Friends of Rangikapiti Reserve

07/09/2026

Spring is here and outside activities are beckoning!
Would you like to enjoy the feel of warm sunshine on your back with the sound of the sea and sweet birdsong in your ears? All of this to a bit of a workout with a valuable purpose?
This is awaiting you in Rangikapiti Reserve every Wednesday morning when you join the small group of friendly volunteers who work in the forest for 3 hours to take out the pest plants which are threatening the forest regeneration. You are welcome to come regularly or whenever you are resident in the Bay.
Tools, hi-viz vest and training are provided, as is a delicious morning tea, good conversation and friendship.
For more information, email us at [email protected] or phone Sue on 027 416 5816

05/09/2026

Spring is here, lots of flowers coming out in the bush on the reserve.

22/07/2026

We've had sightings of the Japanese wax tree also known as Rhus in the Mangōnui and Coopers Beach areas. One has "jumped the fence" from a garden to the Rangikapiti Reserve and we are in the process of carefully eradicating it.

Why? Because it is highly poisonous in all its parts. Rhus trees (from the family Toxicadendron) contains a poison that causes severe skin reactions. Some people may react from standing under or near a rhus tree. Touching the plant, sap or resin will cause painful reactions including: severe dermatitis with a rash, redness, severe itching and blisters.

Ideally we would like to see Rhus trees disappear from our area. They produce clusters of brown fruit that contain large numbers of seeds, which are primarily bird or gravity-dispersed, though also easily relocated by human movement of soil. The seed remains viable for many years, and will germinate readily, with seedlings usually found near the parent tree. The tree may also reproduce vegetatively by suckering.

If you have one in your garden, the best way to eradicate it is to wear protective clothes, gloves and eye protection and drill and poison the tree trunk with neat glyphosate ( 1–2 mL per cut. A 12ml drill bit as a minimum is recommended(, Tree felling is NOT recommended as the toxic sap is then uncontained within the tree.

If you see a Rhus tree in a natural environment, contact Northland District Council (NRC) biosecurity department toll free 0800 002 004 or email [email protected].

For any further information, visit NRC's website https://www.nrc.govt.nz/environment/w**d-and-pest-control/pest-control-hub/plant/rhus-tree/

14/07/2026

Yes, they're here again! Come and join us at one of these excellent sessions to assist your w**d busting skills.

23/06/2026

Weeding cancelled tomorrow due to rubbish weather forecast. Meet at Remarkables at 10.00 am

06/06/2026

A couple of young tui showing off at dusk. There were at least 8 competing for the treetops on the road into the reserve.

06/04/2026

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What’s fruiting and flowering in April?

Climate change is shifting when plants flower and fruit by altering temperature, rainfall, and seasonal patterns. When these timings fall out of sync with pollinators and fruit-eating animals, it can disrupt ecosystems and create ripple effects.

For example, migratory birds may miss key fruiting periods they rely on for energy, while the plants they pollinate may also be affected. These kinds of changes are already being observed globally, with some species flowering earlier than they used to.

Tracking plant phenology (the timing of flowering and fruiting) helps us understand these changes. You can contribute to the NZ Plant Phenology project on iNaturalist NZ by uploading photos of plants in your garden or local reserve and recording their stage.

This April, look out for native podocarps like miro and tōtara, along with fruits from taraire, coprosma, and tūrutu.

Flowering: raupeka/Easter orchid (Earina autumnalis), pūriri (Vitex lucens), nīkau (Rhopalostylis sapida), kohekohe (Didymocheton spectabilis)

Fruiting: miro (Pectinopitys ferruginea), tōtara (Podocarpus totara), kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), taraire (Beilschmiedia tarairi), karamū (Coprosma spp.), karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), tūrutu (Dianella nigra)

Miro photo credit: Jeremy R. Rolfe, 2006 (CC BY)

28/03/2026

At the Mangonui Festval. Volunteers needed!

09/02/2026

Coming up.....