Missing Megaherb Back on Mainland

1st May 2021 was an historic occasion. Bluff Hill Motupōhue Trust volunteers, under Chair Estelle Leask, and Southland Community Nursery volunteers translocated 45 Punui (Stilbocarpa lyallii) plants back onto the NZ mainland! Pūnui/bunawe is a taonga species to local iwi and has many traditional uses. It grows on southern offshore muttonbird islands associated with seabird colonies, but gets eaten by introduced animals and so declined early on the mainland of NZ. With extensive predator control being undertaken over many years Bluff Hill Motupōhue is a perfect place for its reintroduction. Check out the ODT article from the day at https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/megaherb-punui-replanted

Bluff Hill Motupōhue Trust Chair Estelle Leask, and Southland Community Nursery's Chris Rance loading the Punui that had been propagated at the nursery for the Bluff Hill restoration project.

The punui, a megaherb, was lost from the mainland with the introduction of grazing animals.

Volunteers from the Bluff Hill Motopohue Trust and the Southland Community Nursery following the planting of the 45 megaherb Punui, returning another species to this special restoration area.

Posted on: Sunday, 30 May 2021

Southland Ecological Restoration Network

A Network of Southland Community Conservation Projects

News article

Missing Megaherb Back on Mainland

Omaui Reserve Restoration Project

Owen Conservation Project