The Effort to Preserve Aorangi

Forest and Bird, Issue 109, 1 August 1953, Page 7

The Effort to Preserve Aorangi

THOSE members who have kept their back numbers of “Forest and Bird” will see in our issue of November 1951 an account of early efforts in this direction. These were carried a step further on 23rd April, when the Taihape branch of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association called a meeting at Taihape, to which our Society was invited, being represented by the President, Secretary and Mr. E. O. Pryce of, the Executive. A number of other organisations and public bodies were also represented. Mr. R. A. L. Batley, Chairman of the Branch was the main speaker and reviewed the early history and legends as regards the mountain. Our President, Mr. Harper said it would be most foolish to let such a priceless asset as Aorangi be lost and discussed the various forms of reserve which could be asked for. Mr. Mako, speaking on behalf of the Maori owners, said he felt that the majority would be in agreement to preservation if a meeting of them were called. Mr. Carter, our Secretary, said that Messrs A. P. Druce, N. Elder and R. M. Greenwood had made a botanical survey of the area and gave the meeting some information given him by Mr. Druce. Aorangi is near the northern end of the Ruahine Range; north of it is chiefly tussock country which has never carried bush, apart from scattered

clumps, and as the general character of the Ruahine bush alters just south of Aorangi, this area appears to be an example of transition bush at the edge of an ages-long invasion of open country. by forest. . . . Where the Rangitikei Valley cuts into the foot of the mountain slope there is, naturally, an area of steep, broken stony country of a type suited to totara and on this there is a belt of totara of a nature not found elsewhere in the Ruahines, where totara is only found on gravel and stony river flats, One of Aorangi’s main features is its remarkable table top, surmounting a circle of cliffs a hundred or so feet high. Round the base of the cliffs appears to be a favourite haunt for deer which have, done considerable damage to the flora there. Mr. Druce’s photograph above shows a portion of this remarkable cliff face and the broken nature of the deer-damaged vegetation is clearly visible.A local committee was formed to take all necessary steps to ensure the preservation of Aorangi and held its first meeting next morning, with Mr. V. Smith in the chair, Messrs. Harper, Carter and Mako being present as observers. Our Society is pledged to give the committee all the help it. can. The first approach will probably be in the form of a deputation to the Minister of Lands and Forests. '