CANTERBURY LAND PROTECTION STRATEGY A REPORT TO THE NATURE HERITAGE FUND COMMITTEE M.A. HARDING CANTERBURY LAND PROTECTION STRATEGY Published by the Nature Heritage Fund PO Box 10-420 Wellington June 2009 Hard Copy ISBN: 978-0-478-14626-4 PDF ISBN: 978-0-478-14627-1 CD-ROM ISBN: 978-0-478-14630-1 CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................ 1 2.0 Method............................................................................................... 2 3.0 Original Vegetation of Canterbury..................................................... 4 4.0 The Indigenous Vegetation of each Ecological District..................... 8 5.0 Analysis of Representativeness........................................................ 93 6.0 Criteria for Assessing Protection Proposals................................... 103 7.0 Land Protection Strategy................................................................ 108 8.0 Species Cited by Common Name in Text ...................................... 109 9.0 References Cited in Text................................................................ 111 Appendix 1 Plant Communities by Ecological District............................ 118 The Nature Heritage Fund was established (as the Forest Heritage Fund) in June 1990 following the release of Government’s Indigenous Forest Policy. The objective of this policy is to “ maintain or enhance, in perpetuity, the current area of indigenous forest, either by protection, sustainable management or reafforestation of native species ”. The Nature Heritage Fund and a parallel fund Nga Whenua Rahui were established to help achieve this objective. Since its inception the Nature Heritage Fund has secured protection for more than 339,000 hectares of indigenous vegetation and habitat. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The preparation of this strategy was guided by Allan Mckenzie (Manager, Nature Heritage Fund), John Morton (NHF) and members of the Nature Heritage Fund Committee: Di Lucas, Chair Dr Gerry McSweeney Mike Lee Jan Riddell Dr Les Molloy Other people who provided information, advice and assistance during the preparation of this strategy include: Norm Thornley, Deb Zanders and Adrian Patchett (DOC) for providing data and maps; Nick Head, Kennedy Lange, Joy Comrie and Chris Woolmore (DOC) for providing information and comments on existing protected areas and opportunities for further protection; Dave Forrester (DOC); and Mark Davis for review of an earlier draft. INDEX TO ECOLOGICAL DISTRICTS (SECTION 4) Ahuriri ...................................................................................................................83 Akaroa ...................................................................................................................54 Armoury ................................................................................................................57 Arrowsmith............................................................................................................62 Arthur’s Pass .........................................................................................................30 Ashley....................................................................................................................42 Balaclava ...............................................................................................................10 Ben Ohau...............................................................................................................81 Benmore ................................................................................................................85 Browning...............................................................................................................56 Cass .......................................................................................................................35 Cheviot ..................................................................................................................24 Coleridge ...............................................................................................................40 Craigieburn............................................................................................................39 Culverden ..............................................................................................................22 Dillon/Manakau/Waiautoa.....................................................................................14 Dobson...................................................................................................................67 Ellesmere...............................................................................................................50 Fairlie ....................................................................................................................70 Geraldine ...............................................................................................................71 Glenavy .................................................................................................................77 Godley ...................................................................................................................66 Grampians .............................................................................................................82 Hakataramea..........................................................................................................74 Hakatere.................................................................................................................63 Hawkdun ...............................................................................................................89 Herbert...................................................................................................................53 High Plains ............................................................................................................46 Hope ......................................................................................................................17 Hundalee................................................................................................................19 Hunters ..................................................................................................................72 Huxley ...................................................................................................................91 Kirkliston...............................................................................................................86 Leslie .....................................................................................................................20 Lewis .....................................................................................................................16 Low Plains.............................................................................................................48 Makikihi ................................................................................................................76 Mathias..................................................................................................................59 Minchin .................................................................................................................29 Miromiro ...............................................................................................................11 Motunau.................................................................................................................26 Mt Cook.................................................................................................................58 Mt Hutt ..................................................................................................................61 Omarama ...............................................................................................................84 Orari ......................................................................................................................69 Oxford ...................................................................................................................43 Port Hills................................................................................................................51 Poulter ...................................................................................................................33 Pukaki....................................................................................................................79 St Bathans..............................................................................................................90 St Mary..................................................................................................................88 Sumner...................................................................................................................32 Tekapo...................................................................................................................78 Torlesse .................................................................................................................37 Two Thumb ...........................................................................................................65 Waiau ....................................................................................................................23 Waikari ..................................................................................................................27