Trails, Traps and Trees

RIPARIAN PLANTING

With numerous trails following the region’s waterways, the opportunities for riparian planting are also significant. Riparian planting - the restoration of native trees, shrubs, and grasses along the banks of rivers, streams, and other bodies of water - is a cornerstone of sustainable land and water management, supporting both the environment and local communities. Riparian planting initiatives foster healthy ecosystems and provide resilience against environmental challenges such as flooding or erosion and help maintain good water quality.

An exciting project on the Clutha Gold Trail is Te Nukuroa o Matamata and has the vision of restoring flourishing and connected ecosystems in the Waihora / Waihola and Waipōuri wetlands to support healthy native biodiversity, mahinga kai, and thriving communities. In fact, a highlight of the Clutha Gold Trail is a new boardwalk section which was built around Lake Waihola to protect the fragile wetland environment.

One of the most spectacular and unique wetland landscapes in New Zealand can be found just a short detour south of the Otago Central Rail Trail near Ranfurly and Waipiata. The Taieri (or Taiari) Scroll Plain is a large wetland in the Māniatoto and Styx basins. It’s the only one of its kind in New Zealand and the scroll plain’s unique status is recognised and protected as a significant wetland. Local group, Tiaki Māniatoto assists landowners to fence and plant wetland and riparian areas, as well as protect native fish habitat, enhance recreation areas and undertake weed control.

Further west along the Rail Trail, there’s an ambitious project being led by the Manuherikia Catchment Group. The Thomsons Catchment Project was initiated by farmers to improve the water quality in the catchment. The community has invested significant time and resource into the project including riparian planting, fencing and the removal of invasive species from the catchment. The group has plans to provide access from the Rail Trail in due course for cyclists to visit and enjoy the restored habitat.

PREDATOR CONTROL

Predator control initiatives along cycle trails are essential too. By targeting invasive predators such as rats, stoats, and possums, conservation groups help protect native birds, lizards and invertebrates which are vulnerable to these introduced mammalian pests. Intensive pest control also helps protect native vegetation in areas of habitat restoration – especially from possums but also rabbits.

As Willy from QTT explains, “Queenstown’s trails allow improved access for the placement, setting and checking of traps, so organisations like Southern Lakes Sanctuary and Whakatipu Wildlife Trust can carry out predator monitoring and control across the whole 130km+ trail network – from the traps being placed along the new Wharehuanui Trail to backcountry predator monitoring around the Coronet Loop”.

The Whakatipu Wildlife Trust works closely with QTT and with over 70 independent, community trapping groups to support, connect and foster predator control efforts collaborating towards the goal of a predator free district by 2050. To date, the collective groups maintain a network of over 3,000 traps.

“In collaboration with Queenstown Trails Trust and Southern Lakes Sanctuary, we are implementing a predator control plan across new cycle trails in our district”, said Anna Harding-Shaw, Whakatipu Wildlife Trust Executive Officer. 

“We’re currently fundraising for a trapping project on the new Wharehuanui and Shotover Gorge Trails and at the Kimi-ākau Bridge at Tuckers Beach. We already have community traplines covering most of the Queenstown Trails network, so this is a natural expansion for us”, said Anna.

If you would like to sponsor a trap to help with predator control on the Queenstown, click below!

WILDING PINE REMOVAL

As counterintuitive as it might seem, removing some species of trees is also essential to protect New Zealand’s landscapes and biodiversity. Conifers were introduced to New Zealand in the 1880s and planted as commercial forests, shelterbelts and to control erosion.

Today, more than a quarter of New Zealand is at risk of being smothered by invasive wilding pines which can destroy native ecosystems. Conifer species include cedars, pines, firs, cypress, larches, and spruces.

Conifers produce and release masses of wind-blown seeds which can travel many kilometres downwind and rapidly take root and grow fast in New Zealand conditions. Wilding pine infestation can lead to local extinction of native plant communities, the drying of wetlands, acidification of soils, and consequently the decline of native wildlife through habitat loss.

The removal of wilding pines ensures that indigenous plants have space and resources to thrive and helps maintain a balanced and diverse habitat.

In Queenstown, Whakatipu Wilding Control Group work collaboratively with the Queenstown Trails Trust to protect the outstanding natural landscapes and unique alpine biodiversity. And across Central Otago’s trail network, the Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group work with landowners to control and remove wilding conifers from the landscape.

BUILDING BETTER TRAILS

Protecting special fauna and flora habitats is a key consideration at the conception of any new trails. For example, on the Kawarau Gorge Trail (which is currently under construction, and which will connect the Central Otago and Queenstown trails), lizard management is a significant factor in the trail build. Several species of protected skinks and geckos are locally endemic to the Kawarau Gorge environs and so, in consultation with specialists and the Department of Conservation, lizard habitats have been developed by Southern Lakes Trails contractors to protect the lizards during trail building.

Hundreds of native trees and shrubs have also been identified by specialists for Southern Lakes Trails to avoid when trail building, and mitigation planting will ensure that more native trees and plants will be beside the trail. Trail building also provides an opportunity for the control of invasive species like pine, broom, or gorse, and areas cleared of such pests can then be replanted with natives. The trail will also give easier access for the control of invasive pest animals.

Community participation is at the heart of all these conservation projects. Local groups rely on volunteers to spearhead predator control initiatives, organise planting days, and monitor wildlife. Their dedication has helped turn Otago’s cycle trails into symbols of active kaitiakitanga. Cyclists, in turn, often become engaged advocates for these projects, spreading awareness and supporting ongoing efforts through donations or volunteering.

Willy from QTT summarised this nicely when he said, “by creating opportunities for conservation along the cycle trails, locals and visitors begin to understand stewardship and the need to protect the land and environment for future generations”.

Ultimately, cycle trails across Otago not only provide a stunning backdrop for recreation but serve as lifelines for native biodiversity. Supporting these community-led conservation projects ensures that these wildlife corridors continue to benefit both nature and the people who ride along them.