Guided walks through pristine forest in Wainuiomata Water Catchment
A new season of free guided walks through the Wainuiomata Water Catchment, featuring pristine native forest and clear rivers, gets underway on Sunday 15 October.
Greater Wellington Regional Council rangers will lead the season of twelve walks, which continues until 15 July 2007. These rangers provide a wealth of information, including the history of the area, flora and fauna, pest animal and plant control techniques, and the region’s water supply.
Closed to the public to protect the water quality, the Wainuiomata Water Catchment is one of nine regional parks and forests managed by Greater Wellington. One of the most significant lowland podocarp forests in the lower North Island, the area is rich in bird, fish and insect species. There is also a new “mainland island”, a defined area undergoing intensive pest animal control.
The walks start at 9am and last for about five hours over easy terrain. Feedback from people who have done the walks in previous years includes praise for the rangers and Greater Wellington’s conservation work.
“The rangers talked with great passion about their work and went out of their way to share their expertise and welcome us to the area,” said Peter Leerschool, a Carterton visitor. “The area is a very special place and we’re grateful to Greater Wellington for opening up these areas to the public in this way. It’s also encouraging to see it putting resources into conservation work.”
Ranger Scott Farrell, who has led many of the guided walks, says he enjoys meeting a wide variety of people, young and old, who are all enthusiastic about the environment.
“People appreciate the peace and quiet of the forest,” he said. “They feel privileged to be able to walk through this protected area.
“They also enjoy hearing about the historical connection between the catchment and Wellington city. It’s been supplying the city with water since the 1880s and as the population grew, the demand for water and the supply from the catchment also grew.”
Application forms, which include a list of the dates that the walks are offered, can be downloaded from Greater Wellington’s website.