This afternoon Unitec lecturer, Wesley Webb, and NorthTec lecturer, Kat Goddard, brought their third year Bachelor of Applied Sciences students doing a paper in restoration ecology to CUE Haven for a field trip.

The objective of the visit was for the students to see a restoration project in process and learn more about the issues and challenges involved. 

Mahrukh gave a brief introduction to CUE Haven, and then the students had the wonderful opportunity to hear about the new additions to CUE Haven from Dr Dan Blanchon – Curator of Botany at Auckland War Memorial Museum, and AUT ecology student Max Corlett who is doing an internship with Dan. 

Dan and Max are conducting a pilot study to see if it is possible to successfully translocate lichens to a regenerating forest. Lichens are very slow growing organisms which are not individual organisms but rather a symbiosis of algae, fungi and cyanobacteria living together in what is known as a “mutualistic” relationship.  The term refers to different species interacting in a way that is mutually beneficial.

Earlier in the morning, Dan & Max had been to the Mataia property down the road from CUE Haven and harvested a variety of lichens which are not currently present at CUE Haven. 

Our thanks to our friends Gill & Kevin Adshead of Mataia, for collaborating on this lichen translocation project.

Species included Cladonia confuse, a white coral lichen called Pulchrocladia retipora, as well as Dicranoloma and Ptychomnion aciculare, both mosses.

A few weeks ago, Dan and Max had identified the sites at CUE Haven where the lichens would be translocated.  The sites were selected based on the soil, topography, shade etc., characteristics that were similar to the areas at Mataia where the lichens had been harvested.

Dan, Max and Thomas loaded up the 10 trays and drove them out to the field.

Once at the sites, they dug out spaces for the new species, tagged them and covered them with mesh to protect them.

Dan and Max returned from the field about the same time the Unitec and NorthTec students arrived and they gave a short lecture to the students about this pilot study and why it was so important to enhance biodiversity though relocations such as this one.

Dan and Max will be following up on the health of the translocated lichens over the coming months and are hopeful this pilot will be successful so that it can be expanded. Our many thanks to Dan for his interest and continued support of the restoration of CUE Haven.

Thomas then took the students for a walking tour around the CUE Haven reserve.  Before leaving they cleaned their boots and sprayed the soles with Trigene disinfectant to ensure they weren’t bringing any contaminating organisms along.

Thomas gave a safety briefing and explained the plan for the walk.

Along the way, Thomas pointed out different aspects of the regenerating bush and explained the methodology and challenges of the restoration project.

At the top of the property the group got a good view of the regenerating bush as well as the local area including the Araparera River and Kaipara Harbour and to see how the restoration work at CUE Haven benefits the river and harbour.

Once back at the cottage there was time for a quick debrief and a few more questions.

As always, we had a very enjoyable visit with the Unitec and NorthTec students.  We learn a lot from these visits and are always impressed with the enthusiasm and varied interests and knowledge of the students and staff.  Our thanks to Wesley and Kat for organising the visit and for their continued support.

And a big thank you to the students for their enthusiasm and interest in the project. We wish you all the very best with your studies and your future endeavours. And look forward to having you all out to CUE Haven for a leisurely visit soon.