Banks Peninsula

From WildWiki

Hinewai Reserve

This 1050 hectare native bush reserve is in the southeastern corner of the Banks Peninsula. It is managed privately by the Maurice White Native Forest Trust. There are 12 kilometers of trails to explore. Of particular interest is the progress in native bush regeneration using one of New Zealand's most despised invasive species: gorse. Shade-tolerant native trees can grow under gorse, and if left undisturbed gorse will die off and be shaded out by the native trees. This method of regenerating native bush was initially ridiculed but you can see the results.

Hugh Wilson is the well-known reserve manager. He published a book called Hinewai: the Journal of a New Zealand Naturalist (a collection of Hinewai newsletters). Hugh is incredibly knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of New Zealand. Unfortunately, Hinewai does not have the facilities to accommodate all of the program participants so it would have to be a day trip. When asked about the possibility of students doing trail maintenance or another service project, Hugh said that they really don't need volunteers like that and that a very small, experienced team does all of the maintenance. He said Hinewai is visited regularly by an off campus program of UGA. The UGA program coordinator may have useful insights for Hinewai visits and could explain what they do and have done in the past.

Hugh does not have email. He can by contacted by writing to: Hugh Wilson Reserve Mangager Long Bay Road, R.D. 3 Akaroa New Zealand

Or by phone at 001-64-3-304-8501 (evenings are the easiest time to catch him). He would be happy to talk about what he could offer to the program, but he said they do get a lot of these requests so his time is not limitless.

--Carrie 00:07, 8 April 2007 (EDT)