Committee Details and AGM minutes
The Annual General Meeting of the Upper Clutha Branch 2008
The Annual General Meeting of the Upper Clutha Branch
This was held in Lowburn this year. Janet Leddingham, a member of the Society’s executive attended and spoke on the role the executive, and also the Management, played in the running of the Society New Zealand wide. It was most interesting to hear of what went on in our Central Office in Wellington.
The running of the branch, which covers such a wide area of the hinterland of Otago and, and how its committee could best service its membership and address all the many conservation matters that are ever present in the area came under scrutiny at the meeting. The new committee will be giving much thought to some of the ideas that were expressed, and in the coming year the branch membership will be hearing some more on this topic.
A new committee was elected. Delcie Mckenzie who had been on the committee for 19 years did not seek re-election. She received a vote of thanks for all the work she had done, not only for the branch, but also for the Society and conservation in general.
Angela Brown who also did not seek re-election was also thanked for work as Secretary.
After the meeting most of those attending had a pleasant walk on a beautiful autumn day around the historic Westmoreland water race which runs from Lowburn around the hill towards Cromwell.
2008 Committee
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of NZ Inc
Upper Clutha Branch Committee Members for 2008/09
Chairperson: John Turnbull
Makarora
Private Bag 9010
WANAKA 9343
Tel: 03 443 8253
E.mail: JLTurnbull@xtra.co.nz
Vice Chairperson Mark Ayre
Solar Power Estate
68 Kennels Lane ,RD2
WANAKA 9382
Tel: 03 443 1369
E.mail; mark@uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz
Secretary -
Treasurer Errol Carr
E.mail: ErrolCarr.Lake Hawea@xtra.co.nz
Committee Barbara Chinn
E.mail: b.chinn@xtra.co.nz
Committee Andrew Penniket
E.mail: film@deepandmeaningfull.co.nz
Committee Anne Steven
E.mail: a.steven@xtra.co.nz
Committee Nick Dunckley
E.mail: nd55@vodafone.co.nz
Committee Mike Floate
E.mail: mike.floate@xtra.co.nz
Upper Clutha Branch Committee Members for 2008/09
Chairperson: John Turnbull
Makarora
Private Bag 9010
WANAKA 9343
Tel: 03 443 8253
E.mail: JLTurnbull@xtra.co.nz
Vice Chairperson Mark Ayre
Solar Power Estate
68 Kennels Lane ,RD2
WANAKA 9382
Tel: 03 443 1369
E.mail; mark@uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz
Secretary -
Treasurer Errol Carr
E.mail: ErrolCarr.Lake Hawea@xtra.co.nz
Committee Barbara Chinn
E.mail: b.chinn@xtra.co.nz
Committee Andrew Penniket
E.mail: film@deepandmeaningfull.co.nz
Committee Anne Steven
E.mail: a.steven@xtra.co.nz
Committee Nick Dunckley
E.mail: nd55@vodafone.co.nz
Committee Mike Floate
E.mail: mike.floate@xtra.co.nz
AGM 21 st April 2007
Notice of Annual General meeting
Our Annual General meeting for this year will be held at the Glenorchy Hall, Glenorchy at 10.30am on Saturday 21st April 2007. This meeting will be followed by a field trip.
Note change of date from the printed programme!!!
The AGM will commence at 10.30 am
With morning tea provided.
The election of our branch committee for the coming year will be held at the AGM and all committee positions are open for election.
We are very keen to bring new people on to our committee so please give this some thought. If you would like to put your name forward for nomination, please let our secretary know.
Nomination forms are provided with this newsletter. Nominations for the Committee can also be taken from the floor at the AGM.
The Financial Statements for the Branch for the financial year to 31st March 2007 will be tabled at the AGM by the Treasurer.
Present members of the Committee are:
Chairperson: Mark Ayre
Vice Chairperson: John Turnbull
Immediate past Chairperson:
Barbara Chinn
Secretary: Angela Brown
Treasurer: Errol Carr
Committee: John Douglas
Delcie McKenzie
Andrew Penniket
Peter Ryalls
Please bring your own picnic lunch, stout walking shoes and warm jacket for the field trip.
Work done by the Lindis Group during the 2006-2007 summer
The Lindis Group is now an incorporated society, which means that it can accept funding for the work. The group has been twice recognised during the past year, being granted awards by Weedbusters for the work in the Lindis reserve, and the weed control has continued. It’s very rewarding to drive through the reserve and see the tussock land clear of Briar, but of course this will need to be dealt with regularly. As well as the work, we have enjoyed a couple of field trips in the reserve, learning to appreciate the many native plants under the tutorship of Joy Comrie of DoC, and looking for skinks with Andrew Penniket. The Chionocloa seed we collected during the previous season failed to germinate at the Motukarara DoC nursery, so this summer Joy has agreed advise us on the best time for collection, and we hope for greater success.
Barbara Chinn
February Field trip to the Catlins.
Saturday walked the Fleming River board walk. Afternoon walk to Lake Wilkie in the LINZ reserve, saw milling area. Then the group walked to
Tautuku beach and Catlins river. On the way home on Sunday stopped in at Cannibal Bay and saw 6 sea lions on the beach. Walked over to Surat Bay. Viewed celmisa hookeri on rocks at the end on the beach, out of the reach of grazing sheep. Very enjoyable trip but over cast weather for the weekend.
Millennium Track Planting Project
Three plantings were held over 2006 on the Millennium track, on the shores of Lake Wanaka, using both students from Mount Aspiring College and Forest & Bird members. We have now planted a 1000 plants of varieties from around the Upper Clutha and although some have succumbed to the drought, overall there has been very good survival. An application for funding has been lodged with Central Lakes Trust, principal sponsor of last years plantings, for another 300 plants to fill in gaps and continue the project. Another planting and weed eradication working bee is planned for May 2007.
Big thanks must go to Central Lakes Trust, The Nook Nursery, Wanaka Hire Centre, Hammer & Nail, Ray Millar for excellent digger driving, Dave Pickard of Adventure Outfitters, Chris Riley of EWA, New World and Mark Ayre of Lake Wanaka Yacht Charters for sponsorship or help on the ground.
Andrew Penniket
Attention: Website New Address
www.uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz
As you know we have been developing our website under the domain name of www.youthinconservation.co.nz for the last couple of years. This name was used because of the original project and the funding we received. We have now obtained our very own domain name reflecting our branch: www.uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz
The website can be accessed by both the youth in conservation domain name as well as the new domain name. Jon Clamp from MacStudio, Wanaka is a web designer who has been helping our committee develop the website and advise us on making the website a useful tool for getting our information out to not only our members but the general public at large. He has donated his time and expertise to assist us with the ongoing expansion of the website.
Check out the new web site! Hopefully by the time you read this, on the web site there will be a box where you can send us your email address if you wish to receive your newsletter by email as well as other updates through the year. Do you have photos for Forest & Bird field trips you have been on that would be suitable for publishing on the web? It is hoped that we can source some good photos, always makes website look impressive if there are quality pictures on it. Further comments or suggestions for the web site would be most welcome.
Pigeon Island , Lake Wakatipu - Field trip following the AGM
We are going to organise boats to transport us over to Pigeon Island about 12.30pm. We will take our lunch and enjoy a picnic when we arrive. Neil Simpson, Chairman of the Wakatipu Islands Trust will be joining us as our guest speaker and guide for the afternoon. We will be returning by boat at about 4.00pm.
Please bring warm clothing in case the weather changes during the trip. It may be quite breezy on the boat. Stout walking shoes would also be a very good idea.
This trip will be dependant on weather and lake conditions. Last minute changes may be necessary.
Bookings will be necessary for the boat travel, cost is $20.00 per person.
Please phone Angela 03 443 7020 to reserve your place on the boat by Monday 16th April.
Chairperson’s Annual Report for 2006-2007
This year has been a continuation and a consolidation of projects started in earlier years. Although our branch has taken on no new projects this year, steady work has gone into existing projects.
A “pot luck” tea was held to farewell Peter Ryalls from our committee. He and his wife Iris are moving from Lake Hawea to Waimate. Peter has been a long standing member of our committee and his input will be missed.
John Turnbull attended a regional meeting in Dunedin along with Mark Ayre, John Douglas and Angela Brown in May and John also represented our Branch at the regional meeting in December. The Branch Secretary, Angela Brown, represented the branch at the National AGM in Wellington in June.
Andrew Penniket was asked to make a presentation on marine reserves at the November Council meeting in Silverstream, Lower Hutt. He was also our branch delegate at that meeting.
John Turnbull, our most knowledgeable committee member on Tenure Review, was not available to meet with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment when he was in the Upper Clutha area so John made an appointment to meet with the Commissioner in Wellington early the following month. F&B were calling for a moratorium on tenure review in light of the commissioner’s inquiry and subsequent report. With the committee’s full support John was able to express to the Commissioner our views on the tenure review procedures. We once again thank John for the immense amount of work he has done involving tenure review.
The Branch continues to participate in the stoat-trapping programme in the Haast Pass area, in conjunction with the Department of Conservation. Mohua seem to be holding their own in the area, which is an encouragement to keep up the trapping programme. Thanks are due to the Branch members who regularly donate their time to attend to the traps.
The work of weed control and planting of native plants on the foreshore of Lake Hawea has continued, thanks to the enthusiasm of a group of local people.
At Lake Wanaka the planting on the Millennium Walkway continues. We got a good strike from the spring plantings this season.
Lindis Group is now an incorporated society so it can apply for funding on its own account.
Field trips were enjoyed by those who took part. Two trips combined with the Dunedin branch were very successful. In a bid to attract more people to participate we held an evening meeting in Wanaka with Rod Morris speaking about lizards and geckos.
Jon Clamp's [MacStudio] work on our web site [www.youthinconservationis.co.nz and www.uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz] is always in progress and developing . He has been doing this on a voluntary bases for which the committee is very grateful and his work is very much appreciated. Do take time to check out the sites and we would welcome any feed back .
I thank the members of the Branch Committee for their hard work and support during the last year while have been away and special thank you to John Turnbull who has taken over the reigns in my absence. I have appreciated their willingness to develop plans for projects in our area, to attend meetings as representatives of the Branch, and to organise field trips.
I will no longer be standing for chairperson position due to other commitments.
Mark Ayre
Update on Tenure Review
At present our branch is preparing early reports on two leases in our area. Apart from that the Tenure Review process has slowed down considerably. This is due to many reasons as anyone reading the newspapers, or is listening to the other media, will fully understand. While the subject gets somewhat emotional at times the fact that it is coming more into the open and more facts and figures are becoming available to the public will be beneficial long term. There will be considerable interest in the report to Parliament being prepared on the process by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment; also as to how the report on valuation methods is handled.
When we look back over the 150 years of pastoral farming in New Zealand two very important issues concerning our land and resources stand out that in the beginning were never even thought of; but today are fully recognised and efforts are now being made to rectify these past omissions.
The first is that we as a country have now come to fully appreciate that we have in our country considerable biodiversity that is unique in the world and to New Zealand alone. We owe it to ourselves and to the rest of the world to make every endeavour to protect as much of what is left as we can.
The second is that in the beginning no provision was ever made for such things as national parks and conservation areas; areas where people can recreate in various ways and wander at will enjoying the unfettered freedom and benefits these parks allow.
Tenure review of pastoral leases is the most important remaining opportunity we have to make good these shortcomings of the past and the public can participate in no small way by making submissions at the appropriate time.
Although it is voluntary to them, farmers have to make adjustments if they participate. While causing considerable debate in some circles as to the recompense being paid to some farmers in the process, we must all realise that while some circumstances have changed the methods being used are part of the land laws of this country - while not perfect, laws that have been arrived at by due and proper processes.
JL Turnbull
Naseby-Hawkdun Combined Field Trip Week End 27th - 28th January 2007
This was a trip to familiarise ourselves with the country out of which the Oteake Conservation Park will hopefully come into being; one of the Six Pack of Parks the Government wishes to create. In order to make an early start the next morning Dunedin branch members joined with our Upper Clutha members at the Naseby Holiday Park on Friday night.
Saturday morning was fine when 32 members left Naseby in seven vehicles. However as there was still some cloud on the tops our first stop was made at the bottom of the Hawkdun Range to introduce ourselves and to discuss tenure review and the results it was producing for conservation. It was pointed out that a large part of the western escarpment of the Hawkdun Range, and plateau above which we were going to visit, had already been returned to the Crown for protection as the result of tenure review.
When it became clear that the westerly wind was increasing enough to push back the cloud which was coming in from the east, a start was made up to the crest of the range using an access track that was becoming available out of the review of Braeside. A stop was made when the crest was reached to take in the vastness of the upland tussock landscape with its deep valleys, scree slopes and wetlands; the view was all embracing.
An opportunity was also taken to explore the scree and tussock slopes for what they contained. We then made our way north along the range to reach the northern most point of land that the Department of Conservation is already administering where a final stop was made for lunch and a wander around. On the way back Alan Mark stopped to show us the Ranunculus hastii with its interesting root system which makes it possible to survive on the harsh scree slopes of this mountain system.
An enjoyable BBQ with much conversation was held in the evening to wind up the day.
Sunday morning saw us heading south and up the Mt Buster road to visit the historic gold workings on the watershed between the Kyeburn and Otematata river systems. Here Graeme Loh described the geology that caused the gold to be found in the white quartz gravel in such an unusual place; an extremely interesting site.
We then headed west below Mt Buster itself, and walked up to the top of the southern escarpment of the range to view the Taieri river winding across the Manitoto plains and the Kakanui Range its eastern boundary. Also from this point we were able to have another view north of the whole upland tussock area. While having lunch just below this point we observed, South Island edelweiss, the pen wiper plant and the interesting vegetable sheep all of which are becoming rarities on the tops of the Central Otago mountains.
After travelling a little further north on a long tussock covered spur in the Otematata watershed we called a halt. Regrettably after having seen only a portion of the whole area time was running out, so we turned around and headed back to Naseby just beating the rain by a margin. The weather gods were kind to us and allowed us an enjoyable and instructive week end.
It is a reflection on the wisdom of an earlier Lands Department in recognising the limitations of these uplands in not leasing the land, but only granting short term licences to graze. The recommendation made by LINZ to cease granting licences to graze the 8400 ha Mt Ida Syndicate block and hand over the administration of it to the Department of Conservation is to be applauded. Hopefully if the proposed Oteake Conservation Park becomes a reality, which Forest and Bird believes it should, it will provide the nation with an outstanding conservation park consisting of remote upland tussock country for all of us to wander through and enjoy at will - a park for the people.
John L Turnbull
Upper Clutha branch AGM Adgenda
Annual General Meeting of the Upper Clutha branch of the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of NZ inc. will be held at 10.30am on Saturday 21st April 2007 at the Glenorchy Hall, Glenorchy.
AGENDA
Present
Apologies
Confirmation of Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
Matters arising from minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
Chairperson’s report
Financial report from Treasurer
Election of Officers
Chairperson
Vice chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Immediate past Chairperson ( not elected)
Committee members
National meetings delegate
General Business
Field trip suggestions
Next Annual meeting
Next Committee meeting
Meeting closed
Our Annual General meeting for this year will be held at the Glenorchy Hall, Glenorchy at 10.30am on Saturday 21st April 2007. This meeting will be followed by a field trip.
Note change of date from the printed programme!!!
The AGM will commence at 10.30 am
With morning tea provided.
The election of our branch committee for the coming year will be held at the AGM and all committee positions are open for election.
We are very keen to bring new people on to our committee so please give this some thought. If you would like to put your name forward for nomination, please let our secretary know.
Nomination forms are provided with this newsletter. Nominations for the Committee can also be taken from the floor at the AGM.
The Financial Statements for the Branch for the financial year to 31st March 2007 will be tabled at the AGM by the Treasurer.
Present members of the Committee are:
Chairperson: Mark Ayre
Vice Chairperson: John Turnbull
Immediate past Chairperson:
Barbara Chinn
Secretary: Angela Brown
Treasurer: Errol Carr
Committee: John Douglas
Delcie McKenzie
Andrew Penniket
Peter Ryalls
Please bring your own picnic lunch, stout walking shoes and warm jacket for the field trip.
Work done by the Lindis Group during the 2006-2007 summer
The Lindis Group is now an incorporated society, which means that it can accept funding for the work. The group has been twice recognised during the past year, being granted awards by Weedbusters for the work in the Lindis reserve, and the weed control has continued. It’s very rewarding to drive through the reserve and see the tussock land clear of Briar, but of course this will need to be dealt with regularly. As well as the work, we have enjoyed a couple of field trips in the reserve, learning to appreciate the many native plants under the tutorship of Joy Comrie of DoC, and looking for skinks with Andrew Penniket. The Chionocloa seed we collected during the previous season failed to germinate at the Motukarara DoC nursery, so this summer Joy has agreed advise us on the best time for collection, and we hope for greater success.
Barbara Chinn
February Field trip to the Catlins.
Saturday walked the Fleming River board walk. Afternoon walk to Lake Wilkie in the LINZ reserve, saw milling area. Then the group walked to
Tautuku beach and Catlins river. On the way home on Sunday stopped in at Cannibal Bay and saw 6 sea lions on the beach. Walked over to Surat Bay. Viewed celmisa hookeri on rocks at the end on the beach, out of the reach of grazing sheep. Very enjoyable trip but over cast weather for the weekend.
Millennium Track Planting Project
Three plantings were held over 2006 on the Millennium track, on the shores of Lake Wanaka, using both students from Mount Aspiring College and Forest & Bird members. We have now planted a 1000 plants of varieties from around the Upper Clutha and although some have succumbed to the drought, overall there has been very good survival. An application for funding has been lodged with Central Lakes Trust, principal sponsor of last years plantings, for another 300 plants to fill in gaps and continue the project. Another planting and weed eradication working bee is planned for May 2007.
Big thanks must go to Central Lakes Trust, The Nook Nursery, Wanaka Hire Centre, Hammer & Nail, Ray Millar for excellent digger driving, Dave Pickard of Adventure Outfitters, Chris Riley of EWA, New World and Mark Ayre of Lake Wanaka Yacht Charters for sponsorship or help on the ground.
Andrew Penniket
Attention: Website New Address
www.uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz
As you know we have been developing our website under the domain name of www.youthinconservation.co.nz for the last couple of years. This name was used because of the original project and the funding we received. We have now obtained our very own domain name reflecting our branch: www.uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz
The website can be accessed by both the youth in conservation domain name as well as the new domain name. Jon Clamp from MacStudio, Wanaka is a web designer who has been helping our committee develop the website and advise us on making the website a useful tool for getting our information out to not only our members but the general public at large. He has donated his time and expertise to assist us with the ongoing expansion of the website.
Check out the new web site! Hopefully by the time you read this, on the web site there will be a box where you can send us your email address if you wish to receive your newsletter by email as well as other updates through the year. Do you have photos for Forest & Bird field trips you have been on that would be suitable for publishing on the web? It is hoped that we can source some good photos, always makes website look impressive if there are quality pictures on it. Further comments or suggestions for the web site would be most welcome.
Pigeon Island , Lake Wakatipu - Field trip following the AGM
We are going to organise boats to transport us over to Pigeon Island about 12.30pm. We will take our lunch and enjoy a picnic when we arrive. Neil Simpson, Chairman of the Wakatipu Islands Trust will be joining us as our guest speaker and guide for the afternoon. We will be returning by boat at about 4.00pm.
Please bring warm clothing in case the weather changes during the trip. It may be quite breezy on the boat. Stout walking shoes would also be a very good idea.
This trip will be dependant on weather and lake conditions. Last minute changes may be necessary.
Bookings will be necessary for the boat travel, cost is $20.00 per person.
Please phone Angela 03 443 7020 to reserve your place on the boat by Monday 16th April.
Chairperson’s Annual Report for 2006-2007
This year has been a continuation and a consolidation of projects started in earlier years. Although our branch has taken on no new projects this year, steady work has gone into existing projects.
A “pot luck” tea was held to farewell Peter Ryalls from our committee. He and his wife Iris are moving from Lake Hawea to Waimate. Peter has been a long standing member of our committee and his input will be missed.
John Turnbull attended a regional meeting in Dunedin along with Mark Ayre, John Douglas and Angela Brown in May and John also represented our Branch at the regional meeting in December. The Branch Secretary, Angela Brown, represented the branch at the National AGM in Wellington in June.
Andrew Penniket was asked to make a presentation on marine reserves at the November Council meeting in Silverstream, Lower Hutt. He was also our branch delegate at that meeting.
John Turnbull, our most knowledgeable committee member on Tenure Review, was not available to meet with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment when he was in the Upper Clutha area so John made an appointment to meet with the Commissioner in Wellington early the following month. F&B were calling for a moratorium on tenure review in light of the commissioner’s inquiry and subsequent report. With the committee’s full support John was able to express to the Commissioner our views on the tenure review procedures. We once again thank John for the immense amount of work he has done involving tenure review.
The Branch continues to participate in the stoat-trapping programme in the Haast Pass area, in conjunction with the Department of Conservation. Mohua seem to be holding their own in the area, which is an encouragement to keep up the trapping programme. Thanks are due to the Branch members who regularly donate their time to attend to the traps.
The work of weed control and planting of native plants on the foreshore of Lake Hawea has continued, thanks to the enthusiasm of a group of local people.
At Lake Wanaka the planting on the Millennium Walkway continues. We got a good strike from the spring plantings this season.
Lindis Group is now an incorporated society so it can apply for funding on its own account.
Field trips were enjoyed by those who took part. Two trips combined with the Dunedin branch were very successful. In a bid to attract more people to participate we held an evening meeting in Wanaka with Rod Morris speaking about lizards and geckos.
Jon Clamp's [MacStudio] work on our web site [www.youthinconservationis.co.nz and www.uppercluthaforestandbird.org.nz] is always in progress and developing . He has been doing this on a voluntary bases for which the committee is very grateful and his work is very much appreciated. Do take time to check out the sites and we would welcome any feed back .
I thank the members of the Branch Committee for their hard work and support during the last year while have been away and special thank you to John Turnbull who has taken over the reigns in my absence. I have appreciated their willingness to develop plans for projects in our area, to attend meetings as representatives of the Branch, and to organise field trips.
I will no longer be standing for chairperson position due to other commitments.
Mark Ayre
Update on Tenure Review
At present our branch is preparing early reports on two leases in our area. Apart from that the Tenure Review process has slowed down considerably. This is due to many reasons as anyone reading the newspapers, or is listening to the other media, will fully understand. While the subject gets somewhat emotional at times the fact that it is coming more into the open and more facts and figures are becoming available to the public will be beneficial long term. There will be considerable interest in the report to Parliament being prepared on the process by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment; also as to how the report on valuation methods is handled.
When we look back over the 150 years of pastoral farming in New Zealand two very important issues concerning our land and resources stand out that in the beginning were never even thought of; but today are fully recognised and efforts are now being made to rectify these past omissions.
The first is that we as a country have now come to fully appreciate that we have in our country considerable biodiversity that is unique in the world and to New Zealand alone. We owe it to ourselves and to the rest of the world to make every endeavour to protect as much of what is left as we can.
The second is that in the beginning no provision was ever made for such things as national parks and conservation areas; areas where people can recreate in various ways and wander at will enjoying the unfettered freedom and benefits these parks allow.
Tenure review of pastoral leases is the most important remaining opportunity we have to make good these shortcomings of the past and the public can participate in no small way by making submissions at the appropriate time.
Although it is voluntary to them, farmers have to make adjustments if they participate. While causing considerable debate in some circles as to the recompense being paid to some farmers in the process, we must all realise that while some circumstances have changed the methods being used are part of the land laws of this country - while not perfect, laws that have been arrived at by due and proper processes.
JL Turnbull
Naseby-Hawkdun Combined Field Trip Week End 27th - 28th January 2007
This was a trip to familiarise ourselves with the country out of which the Oteake Conservation Park will hopefully come into being; one of the Six Pack of Parks the Government wishes to create. In order to make an early start the next morning Dunedin branch members joined with our Upper Clutha members at the Naseby Holiday Park on Friday night.
Saturday morning was fine when 32 members left Naseby in seven vehicles. However as there was still some cloud on the tops our first stop was made at the bottom of the Hawkdun Range to introduce ourselves and to discuss tenure review and the results it was producing for conservation. It was pointed out that a large part of the western escarpment of the Hawkdun Range, and plateau above which we were going to visit, had already been returned to the Crown for protection as the result of tenure review.
When it became clear that the westerly wind was increasing enough to push back the cloud which was coming in from the east, a start was made up to the crest of the range using an access track that was becoming available out of the review of Braeside. A stop was made when the crest was reached to take in the vastness of the upland tussock landscape with its deep valleys, scree slopes and wetlands; the view was all embracing.
An opportunity was also taken to explore the scree and tussock slopes for what they contained. We then made our way north along the range to reach the northern most point of land that the Department of Conservation is already administering where a final stop was made for lunch and a wander around. On the way back Alan Mark stopped to show us the Ranunculus hastii with its interesting root system which makes it possible to survive on the harsh scree slopes of this mountain system.
An enjoyable BBQ with much conversation was held in the evening to wind up the day.
Sunday morning saw us heading south and up the Mt Buster road to visit the historic gold workings on the watershed between the Kyeburn and Otematata river systems. Here Graeme Loh described the geology that caused the gold to be found in the white quartz gravel in such an unusual place; an extremely interesting site.
We then headed west below Mt Buster itself, and walked up to the top of the southern escarpment of the range to view the Taieri river winding across the Manitoto plains and the Kakanui Range its eastern boundary. Also from this point we were able to have another view north of the whole upland tussock area. While having lunch just below this point we observed, South Island edelweiss, the pen wiper plant and the interesting vegetable sheep all of which are becoming rarities on the tops of the Central Otago mountains.
After travelling a little further north on a long tussock covered spur in the Otematata watershed we called a halt. Regrettably after having seen only a portion of the whole area time was running out, so we turned around and headed back to Naseby just beating the rain by a margin. The weather gods were kind to us and allowed us an enjoyable and instructive week end.
It is a reflection on the wisdom of an earlier Lands Department in recognising the limitations of these uplands in not leasing the land, but only granting short term licences to graze. The recommendation made by LINZ to cease granting licences to graze the 8400 ha Mt Ida Syndicate block and hand over the administration of it to the Department of Conservation is to be applauded. Hopefully if the proposed Oteake Conservation Park becomes a reality, which Forest and Bird believes it should, it will provide the nation with an outstanding conservation park consisting of remote upland tussock country for all of us to wander through and enjoy at will - a park for the people.
John L Turnbull
Upper Clutha branch AGM Adgenda
Annual General Meeting of the Upper Clutha branch of the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of NZ inc. will be held at 10.30am on Saturday 21st April 2007 at the Glenorchy Hall, Glenorchy.
AGENDA
Present
Apologies
Confirmation of Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
Matters arising from minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
Chairperson’s report
Financial report from Treasurer
Election of Officers
Chairperson
Vice chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Immediate past Chairperson ( not elected)
Committee members
National meetings delegate
General Business
Field trip suggestions
Next Annual meeting
Next Committee meeting
Meeting closed