Unique Southland riparian treeland protected by 3,000th QEII covenant

The 3,000th QEII covenant was registered in October 2008

It took 19 years from when the Trust was set up in 1977 to register the first 1,000 covenants. Eight years later in 2004, the 2,000th was registered.

It took only a further four years to reach 3,000. Proof that inspired landowners, most of whom are farmers, consider the QEII model an excellent mechanism to protect the resources on private land that our economic prospects rely on – clean water, clean air and unique landscapes.

On their 450ha sheep farm near Winton, John and Rhonda Cowie have protected a 2ha remnant of riparian kowhai-ribbonwood treeland along the meandering Otapiri Stream with the 3,000th QEII covenant.

Highly representative of the forest that once covered floodplains in Southland, threatened species protected include Olearia hectorii, O. fragrantissima, Coprosma wallii, Pseudopanax ferox and the mistletoe, Tupeia antarctica.

3,000th QEII covenant

 

Right: With O. fragrantissima, from left: Brian Rance, Department of Conservation, with John Cowie and Janet Gregory, Biodiversity Southland Co-ordinator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Department of Conservation planting programme is re-establishing the threatened species in the covenant

3,000th QEII covenant revegetation

Above: John Cowie and Brian Rance in a revegetated area of the covenant.

Mistletoe Tupeia antarctica

 

Right: Mistletoe Tupeia antarctica protected in the Cowies' QEII covenant.

 

In addition to the Cowies' covenant protecting riparian treeland, the Southland District Council has protected an adjoining area with a 3.8ha Landscape Protection Agreement.

The Cowies have also protected a podocarp-broadleaf forest remnant on a prominent limestone scarp with a 9ha QEII covenant.

 

Photos: Gay Munro

Open SpaceTM Magazine No. 77, November 2009 © QEII National Trust

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