For this inaugural photo essay Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost (a humble namesake reference to the work of Foals (1)), I ventured into the wilderness surrounding Wellington New Zealand, where I sought to find the wildlife that makes this southern landscape so unique along with some of the native species most endangered and threatened.
Setting out, I wanted to find out more about the forces behind the loss of biodiversity and natural habitats, and how human behaviour has impacted the natural world. And although apparent that the relentless advance of urban development, agriculture, and landscape transformation has dramatically and irreversibly altered the environment in many respects, I encountered compelling examples of how a dedicated commitment to protecting the natural world may safeguard the survival of some of the continent’s most precious and unique wildlife.
Just minutes walk from the city centre lies a dense green reserve rich with the sounds of birds - Mt Victoria
After touching down in Wellington international airport and travelling into town the first thing to strike me was the abundance of significant greenspaces that exist in and around the city - the Mount Victoria reserve, the botanic gardens, and the Zealandia sanctuary.
I first set off to the hills of Mt Kaukau and the northern walkway trailhead in to explore some of the protected natural areas that remain abundant in native species today. Hiking out from Khandallah railway station on a misty morning I was overcome by the incredible density of green that surrounds the narrow winding walkway up the mountainside.
The density of plantlife is hard to convey, as the frequent rainfall that nourishes the region allows thick moss and tree ferns to thrive alongside the tall evergreens and pines that live higher up the mountainside.
The iconic Tui is one of the most important pollinators for native plants - Mt Kaukau
With an intrepid spirit and my ever faithful canon DSLR I embarked on what would prove an equally ambitious and reflective journey to the East Harbour and the Main Ridge tramping trail. The
An ecosystem in a tree, surely this is something out of Avatar - Kereru Track
An unmistakable Fantail (Piwakawaka) spreads its distinctive feathers as it briskly bounces from branch to branch in search of food. - Day’s Bay
Whilst the unfathomably lush forests of New Zealand seem expansive and unending, since the arrival of humans the amount of dense forested land has fallen from 80% to around 24% (3). The challenge is ongoing today, with threats from land clearing, agricultural practices, and invasive plant and animal species continuing to impact the survival of native species and stability of ecosystems (2).
Although tremendously demoralised by the recent tragedies of the Australian bushfires and the impacts this has had on both human health and wildlife, as well as the relentless ecocide of global treasures such as the Great Barrier Reef (4) which continues today as an unfolding tragedy of unprecedented scale, every now and then a sign of indefatigable resistance against the tide of the sixth mass extinction (5).
The Zealandia nature and wildlife sanctuary is one such inspiring example of a united conservation effort to protect some of New Zealand’s most threatened native species and ensure the continuation of a richly biodiverse habitat into the future. Located only a few minutes drive from the centre of the city, I ventured into the reserve naive to the incredible scale, sophistication, and detail paid to this monumental undertaking and to the knowledge, passion, and dedication of those who work a the reserve and contribute to its vital ongoing role in safeguarding the natural world.
The Great Fence of Karori was completed in 1999 and stretches for 8.6km around the nature sanctuary, specially designed to protect native species from predators such as rabbits, feral cats, possums, weasels, and ferrets.
By keeping out these invasive species and pests, birds such as the Cormorant are able to forage for food out at sea during the day and return to the safety of the reserve at night. In this way, the design provides a uniquely non-restrictive protected environment designed to be abundant in native plant species and food sources that most native wildlife can enter and exit as they wish.
The mighty Kaka, nationally vulnerable and recovering in its conservation status after a dedicated commitment to species protection - Zealandia
The Takahe, a large flightless bird of the wetlands with a distinctive red beak. Once thought to be extinct, the Takahe remains in a nationally critical conservation status - Zealandia Sanctuary
This Toutouwai or North Island Robin was certainly one of the most friendly and inquisitive characters I encountered on this expedition, darting among the foliage and coming right up to investigate my equipment and what my business might be venturing into the forest.
Leaving behind the electric buses, natural history museum exhibits, community garden, and national parks of Wellington I felt my grave concerns for the future of the natural world were now coloured by a flicker of hope in the idea of another possible future rich in the wonders of nature protected for generations to come. A certain reinvigoration of hope in the chance that we can still save these few unbelievably delicate corners of the natural world that give life, colour, and meaning to this grey world.
T Michniewicz, 29/02/2020
Reference
1. Wikipedia (2020) ‘Everything not saved will be lost -part 1’ [online]. Wikipedia. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Not_Saved_Will_Be_Lost_%E2%80%93_Part_1> [Accessed: 22/02/20].
2. Warne, K and Gasteiger, A (2014) ‘The future of our forests’. New Zealand Geographic. July - August. Available at: <https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-future-of-our-forests/> [Accessed: 29/02/2020].
3. Department of Conservation (2020) ‘Forest habitats’[webpage]. Available at: <https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/habitats/forests/> [Accessed: 29/02/2020].
4. James, L (2018) ‘Half of the Great Barrier Reef is dead’ [online]. National Geographic Magazine. Available at: <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/08/explore-atlas-great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-map-climate-change/> [Accessed: 29/02/2020].
5. Saltre, F and Bradshaw, C (2019) ‘Are we in the sixth mass extinction on earth? the signs are all there’ [online]. ABC News Australia. 13 November. Available at: <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-13/what-is-a-mass-extinction-are-we-in-one-now/11699372> [Accessed: 29/02/2020].
An excellent resource for bird information can be found at: http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/
Glow worm trails in the darkest of nights - Wellington Botanic Gardens