Restoration trust buys bush block

A block of native bush in Taranaki that is home to critically endangered long-tailed bats has been bought by the Native Forest Restoration Trust.

The 361 hectare Patui Forest east of Stratford is also home to kiwi, dabchicks, New Zealand falcons, North Island robins, tui, fantails and moreporks.

The trust (NFRT) raised $1.7 million to buy the land, which has about 260ha of mature native forest, trust manager Sandy Crichton said.

The trust is a community-based organisation of several thousand supporters and volunteers that buys land and restores native forest and wetland areas around the country. It currently has 7500ha of land in 30 nature reserves across Aotearoa.

In Taranaki, the trust owns and manages around 1200ha, including Taranaki Mahood-lowe Reserve, Omoana Bush and Patui.

NFRT is a proud member of Wild for Taranaki and collaborates locally with other conservation groups such as Taranaki Kiwi Trust, QEII National Trust and Save the Kiwi, she said.

‘‘Purchasing this reserve is just the start – we will also need to actively manage the area to restore the forest, control pests and enhance the habitat to ensure that the native plants and wildlife can flourish,’’ she said. ‘‘At Patui, we’ll be protecting and restoring the indigenous biodiversity values through control of introduced pests, predators and restoration planting.

‘‘We’ve already started collaborating with Taranaki Regional Council and have just put in place a biodiversity plan with them which covers pest control for the next fiveyears and includes collaboration with local community groups such as Taranaki Kiwi Trust.

‘‘We’ve also started restoration planting at Patui with 12ha recently planted, again with support from the regional council.

‘‘Patui isn’t open to the public yet, but it will be once we’ve provided signposted tracks and made a start on interpretive signage. Once we’ve thought through these aspects, we’ll put a QEII covenant on the property to protect it forever.’’

Crichton said the purchase had required one of the trust’s largest ever fundraising campaigns. Bequests from families contributed $200,000 towards the total, along with about $370,000 from Air New Zealand’s Flyneutral programme.

‘‘We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received so far but yes, buying the land is just the beginning of a long journey at Patui,’’ she said.

‘‘For our forests to regenerate and be restored to their natural state; for them to survive for generations to come, they need a helping hand.’’