After the war, large areas of forest were felled for wood and then burned off to create farms for returning soldiers and their families. However in some cases only the biggest trees were taken and the remnant bush left. In this way approximately 4000 hectares of native forest around Manawahe were retained. About half of this is found on private land in the corridor. The bush type in the corridor is predominantly Rimu- Rata/ Tawa-Kamahi with Rewarewa thriving in situations where the other dominant canopy trees are struggling. The understory of the well protected areas resembles fairytale books with nikau, ferns, [...]
Read MoreThe area protected in the lower reaches of the Corridor represent just 1% of the ecosystem type that was found on the Rangitaiki plains before they were drained for farming. This makes its connectivity to the consecutive ecosystems in the corridor all the more important by allowing the movement of certain desirable species. For example native birds use these corridors to access food supplies that vary with the season. Many native birds in the corridor (e.g. kokako) are not well adapted to crossing large areas of open farmland. The short distances between the blocks of forest cover within the Manawahe [...]
Read MoreThe Manawahe is clearly identifiable not just by arbitrary lines on a map but by conspicuous geographical features; rugged hills that rise suddenly from the Rangitaiki plains and bound by the Pacific Ocean and Rotoma. Perhaps this factor lends itself to the Manawahe identity that has , despite its small size, created such a social and supportive community. So what draws people to the Manawahe? For some it is the rugged hills and the stunning views (for the resident Dutchies it’s the hills full stop) for others the rural life style and recreational opportunities close at hand. For myself (Fran) [...]
Read MorePests In the Manawahe we target a variety of pests and can support you in your efforts to manage certain pests on your land. For an overview of the different pest species and the damage they can do we recommend you go to https://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/threats-and-impacts/animal-pests/animal-pests-a-z/. For control of mustelids (stoats, weasels and ferrets) we use the Doc 250 traps. These are one of the most humane traps for mustelids and they will also catch rats, mice, hedgehogs and cats if you adjust the size of the opening. If you are a local you can join in our loan trap scheme. If you are [...]
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