The Te Toki/Okhuiti Reserve located between Ostend and Surfdale on Waiheke Island is around 8 hectares and consists of open parkland fringed by mature forest and wetland. It enjoys Scientific and Scenic Reserve status and is a stunningly beautiful place to visit. It is a unique coastal environment where distinctive ecotone sequences are clearly visible, from broadleaf podocarp forest, through to freshwater wetland, salt-water wetland and finally mangroves. These designated areas consist of:
- Forests of mamangi, kanuka and manuka dominant trees, healthy stands of broadleaf/podocarp forest and several majestic pohutukawa trees near the highest point of the reserve. Because there are no possums on the island, palatable trees such as kohekohe are flourishing.
- Broadleaf forest with stands of kohekohe, taraire, karaka, nikau, puriri and porokaiwhiri, with scattered podocarp trees such as totara, miro, matai and kahikatea. These area also contain some rare native plant species.
- The Okahuiti Wetland included as part of the reserve, has several locations of different wetland ecotones, namely freshwater wetland, salt marsh and mangrove.
The reserve was previously leased and farmed by longtime Waiheke farmer John McGregor who used it to run cattle and sheep before it was bought by the former Auckland Council in 1992 and became part of the greenbelt between built up residential areas of Waiheke. In 1998, 8 hectares were designated as a scenic reserve and in 2007 the Friends of Te Toki Reserve and Okahuiti Wetland was formed as a result of a public meeting organised by the Waiheke Island Wetlands Initiative (WIWI) and Auckland City Council.
The short-term objective for the Reserve is weed control, continued planting of eco sourced natives, the maintenance of previous plantings and the caretaking of spaces for public use. The long-term objective is to protect this fragile coastal ecosystem, and to enhance its biodiversity in order to provide ongoing opportunities for recreation and education and to encourage community involvement.
The Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust has acted as an umbrella organisation to oversee the use of ongoing annual funding for the Friends of Te Toki group through Foundation North. In addition to this, ongoing assistance is provided from the Auckland council with things such as support and planning, mulch deliveries, and with grants for purchasing native trees. This assistance has enabled extensive annual community plantings, as well as weed control throughout the wetland areas, bush margins and grassland areas. A recent grant from Healthy Waters has enabled the reserve’s car park fencing to be moved to create more parking spaces thus providing safer room for maneuvering when cars exit onto the road. In addition they have provided funds to purchase specimen trees to enhance the entrance area.
The Reserve is extremely well utilised by the community as evidenced by the frequently full car park. It is constantly in use and in a myriad of ways. Locals fondly refer to the reserve as ‘The Dog Park’ due to its daily use by so many members of the dog-walking community. Dogs can run freely through the grass trails at any time of day without restriction which can serve as welcome relief with often limited beach hours for dogs in summer months. The physical beauty of the park with its re-vegetated forest and natural grasslands along with stunning vistas, attracts walkers and runners alike – both island-based residents and visitors to the island. In addition, the pathway through the reserve serves as an official part of the Te Ara Hura trail which circuits the island.
With a relatively small number of older native trees, new plantings are extending both the variety and number of native flora. Increasingly, a range of native birds are in residence including numerous kereru, and kaka. The grassland area is enhanced as a result of weed control.
The ‘Friends of Te Toki’ group continues to engage wider community interest in the ongoing preservation and development of the reserve. They have plans to develop signage relating to the park’s history, including Maori land use and information on the extensive native flora and fauna. This is an attempt to inform and educate park visitors, as well as to attract educational groups to visit. In order to make the various tracks throughout the reserve more accessible year round for visitors, particularly in the wetter months, discussion is underway relating to enhancing the quality and safety of the tracks.
Be Involved
Should you wish to become involved as a volunteer at Te Toki Reserve or to contribute funds towards the restoration of this important project, please contact
Jan Welsh janmwelsh@gmail.com