Wharemauku Stream at Kaitawa Reserve

The land is owned by the Kapiti Coast District Council who has worked with this group for many years on the reserve. Greater Wellington has been providing some ongoing funding for this group since 2001.

• Keep the natural character of the area for its scenic recreational and conservation values.
• Remove inappropriate exotic weeds.
• Obtain plant material from indigenous sources in the ecological region and to carry out new plantings, mulching and release work to establish these.

About 10 people from Kapiti-Mana Forest and Bird have been involved since this group has been restoring the once prolific native bush adjacent to the Wharemauku Stream in the Kaitawa Reserve. The Kapiti-Mana Forest and Bird group initiated the project in 1996. They have worked with a church group, local primary school and various work experience groups removed gorse, blackberry, crack willows and other exotic weeds and plant more than 10,000 plants. These plants were propagated and grown from locally sourced seed in the local Forest and Bird native plant nursery. 

Thanks to the work of Kapiti-Mana Forest and Bird, the Kaitawa Reserve is now a beautiful and popular community asset. Habitat and food sources have been recreated for native birds and insects, stream water quality is improving thanks to a focussed effort on revegitating the stream margins to provide shade, and native stream fauna is now prevalent. 

Tree fuchsia was almost totally eradicated through possum browse. Some 500 cuttings of the species have been planted in an endeavour to re-establish this very important food source for the birds. Regular pest control is also being carried out, and accordingly bird numbers are increasing.

If you would like to be involved with the project, there are regular working groups on Thursday mornings. For more information please contact John McLachlan on 04 904 0027.