Media Release
For general release 27th Dec ‘01

Ancient forest saved from bulldozers

Those who love the wild Waitakere Ranges will be able to sleep a little easier over Christmas.

The Waitakere Ranges Protection Society is delighted to have purchased a unique block of ancient forest for the Regional Park, removing it from private ownership and potential development, as well as protecting public access to existing reserve. The unique and vulnerable bush was purchased with donations, reserve funds and a loan. Donations are needed to repay the loan and can be sent to the Spragg Bush Fund, Waitakere Ranges Protection Society at PO Box 15 668, New Lynn.

Spragg’s Bush is native cloud forest, inhabited by rare frogs and geckos, some only occurring in the Waitakere Ranges, as well as a multitude of fragile and endangered plant life, which thrive in the damp conditions. These include 63 species of moss, 50 species of liverwort, 4 species of tree fern, huge old kauri, superb podocarps, rata, tawari and maire.

Wesley Spragg, a migrant to New Zealand in 1864, purchased the land in 1910 and, whilst he donated some of the forest to Auckland City as a reserve in 1924, the remainder has stayed in private ownership. Now, 77 years later, through the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society, with the support of Wesley’s great-granddaughter Jessica Beaver, the conservation work has been continued.

More can be found about Spragg’s Bush and the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society at www.waitakereranges.org.nz or please contact John Edgar, President, on 09 8128 555.

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