Oral Submission Presentation by Blake Foster - New Zealand ...

• All wildings should also be removed from block 29, although planting it
with a less spread-prone species is an option.
• All wildings be removed from the steep slopes of the Rhoboro Range
in the most north-western part of the station (block 30).
• All wildings be removed in a 20m strip along the northern boundary
with Ferintosh station and in a similar strip alongside SH80.
• If finances allow (last priority) all wildings be removed from the steeper
eastern scarp slopes (northern portion) of the Little Rhoboro Hills
(block 20 and steeper part of 14).
• Improved pasture and associated grazing (and/or arable cropping) be
maintained where it is currently stopping wilding establishment -
blocks 31 and 32 (both sides of SH80) and further to the west in parts
of block 25). The north-eastern margin of block 31 would run out from
the northern margin of DOC’s Dusky Reserve in order to maintain a
treeless pasture margin.
• Replacement plantings of less spread-prone species, such as radiata
pine, its hybrid with Knobcone pine (P.radiata x P. attenuata) or
ponderosa pine, be carried out along the eastern margins of the
cleared areas in the upper Twizel river valley, either as 4-row marginal
plantings along the western edges of blocks 9, 12, 13 and 19 (if
retained in contorta pine), or as whole block replacement.
• Replacement plantings of less spread-prone species, such as radiata
pine, its hybrid with Knobcone pine (P.radiata x P. attenuata) or
ponderosa pine (minimum of 4 rows), could also be carried out along
the western margins of the lakeshore contorta pine forests in the
south-eastern part of block 32. This will not be necessary where
ponderosa or Corsican pine make up the current margin, or where
adjacent pasture cover and grazing pressure is sufficient to stop
significant establishment of wildings.
• Replacement plantings or fertilising be carried out in the 20m marginal
strips along the Ferintosh boundary (top of blocks 16 and 24) and
alongside SH80.
• Marginal strips (4 rows wide) be planted along the fenced north and
western margins of the tree-less pasture-dominated block 31.
• Blocks 9-24 (the pink and pink-striped areas on the map), including
the corridor north of the Dusky Reserve between blocks 21 / 16 and
17 / 22 – 23, will become the containment area and could be managed
for carbon storage. Initially, the dominant species would be contorta
pine, but over time the aim should be to replace these with less
spread-prone species.
• Wilding removal sweeps be carried out before coning age (no more
than 4 years apart) on all cleared or otherwise tree-less areas.
• Long-term planning be initiated to ensure that the above to be
implemented.
Acknowledgement
The author is most grateful to the residents of Pukaki Downs, especially Blake Foster, for
their support during the field-work and the writing of this report.
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