ARATU FORESTS LTD Kākābeak

Kākābeak (Ngutukākā)

The kākābeak (Ngutukākā) is a highly threatened plant species that is endemic to New Zealand. There are two Ngutukākā enclosures in Whareongaonga, as well as two wild plants that have been identified previously in Kopua and Te Marunga forests. The first enclosure in Whareongaonga Forest was planted with 16 Ngutukākā in 2022, more recently the second enclosure in Whareongaonga was planted with 12 Ngutukākā.

AFL work closely alongside the Department of Conservation to provide a safe environment for the Ngutukākā, this ensures they are free from known threats such as deer, goats, pigs, hares and introduced plant species such as Mexican Daisy, gorse and Buddleia which compete for habitat.

Historically, the first Ngutukākā discovery was an individual plant identified in the early 90’s within a Protected Management Area (PMA) in Kopua Forest. Furthermore, the second Ngutukākā site of three plants was discovered on an exposed rock face in Te Marunga Forest. Until this discovery, the Ngutukākā had been absent from this part of the Gisborne region since Cyclone Bola in 1988. Through the implementation of an ongoing monitoring programme, it was discovered that both these populations had been damaged during a storm in early 2018. With both sites, AFL are in the process of identifying sprouting Ngutukākā within the surrounding soil, which can take up to three years.

In early 2024, AFL built a Ngutukākā enclosure in Waimanu forest that is to be planted in early 2025.