Remutaka Forest Park (spelled Rimutaka Forest Park prior to 2017) is a protected area near Wellington, New Zealand. Popular access points are south of Wainuiomata and in the upper Hutt Valley. The park covers 220 square kilometres (85 sq mi),[2] encompassing the Catchpool Valley and the Ōrongorongo Valley at the southern end of the Remutaka Range. Established in 1972, the park contains several short walks and six huts that can be booked and accessed by longer bush tramps. The park is one part of several local conservation areas, as it borders the Pakuratahi Forest and the Tararua Range.
The park includes the Remutaka Rail Trail, dis-established rail line that operated from 1878 to 1955[3] that is now used for mountain biking and walking.
In 2017, the name of the park (and range) was changed from "Rimutaka" to "Remutaka" following a treaty settlement with Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua.[4] (The former name continues to be used in some online documents.)
The Ōrongorongo Valley is one of two known areas that host the endangered fungus Boletopsis nothofagi.[5]
A population of North Island brown kiwi has been established in the northern part of the Remutaka Forest Park, called the Turere catchment kiwi zone.[6] To support the population's growth, kiwi eggs are transferred by volunteers to the Pukaha / Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre and other protected areas such as the Wairakei Sanctuary for incubation and early growth.[7][8] The programme is working. In 2014, an analysis of acoustic recordings indicated that more than 100 birds were living in the park.[9] This is a 10-fold increase from the 10 kiwi that were originally released.[10]
The kiwi zone is protected by a dog exclusion area.[11] Dogs may run off lead within a defined exercise area in Catchpool Valley, but restrictions apply in the rest of the park.
Recreationedit
The park is a popular recreation area for the surrounding Wellington and Wairarapa regions. In the north, the Remutaka Rail Trail is used extensively by walkers and mountain bikers. The rail trail is generally accessed by road north of Upper Hutt, as the gradient to the summit is gentler on that side.[12] The Rimutaka Incline is on the eastern side of the summit and can also be accessed by road, south of Featherston at Cross Creek.
The back country hills attract hunting and multi-day hiking expeditions. The Ōrongorongo Valley is home to a number of private huts.[13]
At the Catchpool entrance, south of Lower Hutt, there are two camping areas as well as outdoor BBQs and flushing toilets.
Proposed de-extinction of moaedit
The park was the subject of a minor political argument surrounding a proposal to revive the extinct moa.[14] Local politician Trevor Mallard, called for support for a de-extinction attempt "50-100 years out".[15]
^ ab"Remutaka Forest Park". Department of Conservation. The 22,000 ha Remutaka Forest Park encompasses much of the Remutaka Range. Easily accessible from Wellington, the area is popular with trampers and hunters.
^"Remutaka Rail Trail". Department of Conversation. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
^"Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua Deed of Settlement summary". New Zealand government. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
^Leonard, P.L.; McMullan-Fisher, S.; May, T.; Buchanan, P.; Cooper, J.A. (2016). Boletopsis nothofagi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Report). doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016.RLTS.T80188388A95382635.en. ISSN 2307-8235.
^"Remutaka Forest Park: Catchpool valley and Ōrongorongo valley" (PDF). Retrieved 22 January 2019. Dogs are not permitted at all in the Turere catchment kiwi zone
^"White kiwi's courtship ritual captured on film at Pukaha Mt Bruce". The New Zealand Herald. Two other kiwi chicks are due to hatch shortly after arriving from the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust last week.
^(PDF). December 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2018. Over the weekend of the 24th November our final three chicks returned to the Remutaka Forest Park. The birds have been at Wairakei International Golf course in Taupō.
^"Wellington Region Newsletter" (PDF). Ornithological Society of New Zealand—Birds New Zealand. Susan Ellis, a volunteer with the Remutaka Forest Park Trust has recently been analysing acoustic recordings taken in 2014. A series of acoustic recorders were used in the park which contain an increasing population of brown kiwi, now believed to number greater than 100 birds.
^"Kiwi Project". Remutaka Forest Park Trust. Retrieved 22 January 2019. The initial goal was to move a group (about 10 birds initially, in pairs) of North Island Brown kiwi from captivity in other locations nationwide to a 1000 hectare, predator-controlled site in the Rimutaka Forest Park to establish a viable, self-sustaining Kiwi population.
^"Dog access in Remutaka Forest Park". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 14 January 2019. The Remutaka Forest Park Trust has released North Island brown kiwi into part of the Remutaka Forest Park. Kiwi have been released into the Turere Stream catchment north of the Ōrongorongo Track, an area of approximately 1000 hectares.
^"Parks Network Plan: Park-specific management and policies: Pakuratahi Forest" (PDF). Greater Wellington. July 2011. p. 77. Retrieved 22 January 2019. The easy gradient of the Rimutaka Rail Trail (on the western side) is popular for walking and biking and continues into Cross Creek on the eastern side.
^Rebecca Jamieson; Allan Sheppard (18 December 2017). "The 50 private huts hidden in the Ōrongorongo Valley". thisNZlife. Retrieved 22 January 2019. By 1970 there were already 60 huts in the valley, some dating back to the 1920s and 1930s.
^New Zealand government (18 July 2014). "Support for kiwi, not moas, in Rimutaka" (Press release). Scoop. Retrieved 22 January 2019. "There is an irony in this Government grant for kiwi protection in the Rimutaka with Labour MP Trevor Mallard's calls this month for recreating the moa in the same area.
^Simon Edwards; Vernon Small (10 July 2014). "Time to bring back... the moa". Stuff. Asked about leader David Cunliffe's comment that "the moa is not a goer", Mallard said: 'The Moa will be a goer but we are talking 50 to 100 years out."
External linksedit
Rimutaka Forest Park Charitable Trust
Department of Conservation (January 2019). Wellington Conservation Management Strategy 2019-2029. ISBN978-1-98-851481-9.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Remutaka Forest Park.
December 15, 2023
remutaka, forest, park, spelled, rimutaka, forest, park, prior, 2017, protected, area, near, wellington, zealand, popular, access, points, south, wainuiomata, upper, hutt, valley, park, covers, square, kilometres, encompassing, catchpool, valley, Ōrongorongo, . Remutaka Forest Park spelled Rimutaka Forest Park prior to 2017 is a protected area near Wellington New Zealand Popular access points are south of Wainuiomata and in the upper Hutt Valley The park covers 220 square kilometres 85 sq mi 2 encompassing the Catchpool Valley and the Ōrongorongo Valley at the southern end of the Remutaka Range Established in 1972 the park contains several short walks and six huts that can be booked and accessed by longer bush tramps The park is one part of several local conservation areas as it borders the Pakuratahi Forest and the Tararua Range Remutaka Forest ParkIUCN category V protected landscape seascape 1 Catchpool ValleyRemutaka Forest ParkLocationNorth Island New ZealandNearest cityLower HuttCoordinates41 22 S 175 00 E 41 36 S 175 E 41 36 175Area22 000 hectares 54 000 acres 2 Established1972Governing bodyDepartment of ConservationWebsitedoc govt nzThe park includes the Remutaka Rail Trail dis established rail line that operated from 1878 to 1955 3 that is now used for mountain biking and walking In 2017 the name of the park and range was changed from Rimutaka to Remutaka following a treaty settlement with Rangitane o Wairarapa and Rangitane o Tamaki nui a Rua 4 The former name continues to be used in some online documents Contents 1 Rare and protected species 2 Recreation 3 Proposed de extinction of moa 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksRare and protected species edit nbsp Ōrongorongo River within the Ōrongorongo valleyThe Ōrongorongo Valley is one of two known areas that host the endangered fungus Boletopsis nothofagi 5 A population of North Island brown kiwi has been established in the northern part of the Remutaka Forest Park called the Turere catchment kiwi zone 6 To support the population s growth kiwi eggs are transferred by volunteers to the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre and other protected areas such as the Wairakei Sanctuary for incubation and early growth 7 8 The programme is working In 2014 an analysis of acoustic recordings indicated that more than 100 birds were living in the park 9 This is a 10 fold increase from the 10 kiwi that were originally released 10 The kiwi zone is protected by a dog exclusion area 11 Dogs may run off lead within a defined exercise area in Catchpool Valley but restrictions apply in the rest of the park Recreation editThe park is a popular recreation area for the surrounding Wellington and Wairarapa regions In the north the Remutaka Rail Trail is used extensively by walkers and mountain bikers The rail trail is generally accessed by road north of Upper Hutt as the gradient to the summit is gentler on that side 12 The Rimutaka Incline is on the eastern side of the summit and can also be accessed by road south of Featherston at Cross Creek The back country hills attract hunting and multi day hiking expeditions The Ōrongorongo Valley is home to a number of private huts 13 At the Catchpool entrance south of Lower Hutt there are two camping areas as well as outdoor BBQs and flushing toilets Proposed de extinction of moa editThe park was the subject of a minor political argument surrounding a proposal to revive the extinct moa 14 Local politician Trevor Mallard called for support for a de extinction attempt 50 100 years out 15 See also editForest Parks of New Zealand Protected areas of New ZealandReferences edit Protected Planet Remutaka Forest Park a b Remutaka Forest Park Department of Conservation The 22 000 ha Remutaka Forest Park encompasses much of the Remutaka Range Easily accessible from Wellington the area is popular with trampers and hunters Remutaka Rail Trail Department of Conversation Retrieved 14 January 2019 Rangitane o Wairarapa and Rangitane o Tamaki nui a Rua Deed of Settlement summary New Zealand government Retrieved 14 January 2019 Leonard P L McMullan Fisher S May T Buchanan P Cooper J A 2016 Boletopsis nothofagi The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Report doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 RLTS T80188388A95382635 en ISSN 2307 8235 Remutaka Forest Park Catchpool valley and Ōrongorongo valley PDF Retrieved 22 January 2019 Dogs are not permitted at all in the Turere catchment kiwi zone White kiwi s courtship ritual captured on film at Pukaha Mt Bruce The New Zealand Herald Two other kiwi chicks are due to hatch shortly after arriving from the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust last week The Remu talker PDF December 2018 Archived from the original PDF on 21 December 2018 Over the weekend of the 24th November our final three chicks returned to the Remutaka Forest Park The birds have been at Wairakei International Golf course in Taupō Wellington Region Newsletter PDF Ornithological Society of New Zealand Birds New Zealand Susan Ellis a volunteer with the Remutaka Forest Park Trust has recently been analysing acoustic recordings taken in 2014 A series of acoustic recorders were used in the park which contain an increasing population of brown kiwi now believed to number greater than 100 birds Kiwi Project Remutaka Forest Park Trust Retrieved 22 January 2019 The initial goal was to move a group about 10 birds initially in pairs of North Island Brown kiwi from captivity in other locations nationwide to a 1000 hectare predator controlled site in the Rimutaka Forest Park to establish a viable self sustaining Kiwi population Dog access in Remutaka Forest Park Department of Conservation Retrieved 14 January 2019 The Remutaka Forest Park Trust has released North Island brown kiwi into part of the Remutaka Forest Park Kiwi have been released into the Turere Stream catchment north of the Ōrongorongo Track an area of approximately 1000 hectares Parks Network Plan Park specific management and policies Pakuratahi Forest PDF Greater Wellington July 2011 p 77 Retrieved 22 January 2019 The easy gradient of the Rimutaka Rail Trail on the western side is popular for walking and biking and continues into Cross Creek on the eastern side Rebecca Jamieson Allan Sheppard 18 December 2017 The 50 private huts hidden in the Ōrongorongo Valley thisNZlife Retrieved 22 January 2019 By 1970 there were already 60 huts in the valley some dating back to the 1920s and 1930s New Zealand government 18 July 2014 Support for kiwi not moas in Rimutaka Press release Scoop Retrieved 22 January 2019 There is an irony in this Government grant for kiwi protection in the Rimutaka with Labour MP Trevor Mallard s calls this month for recreating the moa in the same area Simon Edwards Vernon Small 10 July 2014 Time to bring back the moa Stuff Asked about leader David Cunliffe s comment that the moa is not a goer Mallard said The Moa will be a goer but we are talking 50 to 100 years out External links editRimutaka Forest Park Charitable Trust Department of Conservation January 2019 Wellington Conservation Management Strategy 2019 2029 ISBN 978 1 98 851481 9 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Remutaka Forest Park Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Remutaka Forest Park amp oldid 1184885825, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
