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Biodiversity Management Plan March 2012

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Motu Kaikoura: Biodiversity Management Plan March 2012 INTRODUCTION Purpose of the plan The Biodiversity Management Plan can be seen as a ‘how to’ document that details the methods and timeframes of different tasks that will work towards achieving the objectives and overall vision for the Island that is detailed below. These recommendations and tasks have taken into account the previous actions and successes of the management of Motu Kaikoura thus far. While the Plan covers a period of 10 years, where appropriate some recommendations give consideration to timeframes beyond this scope. Geographic Situation Motu Kaikoura is a 564 hectare island off the west coast of Great Barrier Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. Motu Kaikoura is in close proximity to a number of smaller islands and rock stacks and a number of peninsulas of Aotea (Great Barrier Island) (Figure 1). Figure 1: Motu Kaikoura topography (source: LINZ, Crown Copyright reserved) and aerial view (source: Auckland Council). This larger landscape context lends a significant influence on the ecosystem processes within the island and therefore management recommendations stated within this document. For these reasons it is important to consider the wider context of the Grey Island group, Broken Islands, Sven Stellin’s peninsula, Glenfern Sanctuary, and other surrounding islands/rockstacks when considering management options for the island. This wider scope will help increase the chances of successfully achieving Motu Kaikoura Trust’s vision for the island. In this manner, the wider areas should be considered as a whole so therefore recommendations below will consider the wider landscape context. Motu Kaikoura Biodiversity Management Plan 3 History of Use The long history of human occupation and activity has resulted in the natural values of the site becoming degraded and highly modified. The island has undergone a long history of pre-European burning and vegetation clearance. Most of the island is covered in scrub dominated by kanuka and manuka, but areas of older coastal forest, with pohutukawa, taraire, kohekohe, and puriri, remain in several valleys. Pine forest (maritime pine and radiata pine) is common in the south-east of the island, and pohutukawa trees are common along the coast. Maori are thought to have lived on Motu Kaikoura since the 15th Century. Ngati Wai asserts mana whenua status over the island, a title which dates back to the end of the 17th Century. Between 1838 and 2004 the island was owned by a number of different families and individuals. Motu Kaikoura was purchased on 13th April 2004 by the Crown, with contributions from ASB Community Trust and 7 of the 8 Auckland Councils (of the time). The island was officially opened to the public in 2005. In 1859 the first farm was established on Motu Kaikoura, and the island has been heavily grazed since. These grazers have now been removed from Motu Kaikoura, with deer being officially eradicated in 2009. 119 Fallow deer were removed, along with pigs, cats and one rabbit. Although there are many notable vertebrate pests absent from Motu Kaikoura (including possums, hedgehogs, mustelids, and Norway rats) ship rats and kiore are still present. The presence of mice has never been confirmed. Efforts to eradicate rats on the island began in August 2008, with two aerial bait drops of ‘Pestoff 20R’ (a Brodifacoum based) poison. This poison drop was at first thought successful, but ship rats and kiore are now present. Rats are controlled today using ‘rat motels’ (lured traps and poison baits in plastic bags). Biosecurity measures on the adjacent mainland are in place to minimise further invasion of rats from surrounding areas. MANDATE Motu Kaikoura is designated under the Reserves Act 1977 as a Scenic Reserve. The main intent of a Scenic Reserve is to provide an area that public can enjoy whether for landscape, intrinsic value or beauty, and also should: o be open to the public; o preserve native flora and fauna; o eliminate exotic flora and fauna unless their presence is deemed to be of scientific interest or of beauty to the public; o allow development of infrastructure that aids public enjoyment of the reserve; o preserve any historical or archaeological sites (see Appendix 1). Administration and management of the island was granted to the Motu Kaikoura Trust in April 2004 under an agreement with the Crown. The Trust’s mandate is outlined below: 1) the reserve is to be available for outdoor/environmental education for youth in particular and for the provision of appropriate facilities; Motu Kaikoura Biodiversity Management Plan 4 2) the Trust shall submit to the Minister for his/her approval a management plan for the reserve within two years after the date of its appointment; 3) the appointment of the Trust as the administering body of the reserve is to be reviewed after seven years; and 4) the Department of Conservation shall provide advice, guidance, technical and related assistance to the Trust. The intent of a Scenic Reserve and mandate given to the Motu Kaikoura Trust is directly reflected in the thinking behind the recommendations given within this plan. VISION To restore the natural environment of Motu Kaikoura to reflect that of the least modified, parallel ecosystem types on Great Barrier Island uniqueness of Motu Kaikoura while ensuring it is available for public use, enjoyment and education. GOALS The goals to meet this vision are listed below as: • restoration of the island environment; • ecological, cultural and recreational resources are acknowledged and enhanced; • allow and/or provide for environmental/outdoor education with a focus on youth; • recognise the importance of the island to Ngati Rehua; • aid the restoration of neighbouring islands. ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OBJECTIVES The following objectives will fulfil the vision and goals for Motu Kaikoura: • manage animal pest species to zero density; • manage pest plant species to zero density; • restore the island’s indigenous flora; • restore the island’s indigenous fauna; • recognize and protect features of cultural importance; • encourage public participation in restoration activities. Guiding Principle - ‘Minimal intervention’ In contrast to many other island restoration projects, the restoration of Motu Kaikoura will follow a minimal intervention approach. This approach recognises that some species may colonise the island naturally, and that some unrecorded species will need time for recovering populations to reach detection levels. Intervention is not considered prudent until a more comprehensive picture of the island’s biodiversity is built up through on-going monitoring. However, a greater level of intervention (e.g. Motu Kaikoura Biodiversity Management Plan 5 translocation, planting) will be considered if the island’s ecological structure and function are not restored through natural processes. Motu Kaikoura Biodiversity Management Plan 6 CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTU KAIKOURA Motu Kaikoura is a large island (564ha) of volcanic origin within the Hauraki Gulf, bounded by Great Barrier Island along its northern, eastern and southern coasts (Figure 2). The islands are, at some points, only a few hundred metres apart and are geologically similar with similar flora and fauna. Figure 2: Motu Kaikoura viewed from the east (Photo: M. Galbraith) Detailed descriptions of the characteristics of the island are included in the Motu Kaikoura Management Plan (Motu Kaikoura Trust 2005) and the Kaikoura Island Eradication Operational Plan (Natural Logic Environmental Management 2008). A brief summary of the characteristics of Motu Kaikoura is given below to provide an ecological context for this document. Geology Geologically, Motu Kaikoura is volcanic in origin with prominent ridges; spurs, andesitic tufts and rock outcroppings. A central NW-NE divide has rocky escarpments and outcrops, all of which are andesitic remnants of a strato volcano. The highest point on the island is Mitre Peak at 205m. The coastline consists of steep cliffs, small beaches; muddy intertidal flats, and rocky shorelines. A few perennial streams, with low summer flows, exist in the larger catchments. Vegetation The valleys and ridges of the island are predominantly covered in stands of regenerating kanuka and manuka interspersed with a few remnants of mature coastal forest. Large stands of pines are present in the south-east. Prior to their recent eradication, deer, cattle, goats and pigs prevented the development of an understorey. On steeper, more exposed slopes, erosion pans devoid of vegetation developed due to overgrazing. A survey and review of the vascular flora of Motu Kaikoura was undertaken by Cameron (2007). A detailed description of vegetation communities as well as the presence of threatened species is provided and compared with surveys undertaken in the past to document changes over time (see Appendix 2 for species list). An extensive stand of wilding pines (Pinus pinaster and P. radiata) has established in the south-eastern corner of the island around the lodge and spread to the west and north. A number of environmental weeds have been identified and are currently managed by the Motu Kaikoura Trust. Motu Kaikoura Biodiversity Management Plan 7 Inter-tidal marine algae were surveyed in June 2007 as part of a wider marine algae survey conducted by Michael Wilcox. Good water clarity allows for an abundant but moderately diverse range of species. A paucity of common red algal species was noted and attributed to a high abundance of kina (Evechinus chloroticus) which are feed on these species as well as the competitive presence of Ecklonia radiata (kelp). Fauna Birds have been surveyed annually since 2006 (Galbraith & Jones 2010). The current record is 39 bird species on the island, of which 27 species are indigenous and 12 are exotic species (see Appendix 1). Kereru and tui were less common than insectivorous species, and flocks of kaka utilised the south-eastern pine block as a food source, shredding the cones for seeds. Annual reptile surveys, assisted by the use of artificial cover objects, have been undertaken from 2008 (Martin 2012) (see Appendix 2).
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