Waihi North Project: Assessment of Terrestrial Ecological Values & Effects 62138 WNP AEE 51 5.3.1.3.3 Pine forest with rewarewa - approximately 25 ha (44% of the SNA 166 southern fragment) This remnant of a plantation pine forest includes areas which have not been harvested and areas where wilding pine has become the dominant canopy. Pine is variably dominant within the canopy and generally dominates in the west and eastern portions and across the northern half of the southern SNA 166 fragment. Representativeness. Even where there is some rewarewa scrub, the pine is dominant and typically the only emergent and canopy species. The rewarewa / towai remains in scrub form. Under the denser pine, pine needles dominate the ground and as a result a diminished array of natives persist. The ground tier, middle tier, lower canopy and canopy do not represent even an approximation of a representative indigenous forest or even a seral stage to such a forest. The representativeness is considered to be very low. Rarity and distinctiveness There are no rare species or distinguishing features of this unit. Itis considered to be of very low ecological value. Diversity and pattern The pine areas are generally on the drier tops and ridge lines and upper slopes and there is little in the way of environmental gradation or other pattern causing aspects. The species diversity is very limited compared to an expected native forest. The ranking for this element is considered very low. Ecological context Similar to the treefern unit the principal “value” of the pine unit is its size and the fact that it stretches across the rewarewa units and “joins” them, improving faunal species movement throughout the wider SNA 166 southern fragment. The pine forest itself has no resource elements required by the local fauna, accepting that there are no bats and so no “use” of the larger older pine trees as roost sites. The contextual value is considered low and accounts for its connectivity function. Conclusion The sum of the values results in a negligible value outcome which is reasonable especially given that it is this community that also restricts the future indigenous recovery of the SNA 166 southern fragment. 5.3.1.3.4 Rewarewa forest – 17.5 ha (31% of the SNA 166 southern fragment) This is the most indigenous dominant community of the SNA 166 southern fragment. There are two main areas and a third smaller area. The three areas are separated by pine forest or by the treefern scrub. The largest area is in a north-east - north-west running gully on the south-east edge of the SNA fragment, and the other two smaller units are in the south and western end. Representativeness. The plot data (Appendix 2) suggests that this pole rewarewa/ towai forest can be considered an early seral indigenous community as it progresses towards having a broadleaf canopy (rewarewa). There is
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