Whitebait to White Paint: Maher Swamp on the Barrytown lowland ...
Whitebait to White Paint: Maher Swamp on the Barrytown lowland ...
Whitebait to White Paint: Maher Swamp on the Barrytown lowland ...
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Cotula cor<strong>on</strong>opifoliaCrassula tetrameraCyathodes fraseriDich<strong>on</strong>dra repensDisphyma australeM<strong>on</strong>ocotsAstelia banksiiBaumea junceaCarex flagelliferaC. virgataCarex sp. ? C. geminataCordyline australisCyperus ustulatusJuncus australisGeranium retrorsumG. solanderiSamolus repensSarcocornia quinquefloraJ. maritimus var. novae zelandiaeLep<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>carpus similis fiScirpus cernuusS. nodosusS. sp. ? S. fluviatilisTriglochin striatumTypha orientalis<str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>White</str<strong>on</strong>g>bait</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>White</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Paint</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn <strong>lowland</strong>(North Westland) its his<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry and prospectR.O. GardnerSouth of Punakaiki at about latitude 42 10 S <strong>the</strong> rugged coastlineis relieved by a 17 km l<strong>on</strong>g stretch of <strong>lowland</strong> <strong>the</strong> Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn flats.Gold mining began early here and <strong>the</strong> drier pieces of <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>pography havel<strong>on</strong>g been cleared for pasture but at least <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a nor<strong>the</strong>rners eye <strong>the</strong>flats still have substantial pieces of tall forest good stands ofkahikatea flourishing groves of nikau and extensive wetlands. Onesenses that <strong>the</strong> area is a haven not <strong>on</strong>ly for plants and wildlife butfor <strong>the</strong> humans <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>o in <strong>the</strong> couple of dozen farms and cottages and in <strong>the</strong>small settlement of Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn which c<strong>on</strong>sists principally of <strong>the</strong> "AllNati<strong>on</strong>s" tavern. This balance may change in <strong>the</strong> near future with <strong>the</strong>preliminary phases of a very large scale mining venture nearlycompleted and it is <strong>the</strong> purpose of this article <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> describe somethingof <strong>the</strong> his<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry of <strong>the</strong> landscape and its salient botanical features.The area is composed of post glacial coastal and river deposits thathave built up between <strong>the</strong> greywacke headland of 17 Mile Bluff in <strong>the</strong>south and <strong>the</strong> limes<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ne and sands<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ne cliffs of Razorback Point in <strong>the</strong>north. Its largest river Canoe Creek passes more or less across at<strong>the</strong> middle of this area where <strong>the</strong>re is a major fault trendingdiag<strong>on</strong>ally inland. The part of <strong>the</strong> flats south of Canoe Creek is beingraised relative <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn half so in <strong>the</strong> south <strong>the</strong> post glacialcliff is poorly defined and steep hills of granite and greywacke riseabove a narrow terrace of Pleis<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>cene alluvium while north of CanoeCreek a broader flight of Pleis<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>cene terraces is evident and <strong>the</strong> higherground inland is of older limes<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ne and sands<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ne. C<strong>on</strong>sequentlycoastal deposits in <strong>the</strong> north have an abundance of sand while those of<strong>the</strong> south are largely of coarse greywacke and granite materials. Thenor<strong>the</strong>rly l<strong>on</strong>g shore drift al<strong>on</strong>g this coast accentuates this bipartitedivisi<strong>on</strong> and so <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>pography is <strong>on</strong>e of low sandy ridges withwide intervening swampy areas while <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn half is higher havingcoarse alluvial fans that spill out of <strong>the</strong> range fr<strong>on</strong>t at a maximumaltitude of c. 60 m at Canoe Creek and at Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn settlement <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>Granite Creek fan.There are c<strong>on</strong>siderable amounts of gold in sandy leads within <strong>the</strong>40
Pleis<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>cene terraces and in <strong>the</strong> younger ground and raining has g<strong>on</strong>e <strong>on</strong>here more or less c<strong>on</strong>tinually since <strong>the</strong> 1860s with large scale sluicingand dredging taking place al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn fr<strong>on</strong>tage up <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1948. Thesands are also very rich in <strong>the</strong> mineral ilmenite source of titaniumdioxide (a principal use of which is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> make white paint) and since <strong>the</strong>1970s <strong>the</strong>re has been detailed geological and metallurgical investigati<strong>on</strong>of this resource. Interest has been c<strong>on</strong>centrated north of Canoe Creekbecause <strong>the</strong> overburden of gravel southwards makes <strong>the</strong> deposit unec<strong>on</strong>omic<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> work <strong>the</strong>re. At present much of <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn area is owned byWestland Ilmenite Ltd a subsidiary of North Broken Hill Peko Ltd; pilotplants for <strong>the</strong> separati<strong>on</strong> stages of mineral winning have beenc<strong>on</strong>structed and a Mining Licence is being proceeded <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wards.The flats are popularly supposed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> have <strong>the</strong>ir own warmer microclimateand this is borne out by <strong>the</strong> abundance of nikau effectively at <strong>the</strong>irsou<strong>the</strong>rn limit <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Coast (though straggling fur<strong>the</strong>r <strong>on</strong> this coast <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>some way south of Greymouth). Totara and nor<strong>the</strong>rn rata also are quitecomm<strong>on</strong> in sand dune forest and Cya<strong>the</strong>a dealbata perhaps finds itssouthwestern limit here. These and o<strong>the</strong>r c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> values have meantthat a good deal of recent study has g<strong>on</strong>e in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> biological surveys ofthis and similar nearby areas. In what follows I shall at first give asketch of <strong>the</strong> botany of <strong>the</strong> flats and <strong>the</strong>n focus <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> wherecurrently <strong>the</strong> mining versus c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> debate is str<strong>on</strong>gest.In 1846 Charles Heaphy passed south al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> sea fr<strong>on</strong>tage which wasknown <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> Maori as Pakiroa or because of <strong>the</strong> occasi<strong>on</strong>al pieces ofjade Poenamo Beach. He described it as an uninhabited strip of levelland apparently swampy covered with rata bush and flax (Taylor 1959).This original vegetati<strong>on</strong> would have been disturbed by <strong>the</strong> earliest goldworkings which began <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> terrace deposits behind <strong>the</strong> post glacialcliff and subsequently as shown <strong>on</strong> Henders<strong>on</strong>s map of <strong>the</strong> area in1912 14 (see opposite) also <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ok place <strong>on</strong> areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wards <strong>the</strong> sea. Theseactivities would have required fair amounts of timber and apparentlythis was supplied mostly from forest inland Henders<strong>on</strong> commenting that"It might be supposed that no trouble would be experienced in obtainingsuitable timber but <strong>the</strong> trees growing <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> coastal plain and rangeare small and twisted and do not furnish planking suitable for fluming".The higher ground between Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn and Canoe Creek was probably so<strong>on</strong>c<strong>on</strong>verted in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> pasture (note <strong>the</strong> trimmed back bush margins <strong>on</strong>Henders<strong>on</strong>s map) and <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>day <strong>the</strong>re are <strong>on</strong>ly a few tall relict ratamatai rimu and nikau here <strong>the</strong>ir number being c<strong>on</strong>tinually reduced bywindthrow <strong>on</strong> this s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ny exposed situati<strong>on</strong>. Over much of <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong>flats a good deal more work was needed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> bring <strong>the</strong> land in; streams notstr<strong>on</strong>g enough <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> cross <strong>the</strong> sequence of beach ridges had <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> bestraightened and swampy areas needed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be ringed with deep drains. Upuntil quite recently <strong>on</strong>e dairy property made its silage from Juncusspecies and Lotus pedunculatus!Local resources that in recent times have helped sustain this effortinclude of course <strong>the</strong> possum a limited number of accessible podocarps<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> hills and <strong>the</strong> gold deposits that c<strong>on</strong>tinually form al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong>beach <strong>the</strong>se being worked by "blacksanding" (small scale sluicing). And<strong>the</strong> last 10 or so years have seen diversificati<strong>on</strong> in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> deer farmsblocks of Pinus radiata and also two unusual developments nei<strong>the</strong>r ofwhich are likely <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>flict with mining interests. South of Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wards <strong>the</strong> coast where <strong>the</strong>re are springs whose water is excepti<strong>on</strong>allypure having come through <strong>the</strong> Fagan Creek fan <strong>the</strong>re is intensive (andat present <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>p secret) producti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> very valuable wasabi orJapanese horseradish (Wasabia jap<strong>on</strong>ica Cruciferae). The waterrequirement means that o<strong>the</strong>r wasabi sites if <strong>the</strong>y occur at all will befound <strong>on</strong>ly south of Canoe Creek. And <strong>on</strong>e Coaster now has New Zealands41
Reference <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Geological Colours and Signs —SEDIMENTARYROCKS42
<strong>on</strong>ly privately owned herd of water buffalo which are increasing dailyin number "<strong>on</strong> land <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> o good for <strong>the</strong>m". More about mining and <strong>the</strong>mlater.As noted <strong>the</strong>re is still a fair amount of swamp scrub and forest lef<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>n <strong>the</strong> flats <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>day with two areas outstanding in value. Both are in<strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn half of <strong>the</strong> area.The first Nikau Scenic Reserve is an c. 20 ha rectangular block ofland between <strong>the</strong> post glacial cliff and <strong>the</strong> coast and in so far aserosi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> stream here permits c<strong>on</strong>tains a full sequence ofvegetati<strong>on</strong> types with rata rimu/kamahi <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ro nikau forest <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> innerterrace <strong>the</strong>n <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>tara sand dune forest <strong>the</strong>n a coastal set of youngshingle ridges. The latter nicely dem<strong>on</strong>strate <strong>the</strong> invasive power ofadventive plants with native species (small <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>tara Halls <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>tara andrimu kowhai akeake Olearia avicenniaefolia &c.) <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> landwardridges flax Coprosma propinqua and gorse <strong>on</strong> those closer <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wards <strong>the</strong>sea and al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> high water s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rm berra (in 1985) a narrow bandentirely of lupin.It seems <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be settled that Nikau Scenic Reserve will not be minedbut <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r area of c<strong>on</strong>siderable biological value is % still beingc<strong>on</strong>tended for. This is <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> an c. 100 ha wetland that liesbetween <strong>the</strong> coast and <strong>the</strong> old sand dune ridge c. 1 km inland andbetween <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>pographic highs of <strong>the</strong> Canoe Creek fan in <strong>the</strong> south and<strong>the</strong> less well defined fan of Laws<strong>on</strong>s (Waiwhero ) Creek in <strong>the</strong> north.Much of this area is D.O.C estate.The post glacial geology of <strong>the</strong> Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn <strong>lowland</strong> has beeninvestigated by Suggate (1989) who describes a set of ridges (oldshorelines) inland which have been uplifted slightly and a more widelyspaced set of younger ridges more or less at present day sea level. At<str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> older ground (where <strong>the</strong> highway runs) carries remnantsof dune forest (tall rata rimu/kamahi) while <strong>the</strong> youger shorelines liewithin <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> and have mostly flax Coprosma propinqua and smallcabbage trees with <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>the</strong> driest ridge (Suggates shoreline 6) havingtrees of any size (Podocarpus haIiii <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> 60 cm dbh).The younger shorelines trend out southwest at an angle <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong>present day coastline apparently having c<strong>on</strong>nected <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a now erodedseaward extensi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Canoe Creek fan this perhaps having formedfrom gravels supplied by <strong>the</strong> uplift that created <strong>the</strong> group of oldershorelines. Suggate estimated that <strong>the</strong> younger shorelines might havebeen formed within <strong>the</strong> last thousand years. To judge by <strong>the</strong> appearanceof youthfulness given by <strong>the</strong> rata rimu forest <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> older ridges (and<strong>the</strong> age of <strong>the</strong> Podocarpus hallii <strong>on</strong> shoreline 6?) I would think that afigure of 500 years would be a more likely upper limit.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> is by no means a pristine wetland. Henders<strong>on</strong>s map showshow Laws<strong>on</strong>s Creek used not <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> have sufficient strength <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> cross <strong>the</strong>younger ridges but flowed northwards joining <strong>the</strong>re with several o<strong>the</strong>rstreams. During floods however it probably just flowed where it likedincluding in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Laws<strong>on</strong>s Creek was straightened in about1971 and now flows in a gravel bed directly <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> shoreline bermwhere it turns south for some way before crossing <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> sea. Itprobably still sometimes floods in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> in a limited degree.Similarly <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> Creek at <strong>the</strong> south end of <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> probably hadvarious courses; it was diverted southwards away from <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> sometime in <strong>the</strong> 50s or 60s. In <strong>the</strong> last 30 years or so o<strong>the</strong>r large drainshave been made <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wards <strong>the</strong> inner side of <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> and although <strong>the</strong>sehave tended <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> silt up <strong>the</strong>re probably has been some permanent loweringof <strong>the</strong> overall water level perhaps in <strong>the</strong> order of a metre.pr<strong>on</strong>ounced"Mah"43
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> was originally set aside as a Flax Reserve and flaxcutting was d<strong>on</strong>e here (and at Razorback <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> at <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn end of <strong>the</strong>flats) in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> early 1950s and milled at Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn. Whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> areawas grazed at this earlier time I do not know but it certainly wassubsequently by cattle and <strong>the</strong> occasi<strong>on</strong>al deer and was burnt regularly<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> provide fresh feed. Perhaps grazing did not occur earlier since <strong>on</strong>aerial pho<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>s of 1969 but not <strong>on</strong> those of 1951 <strong>the</strong>re are well markedtracks al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> sandy low but dry ridge that marks <strong>the</strong> seaward limit of<strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> with tracks c<strong>on</strong>necting from here through <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong>lower ridges fur<strong>the</strong>r inland.Despite its youth and his<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry of disturbances <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> is quiteinteresting botanically. Unlike most in <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong> it is comparativelynutrient rich; characteristic pakihi species such as Empodisma minusGleichenia dicarpa and Centrolepis pallida are lacking manuka brackenand Lepidosperma australe are very infrequent and <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>on</strong>ly asingle species of Sphagnum (S. cristatum). The <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> has large areas ofraupo and of flax and lesser amounts of Carex sinclairii with Coprosmatenuicaulis Juncus canadensis and Baumea rubiginosa with sphagnum <strong>on</strong><strong>the</strong> almost dry places. There are no willow and though Juncuscanadensis and Galium palustre are comm<strong>on</strong> it is not obvious that <strong>the</strong>yare taking over native communitites though it would seem that <strong>the</strong>Juncus has become <strong>the</strong> primary invader of disturbed peat here.The floristic diversity of <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> is c<strong>on</strong>centrated at its edges forexample <strong>the</strong>re are virtually no native dicot herbs within <strong>the</strong> swampyareas <strong>the</strong>mselves. In <strong>the</strong> large drain <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> inner side <strong>the</strong>re is someMyriophyllum robustum a nati<strong>on</strong>ally uncomm<strong>on</strong> species but which is nowknown from quite a number of West Coast sites. And Peter de Lange hasdiscovered here Isachne globosa o<strong>the</strong>rwise known in <strong>the</strong> South Island<strong>on</strong>ly from <strong>on</strong>e old collecti<strong>on</strong> and Amphibromus fluitans also anati<strong>on</strong>ally uncomm<strong>on</strong> species this its sec<strong>on</strong>d South Island record.Westland Ilraenite plan <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> begin mining at Razorback <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> and worksouthwards over perhaps 10 years or more before getting <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g>.Their quid pro quo for being allowed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> mine <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rehabilitate as wetland <strong>the</strong> mined over Razorback <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> and <strong>the</strong> adjoiningwet pasture that extends for more than a kilometre south <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> NikauReserve. Peat would be stripped and s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ckpiled; dredging would be d<strong>on</strong>eso as <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> give <strong>the</strong> tailings natural alignments with p<strong>on</strong>d&> and swampyareas created peat added back and flax and nikau replanted. The newwetland might be designed <strong>on</strong>ly for its c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> benefits or it mightbe made as an attracti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>urists as well being an addi<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>n <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> thoseof Punakaiki (and taking some of <strong>the</strong> strain off this latter area).British ecologists are beginning <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> say that <strong>on</strong>e can really claim <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>understand a system <strong>on</strong>ly when <strong>on</strong>e can put it back <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ge<strong>the</strong>r again astance that would seem reas<strong>on</strong>able <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> any mining engineer. A system witha relatively limited number of species with a his<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry of disturbanceand with inputs which though pure (rainwater groundwater floodwater)are not so low in nutrients as <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> rule out duplicati<strong>on</strong> by <strong>the</strong> kind ofwater likely <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be associated with mining would seem <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be <strong>the</strong> rightkind <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> start learning <strong>on</strong>.Gorse is <strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>ly serious weed here at <strong>the</strong> moment (broom is veryuncomm<strong>on</strong>) and even if a very strict eradicati<strong>on</strong> of this" species iscarried out from well before mining starts its seeds will probablyc<strong>on</strong>tinue <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be added <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> rehabilitati<strong>on</strong> site. Perhaps by judiciousflooding it could be eliminated from all but <strong>the</strong> driest places.Blackberry will probably spread; it is locally troublesome al<strong>on</strong>g drainedges and in stands of flax. M<strong>on</strong>tbretia (Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora) isabundant al<strong>on</strong>g ditches of <strong>the</strong> main highway but I have not seen it as awetland weed. No doubt o<strong>the</strong>r species (in additi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> purely wetland44
plants like Lagarosiph<strong>on</strong> and Ranunculus flammula which are alreadypresent) will want <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> make <strong>the</strong>mselves at home <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>o.And what should be d<strong>on</strong>e with <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g>? Less<strong>on</strong>s from <strong>the</strong> RazorbackNikau Reserve will tell us whe<strong>the</strong>r rehabilitati<strong>on</strong> after mining ispracticable; unfortunately <strong>the</strong> mining interests want <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> know beforehandin fact need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> know whe<strong>the</strong>r <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> will be available <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong>m.Given <strong>the</strong> enormous ec<strong>on</strong>omic value of <strong>the</strong> project and <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>that white paint is a fairly useful sort of product my own opini<strong>on</strong> isthat mining of <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> cannot be opposed out of hand and thatrehabilitati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn area should be able <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> provide anequivalence of habitats. A mined over <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> might be exactly <strong>the</strong>place <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> begin serious development of our own water buffalo industry.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThanks are due <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Graham D<strong>on</strong> of Bioresearches Ltd (who may not agreewith some of <strong>the</strong> above statements) <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Peter Johns<strong>on</strong> (of <strong>the</strong> late DSIRLand Resources) for attending <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> much of <strong>the</strong> detail during our 92survey of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Maher</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swamp</str<strong>on</strong>g> and <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> "indigenous souls" of Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wnparticularly Darcy Craze whose enterprise and ingenuity c<strong>on</strong>tradict <strong>the</strong>locally popular noti<strong>on</strong> that Coasters <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>o are an endangered species.REFERENCESHenders<strong>on</strong> J. 1917. "The Geology and Mineral Resources of <strong>the</strong> Reef<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>nSubdivisi<strong>on</strong>". N.Z. Geological Survey Bulletin 18.Suggate R.P. 1989. The postglacial shorelines and tec<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>nicdevelopment of <strong>the</strong> Barry<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wn coastal <strong>lowland</strong> North Westland NewZealand. N.Z. J. Geology & Geophysics !32. : 443 450.Taylor N.M. (ed.) 1959. "Early Travellers in New Zealand". OxfordUniv. Press.Tibouchina (Melas<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>mataceae)<strong>the</strong> glorybruhesR.O. GardnerTibouchina AubletName from a native name in Guiana.New World mostly in sou<strong>the</strong>astern Brazil; c. 300 or more species.Mostly shrubs or small trees leaves 3 7 nerved reddening when old;hypanthium usually with simple hairs (occasi<strong>on</strong>ally scales) never withstellate hairs; in NZ flowering in early winter <strong>the</strong> petals usuallypurple (occasi<strong>on</strong>ally pink or white) <strong>the</strong> stamens twice as many aspetals often dimorphic in alternati<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> an<strong>the</strong>rs often with a 2 lobedspur at <strong>the</strong>ir base adaxially dehiscing by a terminal pore; fruit acapsule fully enclosed by <strong>the</strong> calyx.The most familiar of <strong>the</strong>se plants both in New Zealand and in gardensround <strong>the</strong> world is T. urvilleana a small bushy tree with abundantpurple bowl shaped flowers. As gardeners will know broken off stems ofthis plant take root readily and although fruit is never set in <strong>the</strong>usual cultivated form (Wurdack 1967) it has managed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> become atroublesome invader of higher altitude forest in Hawaii. In Flora IV NZit is treated as having naturalized in <strong>the</strong> Kermadecs and at severallocalities in nor<strong>the</strong>rn NZ.45