Otari-Wilton's Bush
Encyclopedia
Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve (Otari-Wilton's Bush) is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to New Zealand native plants. It is located in Wellington's suburb of Wilton
.
This unique plant sanctuary and forest reserve consists of 100 hectares of native forest, and five hectares of plant collections. Some of Wellington's oldest trees are here, including an 800-year-old rimu.
Otari–Wilton's Bush is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. It is also one of the Founding Gardens of the Trust.
Otari-Wilton's Bush is owned and managed by Wellington City Council.
Entry is free, and is open daily between sunrise and sunset. The Te Marae o Tane Information Centre is open 8.00am - 4.00pm daily.
Located only 5km from the city centre, at 160 Wilton Road (between Gloucester and Warwick streets).
You can either drive from the city and park at the main public car park is at the Wilton Road entrance, or take the No 14 Wilton bus from Lambton Quay to Otari-Wilton's Bush. Public parking is also available off Churchill Drive.
Wheelchair-friendly paths run from the main carpark to the Information Centre, over the Canopy Walkway, and to Cockayne Lookout. A step-free path runs from the Churchill Drive carpark along the Kaiwharawhara streamside to the Troup Picnic Lawn.
forest. The name “Otari” is Māori
for “Place of Snares”. The forest was a good place for bird hunting. When the region was colonized by Europeans, trees were removed for timber, and to create farmland..
The first part of the reserve to be protected was a 7 hectare area of forest that was fenced off from stock by a far-sighted local farmer, Job Wilton, in 1860.
Many parts of the current Otari-Wilton's Bush reserve have been designated as reserve by the New Zealand government and Wellington City Council.
This includes most of the remnants of the mature podocarpaceae
forest that once cloaked all of Wellington and the surrounding hills.
The forest area holds native trees that are hundreds of years old, like matai
Prumnopitys taxifolia and rimu
Dacrydium cupressinum, as well as tawa
Beilschmiedia tawa, rewarewa Knightia excelsa and kohekohe
Dysoxylum spectabile .
The plant collections that now form the native botanic gardens, were the brainchild of eminent botanist Dr Leonard Cockayne
, who started developing this collections in 1926.
Almost all the plants have been grown from cuttings or seeds collected from their original habitats. The collection has the following roles:
The plant collections were started in 1926 by eminent New Zealand botanist Dr Leonard Cockayne. He aimed to establish a collection of solely New Zealand native plants, displayed in family groups or as re-created ecosystems representing different areas of New Zealand.
The plants are arranged in distinct collections, including an alpine garden, a fernery, hebe and flax cultivars, a large rock garden, grass and sedge species, and a coastal garden.
The reserve holds three picnic areas. Two push-button, electric BBQs are available at the Troup Picnic Lawn. These are free to use. Availability is on a first-in, first-served basis. Be aware that the barbecues get very hot and may still be hot from previous users.
Human settlement has caused many plants to disappear from New Zealand's forests, wetlands and coasts. Major losses are blamed on industries such as agriculture and forestry, and the introduction of animal pests and invasive weeds.
Several New Zealand plants are already extinct and over 180 plants are classified as severely threatened.
The original bush has some very large trees such as rimu and rata, which are estimated to be between 400 - 800 years old. Large conifers (podocarps) such as rimu, totara, miro and matai can be viewed from the Canopy Walkway or the Nature Trail.
About 150 species of flowering plants, conifers and ferns can be found in the forest. Epiphytes or perching plants sit high in the branches of mature trees. Climbing plants, including the New Zealand passionfruit, supplejack, and rata occur throughout the forest. Kohekohe, rewarewa, tawa and mahoe trees dominate the upper slopes and merge with forest remnants of old rimu and matai. In the wetter areas, tall pukatea can be seen with their buttressed roots.
On the high south-facing slopes, scrub is dominated by introduced gorse and Darwin’s barberry with colonising native plants such as mahoe and rangiora.
Native birds include tui, kereru, fantail, silver eye, kingfisher, grey warbler and morepork.
Staff and volunteers have been planting thousands of trees since 2001, in an effort to accelerate the process of forest restoration in and around the scenic reserve. Targets are – among others – to improve the biodiversity and to encourage native birds and insects. Much of the work is done by volunteers associated with the Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust.
The regenerating bush started in the gullies and now covers most of the reserve, working its way up to the tops of the hills on the far side of the valley.
Good walking footwear and appropriate clothing for the weather conditions is recommended. Walking tracks can be slippery after wet weather. The walking times provided are a guide only.
, tui
, kotare
, the kingfisher, New Zealand Fantail
(piwakawaka), riroriro
, the grey warbler, tauhou
, the silvereye and ruru
, the morepork. The reserve holds interesting species of fish
es and amphibian
s. Weta
are also present.
Wilton, New Zealand
Wilton is a small suburb in Wellington. It is best known for Otari-Wilton's Bush, a large reserve that is situated in the suburb. Otari-Wilton's bush is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to native plants. It features 14km of walking tracks and a 'canopy walkway'...
.
Overview
Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve (Otari-Wilton's Bush) is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to New Zealand native plants.This unique plant sanctuary and forest reserve consists of 100 hectares of native forest, and five hectares of plant collections. Some of Wellington's oldest trees are here, including an 800-year-old rimu.
Otari–Wilton's Bush is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. It is also one of the Founding Gardens of the Trust.
Otari-Wilton's Bush is owned and managed by Wellington City Council.
Entry is free, and is open daily between sunrise and sunset. The Te Marae o Tane Information Centre is open 8.00am - 4.00pm daily.
Located only 5km from the city centre, at 160 Wilton Road (between Gloucester and Warwick streets).
You can either drive from the city and park at the main public car park is at the Wilton Road entrance, or take the No 14 Wilton bus from Lambton Quay to Otari-Wilton's Bush. Public parking is also available off Churchill Drive.
Wheelchair-friendly paths run from the main carpark to the Information Centre, over the Canopy Walkway, and to Cockayne Lookout. A step-free path runs from the Churchill Drive carpark along the Kaiwharawhara streamside to the Troup Picnic Lawn.
History
Otari-Wilton's Bush was originally covered with podocarp broadleafPodocarpaceae
Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. It contains 19 genera if Phyllocladus is included and if Manoao and Sundacarpus are recognized....
forest. The name “Otari” is Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
for “Place of Snares”. The forest was a good place for bird hunting. When the region was colonized by Europeans, trees were removed for timber, and to create farmland..
The first part of the reserve to be protected was a 7 hectare area of forest that was fenced off from stock by a far-sighted local farmer, Job Wilton, in 1860.
Many parts of the current Otari-Wilton's Bush reserve have been designated as reserve by the New Zealand government and Wellington City Council.
This includes most of the remnants of the mature podocarpaceae
Podocarpaceae
Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. It contains 19 genera if Phyllocladus is included and if Manoao and Sundacarpus are recognized....
forest that once cloaked all of Wellington and the surrounding hills.
The forest area holds native trees that are hundreds of years old, like matai
Prumnopitys taxifolia
Prumnopitys taxifolia is an endemic New Zealand coniferous tree that grows on the North Island and South Island. It also occurs on Stewart Island/Rakiura but is uncommon there....
Prumnopitys taxifolia and rimu
Dacrydium cupressinum
Dacrydium cupressinum, commonly known as rimu, is a large evergreen coniferous tree endemic to the forests of New Zealand. It is a member of the southern conifer group, the podocarps. The former name "red pine" has fallen out of common use....
Dacrydium cupressinum, as well as tawa
Tawa (tree)
The Tawa tree is a New Zealand broadleaf tree common in the central parts of the country. Tawa is often the dominant canopy species in lowland forests in the North Island and the north east of the South Island, but will also often form the subcanopy in primary forests throughout the country in...
Beilschmiedia tawa, rewarewa Knightia excelsa and kohekohe
Kohekohe
Kohekohe is a medium-sized tree native to New Zealand. It is found in lowland and coastal forests throughout most of North Island and also occurs in the Marlborough Sounds in the north of the South Island. Mature trees grow up to 15m in height, with a trunk up to a metre in diameter...
Dysoxylum spectabile .
The plant collections that now form the native botanic gardens, were the brainchild of eminent botanist Dr Leonard Cockayne
Leonard Cockayne
Leonard Cockayne FRS is regarded as New Zealand's greatest botanist and a founder of modern science in New Zealand.-Biography:He was born in Sheffield, England where he attended Wesley College...
, who started developing this collections in 1926.
Native Botanic Gardens
The Otari-Wilton's Bush plant collections contain about 1,200 species, hybrids and cultivars. The collections include plants from New Zealand's mainland and off-shore islands.Almost all the plants have been grown from cuttings or seeds collected from their original habitats. The collection has the following roles:
- Conservation: Seedlings of threatened species are raised and either kept in the gardens as a conservation measure, or returned to the wild in plant conservation recovery programmes.
- Research: Scientists use the plant collections for studying plant ecology, economic potential, and classification.
- Education: Plants are labelled to help visitors learn about their names and characteristics.
- Recreation: Otari-Wilton's Bush is a great place for locals and tourists to escape urban life and appreciate New Zealand's unique flora.
The plant collections were started in 1926 by eminent New Zealand botanist Dr Leonard Cockayne. He aimed to establish a collection of solely New Zealand native plants, displayed in family groups or as re-created ecosystems representing different areas of New Zealand.
The plants are arranged in distinct collections, including an alpine garden, a fernery, hebe and flax cultivars, a large rock garden, grass and sedge species, and a coastal garden.
Attractions
The Information Centre, “Te Marae o Tane” provides information about New Zealand's flora (and fauna), and provides further information on Otari – Wilton's Bush as well. The Information Centre – Te Marae O Tane – is open 8am–4pm daily and contains displays, information and seating for visiting groups. The small lecture room can be booked for horticultural and educational purposes.Canopy Walkway
A 75 metre-long canopy walkway, beginning at the Information Centre Te Marae o Tane. 18 metres above the forest floor, it links the two main garden areas. Wheelchair friendly. 5 minutes.The reserve holds three picnic areas. Two push-button, electric BBQs are available at the Troup Picnic Lawn. These are free to use. Availability is on a first-in, first-served basis. Be aware that the barbecues get very hot and may still be hot from previous users.
Conservation
In the Native Botanic Gardens are many New Zealand plants that are threatend in the wild. Some of these are raised and either kept in the gardens as a conservation measure, or returned to the wild in plant conservation recovery programmes.Human settlement has caused many plants to disappear from New Zealand's forests, wetlands and coasts. Major losses are blamed on industries such as agriculture and forestry, and the introduction of animal pests and invasive weeds.
Several New Zealand plants are already extinct and over 180 plants are classified as severely threatened.
Forest Reserve and Restoration
There are 100 hectares of forest made up of original and regenerating podocarp broadleaf forest. It includes a stand of original bush, 17 acres set aside by Job Wilton in 1860, and a much larger area of regenerating bush.The original bush has some very large trees such as rimu and rata, which are estimated to be between 400 - 800 years old. Large conifers (podocarps) such as rimu, totara, miro and matai can be viewed from the Canopy Walkway or the Nature Trail.
About 150 species of flowering plants, conifers and ferns can be found in the forest. Epiphytes or perching plants sit high in the branches of mature trees. Climbing plants, including the New Zealand passionfruit, supplejack, and rata occur throughout the forest. Kohekohe, rewarewa, tawa and mahoe trees dominate the upper slopes and merge with forest remnants of old rimu and matai. In the wetter areas, tall pukatea can be seen with their buttressed roots.
On the high south-facing slopes, scrub is dominated by introduced gorse and Darwin’s barberry with colonising native plants such as mahoe and rangiora.
Native birds include tui, kereru, fantail, silver eye, kingfisher, grey warbler and morepork.
Staff and volunteers have been planting thousands of trees since 2001, in an effort to accelerate the process of forest restoration in and around the scenic reserve. Targets are – among others – to improve the biodiversity and to encourage native birds and insects. Much of the work is done by volunteers associated with the Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust.
The regenerating bush started in the gullies and now covers most of the reserve, working its way up to the tops of the hills on the far side of the valley.
Forest trails and walking tracks
There are walks and trails within the forest and gardens to suit a range of ages and abilities.Good walking footwear and appropriate clothing for the weather conditions is recommended. Walking tracks can be slippery after wet weather. The walking times provided are a guide only.
- Circular Walk - a walk through gardens and forest. Some steps, and steep in places. 30 minutes return from the Information Centre.
- Nature Trail - a self-guiding walk with a pamphlet through gardens and forest. Pamphlets are available at the Information Centre at the start of the Canopy Walkway. Some steps and steep in places. 30–40 minutes return from the Information Centre.
- Blue Trail - forest trail through dense kohekohe forest. Features an 800-year-old rimu. The track is steep in places with some steps. Good walking footwear required. One hour and thirty minutes return from the Information Centre.
- Red Trail - forest trail through tawa-dominated forest. Challenging with some steps and steep in places. Good walking footwear required. 1 hour return from the Information Centre.
- Yellow Trail - a forest trail through the steep-sided Bledisloe Gorge. Challenging with some steps and steep in places. Good walking footwear required. 1 hour return from the Information Centre.
- Kaiwharawhara Trail - a gentle walk through regenerating forest along the Kaiwharawhara Stream from the Troup Picnic area to Ian Galloway Park. 30 minutes return from the Troup Picnic area.
- Skyline Loop Track - access to the western hills Skyline Walkway; from the Flax Clearing via the Red or Yellow Trails, or via the Blue Trail. Challenging with some steps and steep in places. Good walking footwear required. Two and a half hours return, from the Information Centre.
Fauna
Birds seen (and/or heard) at Otari – Wilton's Bush include kererūKereru
The New Zealand Pigeon or kererū is a bird endemic to New Zealand. Māori call it Kererū in most of the country but kūkupa and kūkū in some parts of the North Island, particularly in Northland...
, tui
Tui (bird)
The tui is an endemic passerine bird of New Zealand. It is one of the largest members of the diverse honeyeater family....
, kotare
Sacred Kingfisher
The Sacred Kingfisher is primarily a woodland kingfisher that occurs in mangroves, woodlands, forests, and river valleys of Australia, Lord Howe Is., Norfolk Is., New Guinea, N...
, the kingfisher, New Zealand Fantail
New Zealand Fantail
The New Zealand Fantail is a small insectivorous bird. A common fantail found in the South Island of New Zealand, also in the North Island as subspecies Rhipidura fuliginosa placabilis, the Chatham Islands as Rhipidura fuliginosa penita and formerly the Lord Howe Island as Rhipidura fuliginosa...
(piwakawaka), riroriro
Grey Warbler
The Grey Gerygone , more commonly known in New Zealand as the Grey Warbler or Riroriro, is a species of insectivorous bird in the Acanthizidae family endemic to New Zealand.Its natural habitat is temperate forests....
, the grey warbler, tauhou
Silvereye
The Silvereye or Wax-eye is a very small passerine bird native to Australia, New Zealand and the south-west Pacific islands of Lord Howe, New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji...
, the silvereye and ruru
Southern Boobook
The Southern Boobook , also called the Mopoke, Morepork, Ruru or Tasmanian Spotted Owl, is a small brown owl found throughout New Zealand, Tasmania, across most of mainland Australia and in Timor, southern New Guinea and nearby islands.The bird has almost 20 alternative common names, most of which...
, the morepork. The reserve holds interesting species of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
es and amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s. Weta
Weta
Weta is the name given to about 70 insect species endemic to New Zealand. There are many similar species around the world, though most are in the southern hemisphere. The name comes from the Māori word 'wētā' and is the same in the plural...
are also present.
Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust
Although owned and managed by the Wellington City Council, the Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust has been contributing significantly to the organisation via education programmes, marketing initiatives and hands on volunteering. For more information about the Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust ring the Curator/Manager on 04 475 3245.External links
- official webpage about Otari - Wilton's Bush
- extensive website about Otari – Wilton's Bush
- trail maps for Wilton's Bush and surrounds (courtesy of Open Street Maps)