Bushy Park (New Zealand)

In 1880, an area of inland from Kai Iwi was sold by a Māori chief, Uru Te Angina to James Moore for £483. Moore established a large farm on the estate and his son Frank Moore became known as a breeder of cattle and horses. However, a remnant of native lowland forest was preserved, and this is now the Bushy Park Tarapuruhi reserve. The forest reserve and the homestead, built for Frank Moore in 1906, were bequeathed to the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand by Moore upon his death in 1962. Between 1981 and 1984, the national Forest & Bird organisation debated the economic viability of continued involvement in the Bushy Park homestead and grounds. However, in 1985, the Forest & Bird Council confirmed that they would continue to own the homestead and promote its use. In 1988, a bunkhouse was constructed behind the homestead, adjacent to the stables, to provide additional accommodation on site. In 1994, the homestead and grounds were transferred to the Bushy Park Homestead and Forest Trust, later renamed as the Bushy Park Trust. Responsibility for managing the homestead and grounds was transferred to the members of the trust in 1995. A pest-exclusion fence around the reserve was completed in May 2005, The sanctuary was declared predator-free in 2006 and is now a mainland island (or ecological island). A secondary predator fence was subsequently constructed to enclose approximately of open space and wetlands surrounding the homestead, as a defence against rats and mice that could enter in vehicles visiting the homestead and adjacent buildings. The opening of Bushy Park's kiwi crèche in 2005 was marked by the arrival of a female kiwi chick from the Waimarino Forest. In 2009, Bushy Park was judged as being one of the top 25 ecological restoration projects in Australasia. In 2014, there was an incursion of rats into the sanctuary. The Bushy Park trust mobilised volunteers to assist with predator control to eliminate the rats, but also announced their intention to seek funding for a paid full-time staff. The forest reserve and homestead were renamed Bushy Park Tarapuruhi in 2019. The meaning of in the Māori language is "place of abundant bird life". In 2020, work began to extend the forest reserve by retiring a paddock that had been leased out for grazing, and restoring it with plants sourced from within the reserve. In 2022, a further project commenced to revegetate an area of of paddock within the sanctuary boundary. The project was expected to take between three and five years, and required the expansion of the sanctuary's plant nursery and shadehouses. In 2023, Bushy Park Tarapuruhi was chosen as one of three venues for a national celebration of the centenary of the founding of the Forest & Bird Protection Society. In 2025, a tree fell over the pest exclusion fence in a storm, and evidence was found of rat incursion into the sanctuary. An emergency response was mobilised to trap any predators that had entered the sanctuary. == Management ==

The title to the forest reserve and bird sanctuary has been retained by Forest & Bird, but the sanctuary area is leased to the Bushy Park Trust. Management of the reserve is via a partnership between the Bushy Park Trust, Forest & Bird and the local iwi Ngā Rauru Kītahi. , Forest & Bird pays the salary of sanctuary manager, and volunteers donate 500–600 hours per month working in the reserve. Volunteers undertake regular checks of the pest-exclusion fence, maintain tracks and manage weeds in the reserve. Other volunteer work includes raising plants in the on-site nursery. Pest animal control is also undertaken in an area of surrounding the sanctuary fence. This is known as the Bushy Park Tarapuruhi halo project and is funded by a Department of Conservation Community Fund and Horizons Regional Council. The project seeks to improve the chances of survival of birds that move outside the boundaries of the sanctuary. The Bushy Park Festival, an annual event on the Sunday of Wellington Anniversary weekend, has been a major fundraising event for the trust. the sanctuary has free entry. ==Flora==

The reserve is a remnant of temperate lowland forest and is surrounded by pasture land. The upper canopy in the reserve consists of trees such as northern rātā, mataī, miro, kahikatea, tōtara, rimu, hīnau, tawa, and pukatea. The large number of pukatea is a particular feature of the reserve. The canopy trees support a wide range of ephiphytes including astelia, ferns and orchids, along with climbing plants such as rātā, clematis, New Zealand passionfruit and supplejack. The sub-canopy of the forest includes nīkau palms and tree ferns such as mamaku, along with tarata, kohukohu, tīkoki and rewarewa. Surveys of the flora in the reserve have identified around 160 native species. This is a smaller species count than might be found in other comparable forest remnants. A possible explanation is that there was some stock grazing within the forest until it was fully fenced in 1951. Prior to the elimination of rats and possums in 2005, browsing by possoms had caused severe damage to northern rātā and depletion of species such as wineberry and tree fuchsia. However, the health of the forest has since recovered. There had been minimal logging in the forest. == Fauna ==

Common native bird species that may be found in the reserve include kererū, bellbird () and tūī, as well as the fantail (), grey warbler (), silvereye () and pūkeko. Avian predators such as the New Zealand falcon () and the white-faced heron () can also be seen. Some endemic bird species have been translocated into the reserve to assist with increasing their distribution and total population. North Island robin () were introduced to the sanctuary in 2000, with an initial population of 28 birds. An additional 12 females and six males were added in 2004. By 2019, the population was estimated at 600 birds. The increase in the population of North Island robins has been associated with decreases in the occurrence of grey warbler, silvereye and fantail. Tomits have remained at only low numbers in the reserve. A possible explanation is that these species are unable to compete successfully with the introduced birds. North Island saddleback () from Mokoia Island were introduced in 2006, starting with 34 birds. By 2016, the population had increased to more than 400. The populations of North Island robin and saddleback in the Bushy Park reserve have increased to the extent that relocations to other sanctuary areas have been undertaken. In 2014, 40 North Island saddleback were translocated from Bushy Park to the Lake Rotokare fenced sanctuary in Taranaki. In 2017, 40 North Island robins were translocated from Bushy Park to Lake Rotokare. A further 40 North Island robins were translocated in 2021 from Bushy Park to the Turitea Reserve in Palmerston North. The endemic stitchbird () has a conservation status of 'nationally vulnerable'. Fifty birds were introduced to the sanctuary in 2013. In May 2022, a flock of 52 whiteheads () was translocated from Waitahinga Reserve to Bushy Park. In April 2023, around 60 rifleman () were translocated from to Bushy Park in an arrangement facilitated by the local hapū of Taranaki Maunga. File:Male Stitchbird (Hihi) (51584065005) (cropped).jpg|Male stitchbird (hihi) File:North Island Robin - Toutouwai (51694681967) (cropped).jpg|North Island robin (toutouwai) File:Tieke - North Island Saddleback (51592857823) (cropped).jpg|North Island saddleback (tīeke) File:NZ Fantail - Piwakawaka (High ISO) (52094671533) (cropped).jpg|New Zealand fantail (pīwakawaka) File:Kereru at Bushy Park.jpg|Kererū Giraffe weevils, glowworms, and huhu beetles are also found in Bushy Park. == Homestead ==

The reserve includes a 22-room Edwardian-era homestead built in 1906 that is registered as a Category 1 historic place with Heritage New Zealand. The Bushy Park Trust leases the homestead to proprietors to operate a business, offering accommodation and a venue for events. == Visitor centre ==

A visitor centre was opened in 2019. It was constructed in former stables behind the homestead, and includes an interpretation centre, a space for exhibiting historic items, and toilet facilities. The heritage displays in the visitor centre include a horse tack room with equipment used in bridling horses, and the quarters for the groom. It also includes the generator that powered the homestead before the arrival of mains electricity. Other facilities for visitors include a network of ten paths through the forest reserve. == Education ==

The Bushy Park Tarapuruhi Trust provides education programmes at the sanctuary for school children and other groups. These programmes began in 2001, and are supported by volunteer educators working in collaboration with educators from Whanganui Regional Museum and the Sarjeant Gallery, and rangers from the Department of Conservation. An outdoor classroom is located adjacent to the former stables behind the homestead. The classroom, named , was opened in 2017 and seats 60–80 under waterproof shade covers. The reserve includes a wetland area that has been developed as an educational resource. The wetland has boardwalks, jetties and a 60-seat covered amphitheatre. The development of the wetland area was funded and constructed by community volunteers. The educational activities offered include studies of the biodiversity and ecology in the sanctuary, walks through the sanctuary, art and camping. Around 2,000 students visit the sanctuary each year. ==Citations==