Nīkau Bush Conservation Area

Nīkau Bush Conservation Area is a protected area of 19 ha (47 acres) of remnant lowland broadleaved forest in the Chatham Islands of New Zealand. The reserve is located on Chatham Island immediately to the west of Te Whanga Lagoon around 24 km (15 mi) north of Waitangi, and contains the largest group of nīkau ('Rhopalostylis sapida 'Chathamica') on Chatham Island. In 1971, the area was identified as a priority for the establishment of a reserve in a report by the Botany Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. A summary of the examples of mixed broadleaf forest in the Chatham Islands stated:On main Chatham there is one small patch of bush which is fairly mixed, ranging from well drained soil with karaka to poorly drained soil with some swampy akeake - karamu forest, and included in the patch is the most accessible clump of nikaus on main Chatham. The land was purchased by the Crown in 1981, and stock fencing was installed to allow regeneration to occur. The reserve has an upper and lower area of original forest with plantings of Veronica barkeri, rautini (Brachyglottis huntii), swamp akeake (Olearia telmatica), Chatham Island toetoe (Austroderia turbaria) and Chatham Island astelia (Astelia chathamica). The Chatham Islands nīkau found in the reserve is closely similar to the mainland New Zealand species but with a distinct juvenile form, larger fruits

NatureReserve data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).