Old Wharf Road Land

The land between the estuary of the Le Bons Bay stream and Dalglishs Road has considerable ecological value, and high conservation potential.

The land is adjacent to significant coastal saltmarsh turf, sedgeland, rushland and shrubland along the narrow coastal estuary. The land is steep, Nor-West facing hill slope, rising from sea level to 270 metres alongside Dalglish Road. It is a mosaic of bush and tree patches with grassland and shrubland, the grasses mainly exotic but with native species also.

Facing North-West at low altitude, the vegetation is subject to periodic summer drought stress. Extremes of drought and rainfall are likely to increase under predicted climate change but at least for the near-future this is not expected to significantly impede continuing regeneration of coastal forest over the whole block. The step ,uneven slopes provide ample micro-site for natural tree and shrub regeneration.

Ecological Assessment

Hugh Wilson is one of New Zealand’s leading botanists. He is the manager of the internationally regarded Hinewai Reserve, on Banks Peninsula. In the 1980’s Hugh conducted extensive field work on Banks Peninsula for his book, Banks ecological region : Port Hills, Herbert and Akaroa ecological districts (c1992). This included surveying the Old Wharf Road block in March 1984. Hugh has written in support of the Le Bons Bay Conservation Trusts proposal to purchase the property and maintain it as a conservation block.

By Hugh Wilson

Independent Valuation