Council to tackle plunging plants risk

Walkers will soon return to a nature reserve closed after a giant lily nearly crushed two visitors

Wi Parata Reserve in Waikanae, on the Kapiti Coast north of Wellington, will reopen by early next month as work starts on rerouting paths away from falling plants.

Kapiti Coast District Council closed the reserve in February after concerns were raised about astelia hastata – otherwise known as a perching lily, or the widowmaker – which grows in the high branches of trees.

The lily forms giant, heavy clumps, which have reportedly killed people when the clumps fall from the tree tops.

Nursery owner Gus Evans and his brother were nearly crushed by a falling widow-maker when they went for a walk in the reserve late last year.

Previously, he said the ground shook ‘‘like a frigging earthquake’’ when the plant fell near them.

Because of the the size of the falling plant, it ‘‘certainly could have killed us if it hit us’’, he said. Evans passed his concerns on to the council.

In February council parks and recreation manager Alison Law said the reserve was closed because of the risk of plant clumps falling on the track.

An arborist’s assessment showed 17 trees in the reserve with astelia in them, including some that overhung the track.

The council required resource consent to work in the reserve, an area of very old remnant forest, classed as an ecological site.

Astelia were part of a plant family with high ecological value – it was even possible the nests at the reserve contained rare, threatened, or unclassified plant and animal species, the council said.

Now the council has resource consent and will start on work that includes changing track layout, Law said.

She said a ‘‘biodiversity specialist’’ would work with staff on the changes. One astelia clump would be removed, she said, and some seedlings would be transplanted.

‘‘If everything goes to plan, we’ll be on track to reopen the reserve in late June or early July.’’

On Wednesday, Evans would not comment on the changes or the reopening.

PHOTO: JOEL MAXWELL/FAIRFAX NZ Gus Evans in February beside several fallen plants, similar to one that nearly landed on him in Wi Parata Reserve, Waikanae. Above, the perching lily, also known as the widow-maker.