B-1 - Area 1, Coromandel Forest Park – Assessment of Environmental Effects 25 It has high ecological value as native bird habitat. The Wharekirauponga Valley provides habitat for three native bird species with a New Zealand Threat Classification status of ‘At Risk – Declining’, being whitehead / pōpokatea, yellow-crowned kakariki and kaka. Other native species (North Island brown kiwi, long-tailed cuckoo and shining cuckoo) are known to be present in the CFP but were not detected by surveys in 2019 and 2021. It has moderate ecological value for native lizard communities. The Wharekirauponga catchment provides habitat for the Forest Gecko and Elegant Gecko, which have a NZ Threat Classification of ‘At Risk – Declining’. Invasive species (pigs, mice, rats and wasps) have reduced the quality of lizard habitat in the CFP. It has negligible ecological value as native bat habitat. Although the CFP has abundant native bat habitat, there have been no confirmed bat records in the Wharekirauponga Valley for 20 years, despite surveys conducted in 2017, 2018 and 2019. It has moderate ecological value as habitat for a range of (poorly described) terrestrial invertebrate communities. 2.4.11 Historic Heritage Gold was discovered in the Wharekirauponga Valley in the 1890’s. In 1896 the Royal Standard company purchased and consolidated claims in the area as the ‘Royal Standard Mine’. The company constructed a horse-drawn tramway to access the area from the Otahu Stream area south of Whangamatā. A mining battery was transported to site, and water races, manager's house, offices, and storehouse were constructed. Subsequent prospecting failed to verify sufficient gold to support further investment. The site was sold in 1899 and was abandoned after further short-lived prospecting. The tramway now provides tramping access into the area from Parakiwai Road at the east. The remnants of the Royal Standard Battery are now registered as NZAA site T12/681 and are scheduled in the HDP as heritage item HAU271 with Category B (Regional or SubRegional) significance. It is shown on HDP’s Map no. 18 and is located north of Area 1. No other recorded archaeological or heritage sites were identified near the Wharekirauponga orebody, noting that cultural heritage matters will be assessed in the CVA and CIA being produced by tangata whenua. 2.4.12 Vibration The existing vibration environment within Area 1 is described in Heilig (2022), a copy of which is provided in Part H of these application documents. Heilig (2022) classes the existing vibration environment in Area 1 as low. That assessment also notes the absence of private properties within several kilometres of the areas where underground blasting would be undertaken to develop the WUG.
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