WAIKATO PROTECTION STRATEGY A REPORT TO THE FOREST HERITAGE FUND COMMITTEE Mike Harding Waikato Protection Strategy Published by the Forest Heritage Fund PO Box 10-420 Wellington March 1997 ISBN................... THE FOREST HERITAGE FUND TEAM Minister of Conservation, Hon. Nick Smith Committee: Di Lucas, Chair Dr.Gerry McSweeney Jim Pottinger Dr.John Wardle Advisor George McMillan Manager Allan McKenzie Executive Officer John Morton CONTENTS Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Methodology.................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 2 2.2 Defining Ecosystem Types ................................................................ 3 2.3 Determining the Extent of Indigenous Vegetation ............................ 6 2.4 Calculating the Extent of Protected Ecosystems ............................... 7 3.0 Review of Existing Protected Natural Areas .............................................. 9 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 9 Coromandel Ecological Region 3.2 Colville ED ....................................................................................... 10 3.3 Mercury Islands ED ......................................................................... 12 3.4 Thames ED ....................................................................................... 13 3.5 Tairua ED.......................................................................................... 15 3.6 Waihi ED .......................................................................................... 17 Waikato Ecological Region 3.7 Meremere ED ................................................................................... 19 3.8 Hapuakohe ED ................................................................................. 21 3.9 Hauraki ED ....................................................................................... 23 3.10 Hamilton ED ..................................................................................... 25 3.11 Hinuera ED ....................................................................................... 27 3.12 Maungatautari ED ............................................................................ 28 3.13 Waipa ED ......................................................................................... 30 Tainui Ecological Region 3.14 Raglan ED ......................................................................................... 31 3.15 Kawhia ED ....................................................................................... 33 3.16 Herangi ED ....................................................................................... 35 Taranaki Ecological Region 3.17 North Taranaki ED ........................................................................... 37 King Country Ecological Region 3.18 Waitomo ED ..................................................................................... 39 3.19 Taumarunui ED ................................................................................ 41 Western Volcanic Plateau Ecological Region 3.20 Ranginui ED ..................................................................................... 43 3.21 Pureora ED ....................................................................................... 45 3.22 Tokoroa ED ...................................................................................... 47 Central Volcanic Plateau Ecological Region 3.23 Atiamuri ED ..................................................................................... 47 3.24 Taupo ED .......................................................................................... 48 4.0 A Strategy for Forest Protection ................................................................ 50 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 50 4.2 The Existing Waikato Conservancy Strategy.................................. 50 4.3 Other Regional Strategies ................................................................ 53 4.4 The Forest Heritage Fund’s National Strategy ................................ 54 4.5 A Protection Strategy for the Waikato Conservancy ...................... 56 5.0 General Priorities for Forest Protection .................................................... 61 5.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 61 5.2 Representative Ecosystems .............................................................. 62 5.3 Sustainable Protection ...................................................................... 69 5.4 General Priorities for Forest Protection ........................................... 70 6.0 Review of Existing Proposals for Protection ............................................ 71 6.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 71 6.2 Forest Heritage Fund and Land Acquisition Fund Applications .... 72 6.3 Protected Natural Areas Programme Recommendations ................ 75 6.4 West Waitomo Conservation Park Proposal ................................... 80 6.5 District Plan Provisions .................................................................... 81 7.0 References Cited ........................................................................................... 83 Appendices 1 Scientific Names of Species Cited in Text .................................................... 84 2 Nationally and Regionally Important Areas .................................................. 85 3 Abbreviations used in Text ............................................................................ 87 Figures 1 Conservancy and Ecological District Boundaries ........................................... 8 2 Colville ED Ecosystems ................................................................................. 11 3 Mercury Islands ED Ecosystems ................................................................... 12 4 Thames ED Ecosystems ................................................................................. 14 5 Tairua ED Ecosystems ................................................................................... 16 6 Waihi ED Ecosystems .................................................................................... 18 7 Meremere ED Ecosystems ............................................................................. 20 8 Hapuakohe ED Ecosystems ........................................................................... 22 9 Hauraki ED Ecosystems ................................................................................. 24 10 Hamilton ED Ecosystems .............................................................................. 26 11 Maungatautari ED Ecosystems ...................................................................... 29 12 Raglan ED Ecosystems .................................................................................. 32 13 Kawhia ED Ecosystems ................................................................................. 34 14 Herangi ED Ecosystems ................................................................................. 36 15 North Taranaki ED Ecosystems ..................................................................... 38 16 Waitomo ED Ecosystems .............................................................................. 40 17 Taumarunui ED Ecosystems .......................................................................... 42 18 Ranginui ED Ecosystems ............................................................................... 44 19 Pureora ED Ecosystems ................................................................................. 45 20 Taupo ED Ecosystems ................................................................................... 48 21 Dense Podocarp Ecosystem Protected by Ecological Region ...................... 63 22 Wetland Ecosystem Protected by Ecological Region ................................... 64 23 Montane Ecosystem Protected by Ecological Region .................................. 65 24 Rimu-tawa Ecosystem Protected by Ecological Region ............................... 66 25 Kauri Ecosystem Protected by Ecological Region ....................................... 67 26 Coastal Forest Ecosystem Protected by Ecological Region ......................... 68 27 FHF Applications by Ecosystem Type .......................................................... 73 28 FHF Applications by Ecological Region ....................................................... 74 29 Colville ED RAPs .......................................................................................... 76 30 Thames ED RAPs .......................................................................................... 77 31 Tairua ED RAPs ............................................................................................. 77 32 Waihi ED RAPs ............................................................................................. 78 33 North Taranaki ED RAPs .............................................................................. 79 34 District Council Boundaries ..........................................................................