Areas referred to in observations and reports for Gahnia Grove

Annexe:

c5m x 5m between Island planting and manuka canopy, from Top Clearing to Apron/Kanuka manuka canopy.
Pre-intervention, the Annexe held mown mixed exotic grasses including but not dominated by kikuyu, with hidden runners of Japanese honeysuckle with leafy stems occasional to abundant on adjacent ground and in canopies

Outer kikuyu margin:

Two Council signs indicate the suspension of mowing and spraying in a strip 1 metre wide on the downhill edge of the mown kikuyu beside Glenfield Road, bordering 2 Harakeke and Mixed-native Island plantings

Inner Kikuyu margin:

Between the Harakeke and Island plantings, and the Kanuka/manuka or Manuka canopies, along the previous kikuyu footpath (to be converted to native vegetation with narrow low-impact path for sitework/viewing)

Island planting:

c20m x 2m-5m, adjacent the kikuyu walkway along Glenfield Rd and down into the Top Clearing of Eskdale Reserve) Pre-intervention held 2 Totara to c4mH, 2 Akeake c3m and c4mH, karamu, manuka, and harakeke, 2 Tree privet to c3.5mH, several ivy to c2m, common Chinese privet and occasiohnal tree privet seedlings, totara and karamu seedlings

Apron:

Several sq/m sloping down from the island planting to the arena and manuka canopy. Pre-intervention was occupied by kikuyu, ginger, Elaeagnus, and field weeds, of which Common vervain was retained.

Arena :

A larger area .sloping down from the kikuyu path to Manuka canopy. Pre-intervention, was solely occupied by kikuyu, honeysuckle and blackberry,

Manuka canopy:

From the Top Clearing of Eskdale Reserve to the kanuka/manuka canopy adjacent the FLame Tree Zone. Manuka to 4-5mH with few other tree or shrub species

Manuka/kanuka canopy: (Previously referred to as "Streamside community")

Downhill of the arena, from the solely-manuka canopy below Annexe and Apron, to the boundary with Cape Honey Flower Bank

This wetter habitat may be due to stormwater runoff somewhere nearby, heard loudly during heavy rain but not observed as a stream or pipe outfall.

Cape Honey Flower Bank: (CHF Bank)

The steep bank between the primary Flame Tree invasion and Gahnia Grove. It appears to be the result of a past landslip, contains a few surviving planted natives (karamu, manuka, a very large harakeke), dense Cape honey Flower to 3mH, diffuse blackberry suckers, and Japanese honeysuckle apparently originating from Gahnia Grove but now rooted throughout CHF bank and reaching the primary Flame Tree stand.

Posted on July 30, 2018 09:10 PM by kaipatiki_naturewatch