Pukaha Mount Bruce forest was once part of a much greater forest, stretching from Masterton to Norsewood.

The original European name for the bush was 70 Mile Bush. Documents also show it was referred to as 40 Mile Bush.

As these two names suggest, the forest was a huge green cloak that spread over 40 miles (densely) and 70 miles in total. It was heavily populated with towering species such as rimu, totara, northern rata, tree ferns, shrubs, climbers and herbs.

The Maori name for this forest was Te Tapere Nui o Whatonga.

Pukaha is a Maori word meaning strong winds.

Read on to find out a little more about these stunning native trees.

Rimu
This is one of the most easily recognised large trees in
the forest. It grows upwardly of 20m, has a shaggy crown and bark falling away in heavy scales.

Our forest is dependent on this stately tree as the breeding cycle of the endangered kakapo has been linked to the fruiting cycle of the rimu.

The rimu is found throughout New Zealand’s 3 main islands. Male and female cones are produced on different trees, the seeds being held on the female tree for 15 months, ripening between January and March and providing a valuable food source for wildlife.

Rata
The beautifully colourful northern rata is one of the most distinctive trees on the ridge behind us at Pukaha Mount Bruce. Northern rata in flower is a magnificent sight, each branch producing a group of flowers with large bright scarlet stamens.

The nectar produced during flowering is a much prized bird food and can be used to produce a remarkably sweet honey.

Starting its life as a seed lodged high in the crow of a forest tree, the plant will eventually send its roots down to the forest floor which join together to form the massive "trunk" supporting the crown which may be 30 metres above the forest floor.

Kahikatea
At over 30 metres to the first branch the stunning Kahikatea is not only New Zealand’s tallest tree, it is also capable of bearing fruit in huge quantities.

Large flocks of kereru have been seen eating the fruit from a single tree.

Kahikatea can form extensive forests in swampy areas, but individual trees grow to the largest size on damp, fertile soils, often close to the swampiest ground.

In its youth the tree has a most distinctive conical form, which changes with age to a heavily branched spreading crown as the tree moves through a life which may last more than 700 years.

Cones are produced on separate trees in October or November, with the fruit taking some months to mature.

Kahikatea is found throughout New Zealand’s three main islands.

Tree Ferns
Tree Ferns are such a distinctive feature of the New Zealand forest floor that one, the silver fern (Cyathea dealbata), has become a national symbol.

The tree fern most often seen at Mount Bruce is the wheki, which is able to colonise quite large areas by means of underground runners. Their wide, low hanging fronds provide protection from the sun, and when necessary, protection from predators. They are a vital part of the forest floor.

The rough, fibrous trunk of this tree fern allows ample opportunity for epipyhtic plants to grow and nearly every wheki carries its share of "hangers on". This includes the kamahi which eventually forms a large tree and plays an important role in forest succession and regeneration.

Maori and other early bush travellers laid the fronds of these large plants on the ground to help guide their return through the forest at night.

The Wetland Area
Our wetland system is based around two deep ponds connected by shallow waterways. In these you will find New Zealand’s only diving duck, the scaup and the small grey teal and other dabbling species.

The swampland vegetation is dominated by purei (Carex secta), a sedge which can grow up to 2 metres tall, along with flax (Phormium tenax) and rushes (Juncus spp.).

The flax will also provide a food supply for nectar feeding birds like the tui.

The margins and banks above the wetlands are planted to give birds from the forest another source of food and shelter. The design has allowed for the construction of a wide range of different micro-habitats, each suited to a particular combination of plants and animals.

As this habitat is very new it provides an opportunity to observe its colonisation and use by both plants and animals, and to analyse the particular sites within the wetland which each species prefers.

To find out more about wetlands go to www.wetlandtrust.org.nz/

Endangered Plant Conservation
As conservationists, it is fitting that Pukaha Mount Bruce is involved in recovery work for threatened plant life.

Specifically; a regionally threatened shrub - Teucridium parvifolium; a nationally endangered tree - Pittosporum obcordatum and a critically endangered tree - Olearia gardneri.

These plants are growing in the park and can be pointed out by our rangers. Seeds or cuttings are collected from wild populations of these species and are grown to establish breeding populations. This acts as an insurance policy if the wild plants are lost.

When seed is produced on the plants it can be collected and propagated. The seedlings will be planted back in the wild to bolster the original populations. This is essentially the same approach that we use in many of our bird breeding programmes.

Our ultimate goal is to ensure the survival of natural wild populations.