Waihi North Project: Assessment of Terrestrial Ecological Values & Effects 62138 WNP AEE 33 The native plantings at Gladstone Open Pit are a more developed restoration area than other examples in the surrounding landscape (e.g. Martha Pit and Favona Wetland). This area is nevertheless still young, small and simple. Overall, the areas of planted native vegetation and the rock outcrop rate as low for two assessment matters and moderate for two. It is concluded to be of moderate ecological value, largely due to the recent revision to the threat status of copper skinks. The pine plantation supports a few common native shrubs and ferns in the understory, and given its condition, future potential (felled or otherwise persistent pine canopy) it is considered to be of negligible botanic value and limited (low) ecological value other than the potential for ‘High Value’ copper skinks to be present. The pine plantation is subject to rotation harvest and is considered to be of low ecological value. 5.1.4 Significance In accordance with the Waikato RPS and criterion 3 (vegetation or habitat that is currently habitat for indigenous species or associations of indigenous species that are: classed as threatened or At-Risk, or endemic to the Waikato region, or at the limit of their natural range) and 11A, this vegetation is significant in terms of Section 6(c) of the RMA and the Waikato RPS because of the presence of copper skink (recently listed as At Risk (Hitchmough et al. 2021)).
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