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Bushy Park (New Zealand)

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Coordinates: 39°47′50.4″S 174°55′43″E / 39.797333°S 174.92861°E / -39.797333; 174.92861
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Bushy Park Tarapuruhi
Cabbage tree in Bushy Park
Map
Location791 Rangitatau East Road, Manawatū-Whanganui region, North Island, New Zealand
Nearest cityWhanganui
Coordinates39°47′50.4″S 174°55′43″E / 39.797333°S 174.92861°E / -39.797333; 174.92861
Area100 hectares (250 acres)
Established1962
Governing bodyBushy Park Trust
Websitebushypark.nz

Bushy Park is a forest reserve located on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) inland from Kai Iwi in the Manawatū-Whanganui region and has an area of approximately 100 hectares (250 acres).[1] The reserve is characterized as a lowland remnant of rata-podocarp tawa-puketea rainforest.[2] According to Forest & Bird, Bushy Park is considered to be amongst the 25 best restoration ecology projects in Australia and New Zealand.[3] The reserve is protected by a predator-proof fence, and is a native bird sanctuary.[4] The reserve also features an Edwardian-era homestead which is registered as a Category I historic place with Heritage New Zealand.

History[edit]

In 1880, 391 ha (966 acres) were transferred from Uru Te Angina to James Moore for £483. Moore established a large farm on the estate and his son Frank Moore became known as a breeder of cattle and horses. However, 99 ha (245 acres) were preserved, and this area is now the Bushy Park Tarapuruhi reserve.[5] The forest reserve and the homestead, built for Frank Moore in 1906, were bequeathed to the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand by Moore upon his death in 1962.[6]

A 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) pest-exclusion fence was completed around the reserve in May 2005, and two aerial drops of rodent bait occurred later that year.[6][2] The sanctuary was declared predator–free in 2006. A secondary predator fence was subsequently constructed to enclose around 8 ha (20 acres) of open space and wetlands surrounding the homestead, as a defence against rats and mice that could enter in vehicles visiting the homestead and adjacent buildings.[7] The opening of Bushy Park’s kiwi creche in 2005 was marked by the arrival of a female kiwi chick from the Waimarino Forest.[2]

A celebration of the centenary of the Bushy Park reserve was held on 27–28 October 2006.[8]

There was an incursion of rats into the sanctuary in 2014.[9] The trust mobilised volunteers to assist with predator control to eliminate the rats, but also announced their intention to seek funding for a paid full-time staff.[10]

The forest reserve and homestead were renamed as Bushy Park Tarapuruhi in 2019. The meaning of tarapuruhi is "place of abundant bird life".[11]

In 2020, work began to extend the forest reserve by retiring a 2 ha (4.9 acres) paddock and restoring it with plants sourced from within the reserve.[12]

In 2022, a project commenced to revegetate an area of four hectares of paddock within the sanctuary boundary. The project was expected to take 3–5 years, and required the expansion of the sanctuary's plant nursery and shadehouses.[13]

Management[edit]

The title to the forest reserve and bird sanctuary has been retained by Forest & Bird, but management is shared with the trust. The homestead and its surrounds have been owned and managed by the Bushy Park Trust since 1995.[14][15][16] The trust operates in a partnership with the local iwi Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi and Forest & Bird.[17]

The Bushy Park Festival, an annual event on the Sunday of Wellington Anniversary weekend, has been a major fundraising event for the trust.[18]

Flora[edit]

A network of ten forest paths traverse the forest reserve that includes mahoe, mamaku, pukatea, rātā, and rimu along with colonies of ferns and mosses.[3][19] A feature of the reserve is a large northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) named Ratanui ("Big Rata"). The tree is estimated to be 1000 years old.[5] It is 43 metres (141 ft) in height while its girth exceeds 11 metres (36 ft).[1] Prior to the establishment of the predator-proof fence the tree was severely damaged by possums.[2] This tree featured in an international writing project called 26 Trees.[20]

Fauna[edit]

Bird species that may be found in the reserve include korimako, kererū, toutouwai, tīeke, and tūī,[6] as well as the kārearea, pīwakawaka, riroriro, mallard, pūkeko, tauhou, and matuku moana.[3]

North Island saddleback (tīeke) were introduced to the reserve in 2006, starting with 40 birds. By 2016, the population had increased to more than 400.[21]

Populations of some bird species in the Bushy Park reserve have increased to the extent that relocations to other sanctuary areas have been undertaken. In 2014, 40 North Island saddleback (tīeke) were translocated from Bushy Park to the 230 ha (570 acres) Lake Rotokare fenced sanctuary in Taranaki .[22] In 2017, 40 North Island robins (toutouwai) were translocated from Bushy Park to the Lake Rotokare sanctuary.[23] A further 40 North Island robins were translocated in 2021 from Bushy Park Tarapuruhi to the Turitea Reserve in Palmerston North.[24][25]

The stitchbird (hihi) has a conservation status of ‘nationally vulnerable’. Fifty birds were introduced to the sanctuary in 2013.[21] The 2020–21 hihi breeding season was particularly successful, and the number of females in the sanctuary doubled to 16.[26]

In May 2022, a flock of 52 whiteheads (pōpokotea) were translocated from Waitahinga Reserve to Bushy Park.[27] Around 60 rifleman (tītipounamu) were translocated from Taranaki Mounga to Bushy Park in 2023 in an arrangement facilitated by the local hapū of Taranaki Mounga.[28][29]

Giraffe weevils, glowworms, and huhu beetles are also found in Bushy Park.[3]

Homestead[edit]

Main article: Bushy Park Homestead

The reserve includes a 22–room Edwardian-era homestead built in 1906 which is registered as a Category I historic place with Heritage New Zealand.[30][31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Bason Botanic Gardens and Bushy Park Forest Reserve". 100% Pure New Zealand. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Bushy Park – a Wanganui Treasure". savethekiwi.org.nz. Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d "Bushy Park Awarded". Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Welcome". bushypark.co.nz. Archived from the original on 20 June 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  5. ^ a b Workman, Jayne (12 May 2022). "Rātānui Reverence". www.forestandbird.org.nz. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Grand Old Lady of Bushy Park Celebrates 100 years". Flow Magazine, Issue 5. Bushy Park Trust. 2006. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  7. ^ "Bushy Park". Forest & Bird Magazine. 322: 30–31. November 2006. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  8. ^ Koubaridis, Andrew (5 October 2006). "Bushy Park 100th birthday bash". Wanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  9. ^ Stowell, Laurel (29 November 2014). "Bushy Park's in full rat attack mode". Whanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  10. ^ Stowell, Laurel (22 December 2014). "Call for full-time staff at Bushy Park". Whanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  11. ^ Stowell, Laurel (7 August 2019). "New name, new visitor centre for Whanganui's Bushy Park". Whanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  12. ^ Stowell, Laurel (7 October 2020). "Whanganui forest sanctuary Bushy Park to be extended". Whanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2024 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  13. ^ "Bushy Park gets eco restoration". Wanganui Chronicle. 26 July 2022. pp. A.2. ProQuest 2693847920.
  14. ^ "Bushy Park Trust". New Zealand Business Number. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Bushy Park". Sanctuaries of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  16. ^ Beaglehole, Diana (26 February 2010). "Whanganui places". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  17. ^ "Redefining conservation". Victoria University of Wellington. 2 February 2024. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Sun finally comes out on Bushy Park Festival". Whanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  19. ^ Frances, Helen. "Bushy Park Kiwi Creche". fourcorners.co.nz. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  20. ^ Workman, Jayne. "Within | 26 Trees". 26project.org.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  21. ^ a b Wylie, Liz (22 November 2016). "Take a pew at Bushy Park". Whanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  22. ^ Finer, Petra (2 June 2014). "More Tieke return to Rotokare". Stuff. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  23. ^ Persico, Christina (4 May 2017). "Robins to add genetic depth at Rotokare Sanctuary". Stuff. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  24. ^ Rankin, Janine (29 June 2021). "The robins return to Turitea Reserve". Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  25. ^ "Local Focus: Robins return to Manawatū". The New Zealand Herald. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  26. ^ Stowell, Laurel (1 April 2021). "Whanganui's Bushy Park Tarapuruhi sanctuary has good hihi breeding season". Whanganui Chronicle. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  27. ^ "More than 50 pōpokotea whiteheads reintroduced to Whanganui sanctuary". RNZ. 11 May 2022. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  28. ^ Wylie, Liz (22 April 2023). "Tiny birds find new home Titipounamu resettled at Bushy Park in project led by hapū". Wanganui Chronicle. ProQuest 2804013237.
  29. ^ "Titipounamu return to ancient homeland thanks to generosity of Taranaki Maunga hapū". Forest & Bird. 24 April 2023. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  30. ^ "Bushy Park Homestead". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  31. ^ Roxborogh, Tim (7 February 2021). "Luxury and history in Whanganui's Bushy Park". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bushy Park (New Zealand).
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