Southland Ecological Restoration Network

A Network of Southland Community Conservation Projects

Bushy Point, Rances, Otatara

Location:: Grant Road, Otatara
Region:: Invercargill
District:: ICC

Commenced:: 1991
Access:: Open by arrangement
Area (ha):: 5

Contact:: Brian and Chris Rance
Phone:: 032131161

Email:: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Website:: Visit website

Description

Kahikatea remnant restoration and pond creation, threatened species plantings, track. QEII Covenant.

Current involvement

Landowners Chris and Brian Rance, QEII National Trust, YMCA Cons Corp, NZTCV, Schools

Rances restoration area and kahikatea forest behind.

Before. Pond excavation 1996.

After. In eight years wetland plants are well established.

Wetland Open Day held in 2004 just after the second pond was excavated.

Both the podocarp forest remnant and the restoration area are protected by QEII Open Space Covenant.

Brian pointing out restoration plantings progress to QEII rep Gay Munro.

Photopoint 2011

Photopoint 2015

Photopoint 2018

Photoppoint 2021

2022 October. Brian and Chris regularly maintain their pest trapping lines.

2022 October. A well protected nest box.

2022 October. Brian setting the new style mouse trap with peanut butter. He sets both a mouse trap and a rat trap, after finding mice were setting of the rat traps on a regular basis, so hoping to eliminate that problem faster and more economically.

2022 October. Local Otatara builder, Wayne Robertson, has gone in to the business of building good sturdy rat bait station boxes.

2022 October. The Rances began with a boggy, grass paddock and over 2 decades have renatured it. These are some of the last areas to be planted out.

2022 October. This possum chew tab is an indicator of whether possums are in the area. These were put up by Southland Girls High School pupils as one of the many activities that they undertake at the Southland Community Nursery's Education Centre.

2022 October. Would a tui have nested in a grass paddock? These manuka that were planted in the early days of the restoration project are now home to a family of tui (nest is black circle in middle of photo.)

2023 April SERN Autumn field trip. The Rances have planted low growing red tussocks in front of a small hut in their reforested area.

2023 April SERN Autumn field trip. Discussion on threatened species plantings.

2023 April SERN field trip. The use of plastic protectors help these twiggy coprosma get off to a good start, with no rabbit or hare damage. Removed at this stage, they are able to be used again.

2023 April

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