga Waiorongomai

Water Quality

Water quality is monitored at Te Aroha on the Waihou River. Ammonia scores are mostly excellent, turbidity is unacceptable in half the measurements, total phosphorus and total nitrogen levels are unacceptable in all measurements. Quality indicators for contact recreation are unacceptable in c.70% of measurements.

Waihou River water quality indicators measured at Te Aroha.

3.2 Land use capability

Soils on flat land around Te Aroha are highly versatile Classes 2 and 3. The soils on alluvial flats have wetness as the primary limitation on use. The soils on slopes of Te Aroha mountain have limited versatility, being primarily LUC 7 and 8. All soils on Te Aroha mountain have erosion as the primary limitation on land use.

LUC Class Area (ha) % of Catchment 1 2.5 0.1 2 402.3 13.2 3 304.1 10.0 4 63.8 2.1 5 6 359.9 11.8 7 495.2 16.2 8 1,224.7 40.1 Town 202.6 6.6 TOTAL 3,055.1 100.0

LUC Classes Te Aroha Sub-Catchment

Other Class 2 6.6% 13.2%

Class 3 10.0%

Class 8 40.1% Class 6 11.8%

Class 7 16.2%

Te Aroha LUC and Land Cover 1400

Other 1200 Pasture & Crop Exotic Forest & Scrub Indigenous Forest & Scrub 1000

800

600 Area (ha) Area `

400

200

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LUC Class

Figure 3.1: Te Aroha catchment - land cover and land use.

3.3 Land use

Spatial Pattern

Catchment size: 3,055 ha.

Catchment location: steep western slopes at northern end of the Kaimai Range, on the flanks of Mt Te Aroha, from Pahiko to the northern side of Tui Stream, west to the Waihou River.

Predominant land uses (account for 97.9% of catchment).

- indigenous forest covers 1,891 ha (61.9% of catchment in middle to upper catchments on land of moderate to high relief associated with slopes of northern Kaimai Range. - pasture grassland covers 903.2 ha (28%) of catchment on land of low relief from the Waihou River to the foot of the Kaimai Range. - Urban land use cover 202.1 ha (6.9%) of the catchment.

Mt Te Aroha is the highest point on the Kaimai Range, and is capped with a telecommunication tower.

Wetlands: There are small wetland areas between stopbanks on either side of the Waihou River.

Most modified: The alluvial flats between the Waihou River and the foothills of the Kaimai Range have been heavily modified by conversion to pastoral land uses. Lower flanks of Mt Te Aroha have secondary kanuka-dominant forest and pine stands (some being returned to indigenous vegetation).

Least modified: Upper slopes of Mt Te Aroha and the Kaimai Range retain tracts of indigenous vegetation on steep slopes though this has been modified by logging and mining.

Table 3.2: Land use within the Te Aroha catchment.

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment Broadleaved indigenous hardwoods 10.7 Indigenous forest 1,890.8 Manuka and/or kanuka 6.3 Indigenous Forest 1,907.7 62.4% Coastal sand and gravel Estuarine open water Herbaceous freshwater vegetation 1.8 Herbaceous saline vegetation Lakes and ponds 3.4 Mangrove River 27.8 Wetland Systems 33.0 1.1% Afforestation (imaged, post LCDB 1) Afforestation (not imaged)

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment Forest harvested Other exotic forest 1.4 Pine forest - closed canopy 5.2 Pine forest - open canopy 1.1 Exotic Plantation Forest 7.6 0.2% Orchard and other perennial crops Short-rotation cropland Orchards and Crops 0.0 0.0% High producing exotic grassland 879.8 Low producing grassland Pastoral Lands 879.8 28.8% Deciduous hardwoods 11.6 Major shelterbelts Mixed exotic shrubland Gorse and broom 16.5 Other Exotic Vegetation 28.1 0.9% Surface mine 3.3 Surface Mine 3.3 0.1% Built-up area 169.4 Transport infrastructure Urban parkland/Open space 26.1 Urban Landforms 195.6 6.4% Grand Total 3,055.1 100.0%

Legal Protection

This section provides an overview of the areas protected by legal statute and covenants, for the purpose of biodiversity protection.

Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation administers 1,786 ha within the Te Aroha catchment for conservation purposes.

Reserves to protect indigenous ecosystems, vegetation, habitats, or species comprises 1,447 ha (96.1%).

Reserves with other primary aims comprise 338 ha (81.1%).

Table 3.3: Department of Conservation administered lands within the Te Aroha catchment.

Reserve Type (DOC Legal Description) Area (ha) Conservation Park - S.19 Conservation Act 1987 1,372.9 Fixed Marginal Strip - S.24(3) Conservation Act 1987 16.6 Government Purpose Reserve - S.22 Reserves Act 1977 0.1 Local Purpose Reserve - S.23 Reserves Act 1977 50.0 Recreation Reserve - S.17 Reserves Act 1977 288.1 Scenic Reserve - S.19(1)(a) Reserves Act 1977 54.2 Stewardship Area - S.25 Conservation Act 1987 3.8 Grand Total 1,785.7

Nga Whenua Rahui

There are no Nga Whenua Rahui kawenata within the Te Aroha catchment.

QEII

There are three QEII covenants, with a total area of 107.9 ha, within the Te Aroha catchment.

Table 3.4: QEII covenants within the Te Aroha catchment.

Covenant Area (ha) 5/03/013A 0.9 5/03/013B 1.0 5/03/276 45.3 Total 47.1

3.4 Indigenous vegetation and flora

Vegetation Pattern

Thirty-one percent (31%) of the indigenous forest within Te Aroha is dominated by tawa, with another 295 ha (16%) is dominated by rimu-tawa forest. Most contemporary tawa dominant forest probably had a stronger component of emergent rimu that has been removed by logging. Kauri-softwoods-hardwoods forest covers ridges and toe slopes at lower altitude. Highland and steepland softwoods and hardwoods, and beech forest, mostly silver beech, dominate forests around the summit of Te Aroha.

Table 3.5: Indigenous forest types within the Te Aroha catchment.

Forest Type Area (ha) Beeches 388.1 Highland and steepland softwoods-hardwoods 62.2 Kauri-softwoods-hardwoods 161.3 Rimu-tawa 295.0 Tawa 595.3 Unclassified 389.2 Grand Total 1,890.8

Species Lists

There are at least 10 lists of vascular plants within the catchment.

Rare or Threatened Species

Peraxilla colensoi has its northern limit on Te Aroha (Beadel 1995).

Rorippa divaricata, Teucridium parvifolium, and Tupeia antarctica have also all been recorded from the mountain, thought the latter two are represented by historical records only (Beadel 1995).

The Department of Conservation Bioweb database includes the following records:

Myriophyllum robustum (At Risk-Declining) Ophioglossum petiolatum (Threatened-Nationally Critical) Pittosporum kirkii (At Risk-Declining) Ptisana salicina (At Risk-Declining) Rorippa divaricata (Threatened-Nationally Vulnerable)

3.5 Pest plants

Plant Pest RPMS Status Te Aroha Privet (2 species) Occupier control.* 4 Woolly nightshade Containment. Occupier control. 2 Wild ginger Containment. Occupier control. 0 Pampas Banned from sale & propagation.** 2 Hawthorn Not RPMS. ? Barbary Not RPMS. ? Old man’s beard Eradication. 1 site - historic? Climbing spindleberry Eradication. 0 Wildling pines Not RPMS. Black wattle Not RPMS.

Other environmental weeds within the Waikato Region include:

banana passionfruit; hakea; eleagnus; Japanese honeysuckle.

Information on pest plants can be found in Environment Waikato‘s Regional Pest Management Strategy (available on the internet at: http://www.ew.govt.nz/policy-and- plans/Regional-Pest-Management-Strategy/Regional-Pest-Management-Strategy- 2008-2013/. For more information on a wide range of pest plants refer to Environment Bay of Plenty‘s excellent pest plant resources on the internet at http://www.envbop.govt.nz/Environment/Pest-Plants-and-Weeds.aspx

The Department of Conservation also maintains a pest plant database and this includes the following records for the Te Aroha catchment:

Acacia dealbata Asparagus asparagoides Agapanthus praecox Berberis glaucocarpa Akebia quinata Betula pendula Allium triquetrum Buddleja davidii Aquilegia vulgaris Canna indica Arum italicum Cestrum elegans

Cortaderia selloana Pennisetum clandestinum Cotoneaster spp. Physalis peruviana Crassula sp. Phytolacca octandra Crataegus monogyna Pinus radiata Crocosmia ×crocosmiiflora Plectranthus spp. Cytisus scoparius Polygonum capitatum Dendrobenthamia capitata Populus alba Digitalis purpurea Rubus fruticosus agg. Erica lusitanica Salix cinerea Erigeron karvinskianus Salpichroa origanifolia Galeobdolon luteum Saxifraga stolonifera Gladiolus spp. Sedum acre Hedera helix Selaginella kraussiana Hedychium gardnerianum Senecio bipinnatisectus Leucanthemum vulgare Senecio vulgaris Ligustrum lucidum Solanum tuberosum Ligustrum sinense Teline monspessulana Lilium spp. Tradescantia fluminensis Linaria purpurea Tropaeolum majus Lonicera japonica Ulex europaeus Lotus pedunculatus Vinca major Miscanthus nepalensis Viola odorata Myosotis scorpioides Zantedeschia aethiopica Nephrolepis cordifolia var. cordifolia

3.6 Pest animals

Affecting Species Affecting Vegetation Control Underway Indigenous Fauna Possum    Goat   Red deer  Fallow deer Feral pig Ship rat   Norway rat Mustelids  Cats  Mice  Hedgehog  Wasps  Pest fish 

Goats and possums pose the greatest threats to indigenous vegetation in the Te Aroha catchment.

State of the Vegetation

Rata view monitoring sites and a 20 × 20 m permanent plot are present. Foliar Browse Index lines in adjacent catchments are relevant to the vegetation present.

3.7 Indigenous fauna

A typical suite of indigenous birds is present, including kereru and tomtit. Kākā and falcon are likely to be itinerant visitors.

Other Notable Species

There are several recent records of striped skink (Oligosoma striatum) from Te Aroha (2002 and 2005). Copper skink (Cyclodina aenea) is also present.

There are a number of post 1980 observations of Te Aroha stag beetle (Geodorcus articulatus) on and around the summit of Mt Te Aroha, including the walking track from summit to Mt Te Aroha Domain in the Tutumangao Stream catchment at 620 m, the upper Mangakino Stream near Lewis and Bartley Creeks at 640 m, the Waiorongomai Stream headwaters and Tui Stream headwaters, and Dog Kennel Flat.

Tangarona pensus, an endemic monotypic genus of highly specialised Carabidae belonging to the Rhysodini (wrinkled bark beetles, Bell and Bell 1982) has possibly been collected from Te Aroha. Two other Carabid beetles, Mecodema atrox and M. pluto, have been collected from the Kaimai Range. Te Aroha trig is the type locality for Mecodema pluto, which is currently known from Little Barrier Island, Coromandel and Kaimai Range (McGuiness 2001).

State of Terrestrial Indigenous Fauna

No information on the state of terrestrial indigenous fauna is available for most of the Te Aroha catchment. Bird, reptile, bat, and invertebrate populations are probably comparable with those of other mainland forests not subject to intensive predator control. Surveys for stag beetle have found limited numbers, and evidence of predation.

Fish Species

Six (6) indigenous species are known to occur within the Te Aroha catchment (compared to 20 different species for the wider Kaimai catchment).

One (1) indigenous species are considered to be in Gradual Decline.

Two introduced fish species have been recorded within Te Aroha catchment (compared with nine introduced species for the wider Kaimai catchment). Gambusia (mosquito fish) is an Unwanted Organism.

Table 3.6: Fish species recorded within the Te Aroha catchment.

Scientific Name Common Name Threat Status Indigenous Anguilla dieffenbachii Longfin eel Gradual decline Cheimarrichthys fosteri Torrentfish Not threatened Gobiomorphus cotidianus Common bully Not threatened Retropinna retropinna Common smelt Not threatened Gobiomorphus basalis Crans bully Not threatened Anguilla australis Shortfin eel Not threatened Exotic Oncorhynchus mykiss Rainbow trout Introduced Gambusia affinis Gambusia Introduced

Notable Aquatic Habitats

None in catchment.

3.8 Recreational use

Remnants of historical mining and logging activities throughout catchment.

Waiorongomai Valley, including remnants of New Zealand‘s oldest known railway with original rails still in place, the Piako County Tramway built in 1882-83. Te Aroha mountain can be accessed via Tui Road, and via tracks starting Te Aroha township, and the Waiorongomai Valley.

3.9 Current management

Department of Conservation

Monitoring - Rata view sites (4) and one 20 × 20 m permanent vegetation plot.

Pest plant control - Mt Te Aroha Road - Mexican daisy, pampas, broom, montbretia, Spanish heath, gorse, blackberry. - Tui Mire - pines, pampas, agapanthus, buddleia, ginger, montbretia, pink-headed knot weed, pitted crassula, plectranthus, red cestrum, strawberry dogwood, stone crop, privet, tradescantia. - Waiorongomai - German ivy, English ivy, onion grass, arum lily, tradescantia, hawthorn, Chinese privet, Japanese honeysuckle, Mexican daisy, selaginella, montbretia, Cape gooseberry, grey willow, barberry, periwinkle (at Buck Rock), blackberry, gorse.

Pest animal control - Goat control - ongoing programme across entire catchment.

- Possum control, as part of the Waiorongomai Block (975 ha).

Recreation - Maintain extensive network of tracks in the Waiorongomai Valley. - Maintain tracks on Te Aroha Mountain.

Historic site management - Waiorongomai Valley, restoration and interpretation.

Regional Council

- Natural heritage - Environment Waikato - Clean Streams programme.

EW manages riparian areas which are conservation areas and part of the Waihou Valley Scheme. EW also looks after the channels of all the main stream to ensure that these are stable and efficient (erosion control and channel clearing of willows and other blockages). EW administers three reserves totalling 106.7 ha within Te Aroha, not all of which is necessarily for conservation purposes.

District Council

Community Projects

Te Aroha Earthwatch undertakes projects with water quality and bush restoration, particularly on the lower mountain.

Removal of pine plantation on lower mountain and conversion to indigenous forest.

Mountain bike tracks adjacent to Te Aroha.

Positive Aspects of Management

Intensive goat control over whole forested catchment.

Large contiguous forest track -low degree of fragmentation.

Various uncommon and threatened species occur on Te Aroha mountain.

Recreational access to mountain summit and other tracks.

Part of Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park.

Remediation of Tui Mine tailings.

Aspects that Need to be Addressed

High levels of pest plant impacts in vegetation in lower part of the catchments, and in secondary vegetation in Waiorongomai Valley.

Threats posed by pest animals in areas not subject to active management.

Water quality in Waihou River.

4. MIDDLE WAIHOU

4.1 Waterways

Description

Fifty-five percent (55%) of the waterways in the Middle Waihou catchment flow through high gradient landforms, 36.8% flow through low gradient landforms, and the remaining nine percent (8%) are in medium gradient landforms.

Half (49.6%) of the land cover adjoining streams is pastoral grassland.

Nearly half (47.2%) of the land cover adjoining streams is indigenous forest.

Table 4.1: Summary of stream length and adjacent soil types and land cover within the Middle Waihou catchment

Valley-Landform

Low Gradient Medium High Gradient Geology Landcover Length in km (km) Gradient (km) (km) Alluvium Pastoral 0.9 (0.9%) 0.9 (0.3%) Soft Pastoral 44.3 (43.9%) 4.0 (18.2%) 9.1 (6.0%) 57.5 (21.0%) Sedimentary Volcanic Exotic forest 4.4 (2.9%) 4.4 (1.6%) acidic Indigenous 20.6 (20.4%) 12.1 (55.0%) 96.6 (63.9%) 129.3 (47.2%) forest Pastoral 35.2 (34.8%) 5.8 (23.4%) 36.5 (24.2%) 77.5 (28.3%) Scrub 0.03 (0.03%) 4.5 (3.0%) 4.5 (1.6%) Total 101.0 (36.8%) 22.0 (8.0%) 151.1 (55.1%) 274.1 (100%)

Rivers and Streams Within the Catchment

The following streams flow into the Waihou River:

Pohomihi Waipupu McLaren Waiharakeke Foughey Gordon Stanley Wairere Waiteariki Mangangarara

Water Quality

Water quality is monitored on the Waihou River. Ammonia scores are mostly excellent, turbidity is unacceptable in half of all measurements, total phosphorus and total nitrogen levels are unacceptable in all measurements. Quality indicators for contact recreation are unacceptable in c.70% of measurements.

Waihou River water quality indicators measured at Te Aroha.

4.2 Land use capability

Soils on flat land within the Waihou River valley are highly versatile Classes 1 to 4. The soils on alluvial flats have wetness and soils as the primary limitations on use. The soils on slopes of Middle Waihou mountain have limited versatility, being primarily LUC 7 and 8. All soils on the escarpment have erosion as the primary limitation on land use. Soils on the Mamaku plateau are more versatile, some are arable, and like the escarpment all have erosion as the primary limitation on use.

LUC Class Area (ha) % of Catchment 1 727.6 4.7 2 2,595.0 16.9 3 1,131.1 7.4 4 2,630.2 17.1 5 0.0 0.0 6 3,074.7 20.0 7 2,767.7 18.0 8 2,455.7 16.0 Town 0.0 0.0 TOTAL 15,381.9 100.0

LUC Classes Middle Waihou Sub-Catchment

Class 1 Class 8 4.7% 16.0% Class 2 16.9%

Class 7 18.0% Class 3 7.4%

Class 4 Class 6 17.1% 20.0%

Middle Waihou LUC and Land Cover 3500

Other 3000 Pasture & Crop Exotic Forest & Scrub Indigenous Forest & Scrub 2500

2000

1500 Area (ha) Area `

1000

500

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LUC Class

Figure 4.1: Middle Waihou catchment - Land cover and land use.

4.3 Land use

Spatial Pattern

Catchment size: 15,382 ha.

Catchment location: From Pahiko in the north to Waianuanu in the south, from the main ridge of the Kaimai Range west to the Waihou River.

Predominant land uses ( account for 98.7% of catchment): - indigenous forest covers 7,723 ha (50.2%) of catchment on land of moderate to high relief associated with slopes and plateau of the Kaimai Range and Mamaku Plateau. - pasture grassland covers 6,377.4 ha (41.5%) of the catchment, predominantly on land of low relief from the Waihou River to the flanks of the Kaimai Range. - Exotic plantation forests cover 922.1 ha (6.4%) of the catchment, on slopes along the Kaimai Range and the western edge of the Mamaku Plateau.

Urban landforms: 6.8 ha (<0.1% of catchment).

Wetlands: There are small wetland areas between stopbanks on either side of the Waihou River.

Most modified: The alluvial flats between the Waihou River and the foothills of the Kaimai Range have been heavily modified by conversion to pastoral land uses.

Least modified: Slopes of Kaimai Range and Mamaku Plateau retain indigenous vegetation though much has been modified by logging during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Table 4.2: Land Use within the Middle Waihou catchment.

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment Broadleaved indigenous hardwoods 203.6 Indigenous forest 7,722.5 Manuka and/or kanuka 76.1 Indigenous Forest 8,002.2 52.0% Coastal sand and gravel Estuarine open water Herbaceous freshwater vegetation 0.8 Herbaceous saline vegetation Lake and pond 3.3 Mangrove River 27.5 Wetland Systems 31.6 0.2% Afforestation (imaged, post LCDB 1) 13.1 Afforestation (not imaged) Forest harvested 5.9 Other exotic forest 40.5 Pine forest - closed canopy 716.9 Pine forest - open canopy 25.2 Exotic Plantation Forest 801.7 5.2%

% of LCDB2 Classification Area (ha) Catchment Orchard and other perennial crops Short-rotation cropland Orchards and Crops 0.0 0.0% High producing exotic grassland 6,371.6 Low producing grassland 5.8 Pastoral Lands 6,377.4 41.5% Deciduous hardwoods 115.8 Major shelterbelts 43.8 Mixed exotic shrubland Gorse and broom Other Exotic Vegetation 159.7 1.0% Landslide 3.1 Landslide 3.1 <0.1% Built-up area 6.1 Transport infrastructure Urban parkland/Open space 0.2 Urban Landforms 6.3 <0.1% Grand Total 15,381.9 100.0%

Legal Protection

This section provides an overview of the areas protected by legal statute and covenants, for the purpose of biodiversity protection.

Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation administers 6,400 ha within the Middle Waihou catchment for conservation purposes.

Reserves to protect indigenous ecosystems, vegetation, habitats, or species comprise 6,388 ha (99.8%).

Reserves that have other primary aims, such as recreation, comprise 12.2 ha (0.2%).

Table 4.3: Department of Conservation-administered lands within the Middle Waihou catchment.

Reserve Type (DOC Legal Description) Area (ha) Conservation Park - S.19 Conservation Act 1987 2,368.5 Fixed Marginal Strip - S.24(3) Conservation Act 1987 66.6 Local Purpose Reserve - S.23 Reserves Act 1977 6.2 Recreation Reserve - S.17 Reserves Act 1977 6.0 Scenic Reserve - S.19(1)(a) Reserves Act 1977 3,590.3 Stewardship Area - S.25 Conservation Act 1987 362.5 Grand Total 6,400.2

The middle Waihou catchment includes parts of the West Ngatukituki and Waiteariki Ecological Areas, and small parts of the Ngatukituki Forest Sanctuary and Te Hunga Ecological Area.

Nga Whenua Rahui

There is one Nga Whenua Rahui kawenata within the Middle Waihou catchment.

Table 4.4: Nga Whenua Rahui kawenata within the Middle Waihou catchment.

Nga Whenua Rahui Area (ha) Maurihoro 532.6 Total 532.6

QEII

There are no QEII covenants within the Middle Waihou catchment.

4.4 Indigenous vegetation

Vegetation Pattern

Fifty-eight (58%) of the indigenous forest within Middle Waihou is tawa-dominant, either in tawa-dominant stands or in combination with rimu. Most contemporary tawa dominant forest probably had a stronger component of emergent rimu that has been removed by logging operations. Kauri-softwoods-hardwoods forest covers ridges and toe slopes at lower altitude in the northern part of the catchment area. Highland and steepland softwoods and hardwoods, and beech forest, mostly silver beech, dominates forests around summits and ridges associated with the main Kaimai Range.

Table 4.5: Forest types within the Middle Waihou catchment.

Forest Type Area (ha) Beeches 287.7 Highland and steepland softwoods-hardwoods 1,895.7 Highland softwoods-beeches 101.3 Kauri-softwoods-hardwoods 277.7 Kauri-softwoods-hardwoods-beeches 15.9 Rimu-beeches 0.0 Rimu-tawa 3,283.9 Softwoods 19.6 Tawa 1,260.0 Unclassified 581.4 Grand Total 7,722.5

Rare or Threatened Species

The Department of Conservation Bioweb database includes the following records:

Dianella haematica (At Risk-Declining) Myriophyllum robustum (At Risk-Declining) Ptisana salicina (At Risk-Declining) Rorippa divaricata (Threatened-Nationally Vulnerable) Sicyos australis (At Risk-Naturally Uncommon)

4.5 Pest plants

Plant Pest RPMS Status Middle Waihou Privet (2 species) Occupier control* 4 Pampas Banned from sale & propagation** 2 Hawthorn Not RPMS ? Barbary Not RPMS ? Old man's beard Eradication 1 site - historic? Climbing spindleberry Eradication 2 current sites Wildling pines Not RPMS Black wattle Not RPMS

The Waikato Region‘s Pest Management Strategy (RPMS) stipulates that privet is required to be controlled on valid health complaint from someone living within 50 m. Roadside privet is also to be controlled. The RPMS also identified pampas is required to be totally controlled in parts of the Waikato region. Control is required on transport corridors and in quarries/mines.

Other environmental weeds within the Waikato Region include:

banana passionfruit hakea eleagnus Japanese honeysuckle

The Department of Conservation also maintains a pest plant database and this includes the following records for the Middle Waihou catchment:

Acacia melanoxylon Hydrangea macrophylla Celastrus orbiculatus Ligustrum sinense Cortaderia selloana Lonicera japonica Cotoneaster glaucophyllus Pinus radiata Cytisus scoparius Pinus spp. Dendrobenthamia capitata Rubus fruticosus agg. Erica caffra Salix caprea Erica lusitanica Solanum pseudocapsicum Glyceria declinata Tradescantia fluminensis Hedera helix Ulex europaeus