Mainland Island Restoration Operation (MIRO)

Falcons nesting in East Harbour Regional Park again

North Island Robin / Toutouwai, Petroica australis longipes
 Photo: Richmond Atkinson

Native bush falcons have been resident in EHRP for some years and usually at least one nest has been observed during the breeding season.  However this year two nests have been sighted, one in York Bay and one near Butterfly Creek . Both have a couple of chicks which are well on the way to fledging.  It is most likely that extensive predator control undertaken by MIRO volunteers and Greater Wellington Regional Council is contributing to the breeding success of the falcons in the Park.


Giant Rata Walk



On Sunday 10 January, 28 people joined MIRO for the annual Giant Rata Journey as part of the Greater Wellington Summer Programme.  The walk starts in Days Bay and climbs 343m up the Kereru Track through the beech forest to the prolific stands of Northern rata trees.  Participants enjoyed extensive views of the rata in flower along the ridge tops and the opportunity to experience the forest off-track, with a meander down middle ridge through the centre of the Mainland Island.



 
 
MIRO is a volunteer group who work in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) in East Harbour Regional Park (EHRP).
 

East Harbour Regional Park: Magnificent Forest and Stunning Wetlands

East Harbour Regional Park is on the eastern shore of Wellington Harbour, sited between the urban areas of Eastbourne and Wainuiomata. It includes:
 
The northern forest block - 2000 hectares of lowland beech and broadleaf forest.  Black and hard beech dominate the high ridges and spurs while the damp valley floors and gullies contain lush lowland forest including rimu, kahikatea, pukatea and nikau palms.  Ancient rata forest is concentrated near Mt Hawtrey behind Days Bay, and stretches north along the western ridge.
 
 
Parangarahu Lakes Area (formerly known as the lakes block) - surrounding the nationally significant freshwater lakes Kohangatera and Kohangapiripiri which is predominantly covered in regenerating scrub.



 
EHRP is a haven for birdlife in the Wellington Region with over 50 species found there.  These include regionally rare species such as tomtit, rifleman, whitehead, kakariki, falcon, banded dotterel and grey duck.  The Park is also home to a wide range of other native fauna of regional importance such as the green gecko, giant kokupu, the land snail wainuia urnula and peripatus.
 

MIRO: Protecting and Restoring EHRP

MIRO is a group of volunteers who are committed to restoring the forest and lakes ecosystem of the Park.  Central to this is the elimination of animal pests - possums, rats and stoats.  Control of these predators will allow vulnerable flora and fauna to flourish again and allow the reintroduction of species lost to the Park.
 
MIRO in partnership with GWRC carries out regular predator control to allow the restoration of the forest flora and fauna, and after a decade of work MIRO is beginning to see tangible rewards from this programme.
 
More recently, propagation and planting of trees in the lakes block is speeding up the natural regeneration of the forest that will ultimately surround the lakes once again and ensure the ongoing health of the lakes freshwater ecosystems.


MIRO acknowledges and thanks the following for their support:
Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), Department of Conservation (DoC),
Pub Charity, the Lion Foundation, Hutt Mana Energy Trust,
Ron Greenwood Environmental Trust, Lower Hutt Forest & Bird,
Spiral Web Design Ltd,
and, of course, all the volunteers who give their time.





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