The Chatham Heritage and Restoration Trust (CHART) aim to protect and restore the natural and historic heritage of the Chatham Islands.
The Chatham Islands, 800km east of New Zealand's South Island, are an isolated, low lying group of islands with a rich and unique flora, fauna and history. CHART hopes to assist the Chatham Islands community to protect and restore their heritage by undertaking conservation and restoration projects on both private and public lands.
What is at stake?
Most of the unique birds and plants of the Chatham Islands are found on private land, and some of them do not occur within the 6500 ha of Crown-owned reserves. Many Chatham Island landowners have recognised the key role they can play in protecting the islands' heritage. As of late 2008, nearly 3000 ha of privately-owned land had been protected by fencing, often as part of covenant agreements.
But fencing out farm stock is just the start. To ensure healthy plant communities requires control of feral stock, possums, and encroaching weeds, and also planting of species that were previously present. And restoring native Chatham Island birds can only occur if predators (including feral cats and rats) are controlled or excluded.
Many Chatham Island birds and plants have responded well to conservation management, but much more can be done to restore them to sites accessible to all.
Dune Restoration at the Nagti Mutunga and Ngati Haumai Pa Reserve.
Trustee's George Hough, Irleen Whitiri and George Day of the Pa Reserve and the Trustee's of
CHART Lois Croon, Tom Lanauze and co-ordinator of CHART obtained permission to visit the Tioriori Dune Restoration.
The day was fine with a good breeze with 4wd motor bikes and a 4wd toyota we made it safe to Tioriori with no mishaps as can often happen.
We spent several hours at the site with all trustee from both organisations exploring the dune site.
We all were excited and saw that it was very possible to achieve at Waitangi and were happy to model from the Tioriori site.
In September AkeAke seedling that had been sowen were pricked and put into tree trainers with the help form visitors on tour with Kay Robarts. A very special thank you to the visitors who were all Friends of the National Park. Two thousand trees were pricked into tree trainers and taken to George Hough's who looked after them untill planting time.
In April we planted the trees along the top of the second swale spraying was not needed as the ground was sparsley covered with coastal herbs and grasses.
Thank you to all of those who came to support CHART's planting day at the Ngati Mutunga and Ngati Haumia Pa Reserve. We planted 2000 akeake trees which are now growing well. This is a great start to the project which we hope to complete over the next 5 years. Our vision is to remove some of the weeds that are present in the dune area and replace with our native species that once dominated the unique coast line of the Chatham Islands.
We really appreciate all the effort and support by everyone who as been involved with CHART and the dune restoration.
AGM
If you would like a copy of CHART's first AGM or Annual Report please contact Abby on 03 3050310 or
