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Assessment of ecological information available for geothermal sites in the Waikato region

TR 2017/09
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Report: TR2017/09

Author: Sarah Beadel, Kelvin Lloyd, Chris Bycroft and William Shaw (Wildland Consultants Ltd)

Abstract

Geothermal ecosystems are some of the most threatened in the Waikato Region, having undergone significant reductions in extent and condition. Five geothermal ecosystem types have been recognised in New Zealand and these are all considered to have been naturally rare prior to human colonisation of New Zealand (Williams et al.2007). Additionally, these are all identified as Critically Endangered in Holdaway et al. (2012). Waikato Regional Council (WRC) has an inventory of geothermal sites in the Waikato Region, which contains a summary of ecological information and assessments of ecological significance and relative significance level (Wildland Consultants 2014a; also see Wildland Consultants 2014b&c). 

WRC recently developed and applied simple and accurate indicators to assess the extent, condition, and protection level of geothermal vegetation and habitats in the Region (Wildland Consultants 2015). This project identified that there were gaps in some of the existing ecological information available for each site.

 Assessment of ecological information available for geothermal sites in the Waikato region [PDF, 617 KB]

Contents
1 Introduction 1
2 Methods 1
3. Future surveys 2
3.1 Vegetation and mapping 2
3.2 Geothermal features 4
3.3 Priorities for 2016/2017 field survey 4
3.4 Plants 4
3.5 Pest plant 5
3.6 Fauna 5
3.7 Monitoring 6
3.7.1 Vegetation plots or transects 6
3.7.2 Photopoints 6
3.7.3 Threatened at risk plants 7
3.8 Restoration/management plan 7
Acknowledgements 7
  References 8
Appendix I Priorities for 2016/2017 field survey 11