Te Matuku Bay Landcare - Waiheke Island

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12 mature wattles were ringbarked in 2010. 5-6 years later the roots had rotted out enough for them to fall in their entirety, unlike dead pines trees which shed their outer limbs gradually.

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15 hours total, 3 hours per visit: first pass over primary moth/asparagus infestation in northern quarter ready for Spring followup. 3 moth pods found as well as mutiple young adults and regrowth from broken moth roots

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^{SR2 - Click to enlarge}

A section of SR2 previously cleared of mangroves: adult isolates 3 years ago (see large cut stump) then more recently, 3 months ago, abundant mangrove seedlings. Proof that sea rush takes a very long time to repair itself once it has been shaded out.

The area is only now just starting to recover and will need years of constant vigilance yet. In line with advice given by a botanist, a single track has been adhered to when accessing control zones further out, to keep any further vegetation disruption to a minimum.

^{As found near D50 in Greywacke Gully... click to enlarge}

Tmesipteris elongata lacks roots and true leaves. It is occasionally terrestrial but usually an epiphyte on tree fern trunks. It has a creeping stem (rhizome) that lacks roots, absorbing water instead with filamentous rhizoids. A pendulous and undivided aerial stem is formed that lacks true leaves, functioning instead with scale leaves. Scale leaves are spirally arranged, dull green, narrow, tapering and flexible. Round-ended sporangia are fused in pairs and lie on the upper surface at the base of forked fertile leaves. Found throughout NZ.

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