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The Medieval Review, (dlps) baj9928.0301.032, (tmr) 03.01.32, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/t/text/accesspolicy.html

The Medieval Review, (dlps) baj9928.0109.008, (tmr) 01.09.08, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/t/text/accesspolicy.html

Throughout the alpine areas of Stewart Island, the grasslands are dominated by the unique Chionochloa pungens swards which have many associated endemic species. On Mount Anglem, these swards are occasionally interrupted by small aggregated colonies of Chionochloa flavescens. Little or no modification of these areas is evident as indicated by the very low frequency of animal pellets present. It was recommended that a reserve be established on the Mount Anglem area to retain this unique vegetation. Mason Bay is composed almost entirely of a Chionochloa rubra association, in varying stages of modification, due to burning and grazing. It was recommended that all burning cease and that the area be retained as C. rubra grassland.

Vegetation and animal densities were first studied in detail in the northern area of Fiordland National Park by the staff of the Protection Forestry Division of the Forest Research Institute in the 1969-70 summer. During the 1975-76 summer the established plots were remeasured to ascertain if any changes had occurred following the enlarged animal control programme which except for the Murchison Mountains began in most areas in 1970. This report summarises the trends apparent from the comparison of the 2 sets of data.

The composition and watershed condition of the alpine grasslands of Northern Fiordland were recorded at 200 sample points. The vegetation was classified into 12 associations and 16 sub-associations using a combination of Sorensen's ""k"" index of similarity and a multi-linkage cluster analysis. Chionochloa crassiuscula was the most widespread association and was dominant on 60% of the plots. C. teretifolia was found only in the Murchison Mountains and C. acicularis was restricted to the grasslands on and west of the main divide. The influence of deer and wapiti on the alpine grassland was studied. The two factors which determined utilization were the area of alpine grassland compared with the area of forest, and the presence of C. acicularis swards. The area of forest compared with the area of alpine grassland is higher west of the main divide and this has resulted in a more concentrated use of these grasslands. Deer show a low preference for C. acicularis and as this species is restricted to the western grasslands, this has also led to a more concentrated use of the remaining associations on the western side.

This report describes the types of alpine grassland in the Taramakau catchment, their habitats, the structure and composition of the present day swards and their watershed condition.

All the alpine and upper montane grasslands have been strongly or very strongly modified by burning and grazing. The degree of improvement in vegetation cover during the 10 year period is inversely proportional to grazing pressure by domestic stock. The overall assessment of the catchment condition during the 10 year period would be one of improvement in the areas where snowgrass (Chionochloa pallens, C. rigida) is dominant, except for its upper altitudinal zones. Within these snowgrasslands are gullies which have become both deeper and wider during this time contributed a substantial amount of gravel to scree fans and to the bed-load of the rivers. All the fescue grasslands have shown a deterioration in both cover and vigour. The area grazed by noxious animals alone has not shown the same rate of deterioration as that also grazed by the domestic animals. The only hope of improving the fescue grasslands would be by firstly excluding domestic sheep and secondly by reducing the noxious animal population. Without the exclusion of domestic animals from this critical area the only prospects for this fescue grassland is to achieve their full potential for accelerated erosion.

The alpine and upper montane grassland of the Eyre Mountains have been severely modified by burning and grazing. At the time of the initial survey in 1961, most of the alpine grasslands were in poor condition and so severely modified that numerous swards contained only remnant bases of the former physiognomic dominant(s). From a reconnaissance of the area in 1969 it was noted that a substantial recovery in plant vigour had occurred during the intervening years. Much of the lower altitude fescue grassland, particularly in the Mataura and Eyre creek catchments, has undergone pastoral development. This development does not conflict with soil and water conservation objectives although some tributaries of these rivers should be managed for protection rather than for pastoral use. The intensive animal control plan started in 1961 has accounted for the killing of 13,613 noxious animals in the area. Of this number, 60% were killed in the first two years. It is imperative that these control operations be continued or the advantages gained from the past seven years operations will be lost.

A survey of the condition of the forests, scrublands and alpine grasslands of the upper Taramakau catchment, from the headwaters to the Kelly Range, was carried out during January and February 1969. Fifty-nine permanent plots were established in the grassland, and 243 temporary plots and 20 permanent plots in the forests and scrublands. Two major and four minor alpine grasslands associations, one sub-alpine scrub, and seven forest associations were recognised. These are defined by the physiognomic dominant species. The condition and relative susceptibility of each to ground browsing mammals is described. The animal section is based on detailed reports by L.W. Best (report on the 1969 animal distribution within the Taramakau catchment), C.N. Challies (estimation of the condition of deer in the Taramakau Valley) and I.L. James (Opossum damage in the Taramakau catchment). In it, reference is made to the browsing and grazing mammals which exert significant pressure on the quality of the vegetation: red deer, chamois, opossums and hares.