McLeans Grassland Reserve is a regionally significant dryland ecosystem, located directly west of the Christchurch International Airport. It is one of the largest undeveloped areas remaining on the Canterbury Plains and it provides habitats for multiple rare and threatened species.
It is part of the historic floodplain from the Waimakariri River, prior to widespread agricultural development that has occurred almost entirely across the Plains.
Spanning approximately 158 hectares, McLeans Grassland is home to many rare plants, invertebrates (such as butterflies) and birds that are threatened with extinction. This includes being a popular nesting area for the nationally vulnerable Pohowera / Banded Dotterel.
Other threatened bird species that use the grassland habitat are the Pīhoihoi / Pipit, Tarapirohe / Black-fronted Tern and the Tōrea / South Island Pied oyster catcher.
McLeans Grassland is also home to several lizard species including, the Canterbury spotted skink, the southern grass skink and the Canterbury / Waitaha gecko.
McLeans Grassland Reserve is also part of the Waimakariri Braids section of the 360 Trail.
What do we want to achieve with this reserve management plan?
1. To effectively safeguard and conserve the diverse range of indigenous biodiversity within the Reserve.
2. To enhance the resilience of at-risk and locally rare species found in the reserve.
3. To promote ecological restoration and regeneration of depleted shrublands and tussock grasslands.
4. To improve ecological functioning by establishing seed sources and facilitating natural recruitment.
5. To protect and enhance landscape values through the maintenance of unbuilt 'open space'.
6. To mitigate threats to biodiversity from public use and edge effects from adjoining land use.
7. To improve understanding of indigenous biodiversity in the Reserve.
8. To re-introduce locally extinct species, where appropriate.
9. To inform reserve visitors of the importance of the Reserve and sensitive habitat areas, ensuring appropriate behaviour in these areas.
1. To maintain compatibility between recreational use of the Reserve and its ecological, biodiversity, and landscape values.
2. To preserve and enhance unbuilt open space within the Reserve for low-intensity, passive recreation.
1. To ensure that all individuals, clubs, and organizations with regular ongoing use of the reserve, excluding commercial activities, have agreements in place that are compatible with the reserve's ecological, biodiversity, and landscape values.
2. To ensure that any activities conducted within the Reserve are in harmony with ecological, biodiversity, and landscape values, while enhancing the enjoyment and experience of visitors.
1. To ensure consistent gazetting of all land parcels forming the reserve as Scenic Reserve.
2. To seize opportunities to expand the size of the Reserve, recognizing the ecological benefits of larger and more compactly shaped reserves.
3. To acquire land that enhances habitat representation, ecological connectivity, and provides valuable opportunities for the restoration of indigenous biodiversity.
1. To promote passive recreation within the Reserve, allowing visitors to enjoy nature and open space.
2. To maintain the Reserve, free from the construction of tracks and roads.
3. To remove unformed legal roads and obsolete access agreements within the Reserve.
4. To ensure adequate access for visitors to the Reserve.
5. To provide sufficient car parking facilities to accommodate Reserve usage.
1. To avoid any public safety risks from fire.
2. To avoid the loss of indigenous vegetation, habitat, and fauna because of fire damage.
1. To protect and preserve the ecological, open space, and amenity values of the Reserve by preventing the damaging construction and removing obsolete construction.
2. To allow for temporary structures that are necessary for reserve management purposes and align with ecological, biodiversity, and landscape values.
3. To ensure that the design and scale of necessary structures within the Reserve are appropriate and harmonious with the surrounding environment.
Issues and challenges we need to consider
Restoration planting
Restoration planting plays an important role in reintroducing key species that have been lost or greatly reduced. However, it’s important to ensure that restoration planting fits in with the environment’s natural patterns.
The McLeans Grassland Reserve is a challenging site to undertake restoration planting, owing to the harsh conditions. Initially, planting efforts will be on a small scale to assess effectiveness, leading to wider planting areas over time. It’s important to approach planting with sensitivity and to adhere to best practices for dryland ecosystems, minimising potential damage to other existing values and increasing the chances of survival for new plantings in harsh environments.
Weed and pest control
Controlling weeds and animal pests is crucial to prevent further ecological damage within the reserve. Woody weeds, particularly gorse and broom, pose a significant threat to the native plant communities and should be prioritised for management. The goal should be the eradication of woody weeds from the reserve.
Animal pests, particularly rabbits and hares, pose a threat to the reserve’s native vegetation. Predator trapping should be undertaken to protect nesting birds especially.
Research
Dryland ecosystems are one of the least understood ecosystems in New Zealand. The lack of understanding of key ecological processes necessary for recovery and natural functioning remains a major roadblock to their management.
Opportunities for the future
Environment Canterbury land
To the west of the reserve is land owned by Environment Canterbury (ECan), which naturally extends the floodplain the reserve sits on. While a significant part of ECan’s land lies outside the city boundary, it forms an integral part of the overall dryland ecosystem. The combined area holds greater ecological value than any individual part.
It’s crucial to prioritise the preservation and enhancement of dryland values across the combined ECan and Christchurch City Council floodplain. Efforts should be made to improve the ecological connections between the lands by reacquiring leases whenever possible and aligning land uses with restoration objectives.
Airport land
The eastern section of the Reserve, which borders Pound Road, is owned by the airport. This land is an essential part of the broader dryland ecosystem, supporting the same plant communities and species. Since it’s unfenced and next to Council-owned land, it gets managed in a similar way to the reserve.
It’s crucial that Airport staff are fully aware of the significant ecological values of this area and share an understanding of proper management practices. It is important to ensure that both areas are managed consistently as one ecosystem. Proper protection of the airport land is a priority.
Quarrying
Quarrying operations dominate the neighbouring land next to the reserve, particularly along the northern boundary. Whilebunds separate the quarries from the reserve, it doesn’t stop the dust entering the reserve, which can have adverse effects on native vegetation.
Planting native species such as kanuka on the bunds. would greatly enhance their effectiveness as buffer zones. Kanuka could also serve as a source of seeds for natural spreading within the reserve.
