100,000th Tree Planted On Mangere
Last weekend the 100,000th tree since 1991 was planted on the remote Mangere Island in the Chatham Island archipelago. Black robin were moved there from nearby Little Mangere Island by the former Wildlife Service in the 1970s, in a last ditch attempt to save the species from extinction. Population numbers had plummeted to just five birds as a result of habitat loss on Little Mangere and predation by cats on other islands.Work to restore the island has been on-going for more than 30 years. In recent times it has been the focus for intensive restoration and revegetation to recover forest and provide habitat for the robins.
Chatham Island akeake trees (Olearia traversiorum) have been raised from seed and cuttings collected from nearby islands and then transferred to Mangere. The work has been coordinated by the Department of Conservation but much of the planting has been done by the local community especially Liz and Bruce Tuanui. Bruce was among the six people present for the planting of the 100,000th tree last weekend.
Posted: 19/05/2009