Mill Flat field trip
Introduction
The Pine Valley/Mill Flat area is ideal for groups wanting to study the freshwater and forest environments and to learn about a forest ecosystem and conservation techniques.About this resource
The Pine Valley/Mill Flat area is easily accessible, encompasses several different habitats and has quality accommodation facilities nearby.
This site is ideal for groups wanting to study the freshwater and forest environments and to learn about a forest ecosystem and conservation techniques.
This guide is to be used in conjunction with our protecting your environment resources and other websites as indicated. While it has been developed with Mill Flat in mind, it will be useful for any field trip to a green space.
Exploring your local environment resources
These resources can be used to support teaching and learning through sequenced topics. Here are some suggestions on how to use these resources, and which activities are most relevant to Mill Flat.
To increase the learning opportunities at Mill Flat, consider running some in-school enquiry activities to allow some comparison for example, between a green space in an urban setting and one on public conservation land.
Conservation doesn't just happen on public conservation land. What conservation initiatives are underway local? How can we improve the health of our local green space?
Using the 'In your loval environment' resources students can:
- connect with their local environment
- explore green spaces in their school and local environment
- experience native birds, plants and invertebrates in their green space
- investigate animal and plant pests and lean about how they affect native species
- understand how plants, birds, invertebrates and other native and endemic animals are connected and make up a healthy ecosystem
- contribute to enhancing biodiversity in a green space.
Actions at Mill Flat
The following headings indicate the titles of the DOC green space resources available. Some examples, of actions that are applicable to a Mill Flat field trip have been extracted and listed below.
- Understanding biodiversity of a greenspace – potential to compare health of forest green space with that of school/local green space.
- Plant species – food & habitat
- Native birds – influence of pests
- Birds & lizards – seed dispersal
- Invertebrates – indicate the health of a green space
- Engaging the senses (page 9)
- Nature hunt for living things (page 10)
Experiencing birds in your green space
- Bird survey (page 11). This may be harder to do in the bush environment if students are hearing rather than seeing the birds, and are not confident identifying birds by call.
Experiencing invertebrates in your green space
- Grouping invertebrates (page 11)
- Life cycles of invertebrates (page 14)
- Leaf litter investigation (page 16)
The stream study at Mill Flat compliments this module with the introduction to freshwater invertebrates.
Investigating animal pests in your green space
- Finding evidence of animal pests (page 7)
- Investigate animal pests when overnighting at the Pine Valley Outdoor Education Camp (page 11). Potential to set up tracking tunnels at the outdoor camp.
Investigating plant pests in your green space
- Noticing leaves and weeds (page 7)
(Mill Flat offers a good transition from pine forestry to native – demonstrating exotics/weeds and natives).
Getting there
From State Highway 6 northwest of Renwick follow Northbank Road for approximately 22.5km to the gravel Pine Valley Road. Follow this road through farm and forestry areas to the car park before the stream ford. If wishing to proceed to the camp site by vehicle four wheel drive is recommended. If entering by foot from the car park it is a 10 minute walk along the track to the swing bridge to cross the Pine Valley Stream to the recreation area.
Facilities
- Accommodation at the Pine Valley Outdoor Centre.
- Sleeping facilities for up to 60 people
- A fully equipped kitchen with seating to cater for 60 people
- Modern toilets and hot water showers
- Outdoor BBQ area
- Open spaces for games
- Adventure playground, confidence course, waterslide
- All equipment to undertake activities in the forest and stream using the Green Spaces resources/Living Landscape kit.
- Ample parking for cars at Mill Flat carpark (20 minute walk further to Mill Flat campsite), or access directly to Mill Flat over Pine Valley Stream by 4WD.
- Picnic and camping areas at Mill Flat
- Long drop toilets at Mill Flat
Hazards
Refer to the Health and Safety considerations in the outdoors (Page 8) section in the Exploring Your Local Environment resource.
Hazards specific to Mill Flat include:
- The stream is reasonably fast flowing, is quite bouldery and may be slippery. It can flood in high rain fall.
- Tracks are an uneven walking surface.
- There are wasps in the reserve numbers of these can be high January to April. There may be a poison control programme using bait stations over this time.
- There are several walks that start from Mill Flat that are managed by DOC. The 10 minute "Mill Flat Walk" is an easy loop track. Other tracks in the area are the waterfall walk (short walk) and the more demanding Mt Fishtail track (5 hrs one way).
Pre-trip planning
- Download the Green Spaces Resource you intend to use on your trip.
- Read carefully through the instructions.
- Ensure you download and print off the relevant forms and instructions – these will not be available on site.
- There will be a list of equipment listed in Appendix 1 that you should bring and a list that is provided your use and is on site.
- Book your camping areas directly with the Pine Valley Outdoor Centre +64 3 572 2501.
During your trip
It is your responsibility to tidy up the equipment. When you leave, make sure all equipment is left in a clean and dry state in the bin, so the next group can use it and have a quality experience.
Notify DOC Renwick office at Renwick@doc.govt.nz if any gear needs to be replaced.
Equipment available
- Bird ID Field Guide
- Recording Sheet
- Insect ID Field Guide
- Magnifying glass
- Plastic tray
- Viewing jar
- Plant ID Field Guide
Values of Mill Flat
History
This site in Pine Valley was known as Mill Flat due to the logging activity that took place there, it has also been known as Fishtail Flat because of its location under the scree slopes of Mount Fishtail.
Mill Flat was the site of two periods of milling. In 1903 the mill was established alongside the Pine Valley Stream and it operated for around 20 years. The second period of logging took place after the Second World War for a short period. Water was drawn from the stream and used to make steam. The sawn wood produced was used by the growing population of Northbank, Wairau Valley and Blenheim. Rimu was the main species taken though a small quantity of Matai was also logged.
There is evidence of the mills working in the humps and hollows of the grass area, the most noticeable depressions are the site of pit saw and where the stream was diverted to feed water to the mill. Stumps of felled trees still remain in the surrounding bush; some trees appear to be growing on 'legs' as they germinated on tree stumps that have since rotted.
Today the area has regenerated in low land bush comprised of mixed beech and podocarp species, many of the species found in this area are at their northern or southern survival limits or are found here as far inland as they will grow. The valley bottoms would have been inhabited in wetlands; these areas in Pine valley are now pine forest and farm land predominantly.
Birdlife
Mill Flat is inhabited by good populations of common native species such as:
- New Zealand wood pigeon/kereru
- tui
- bellbird/korimako
- fantail/piwakawaka
- grey warbler/riroriro
- silvereye/tauhou
- New Zealand falcon/karearea
- western weka
- South island robin/toutouwai
- morepork/ruru
- kingfisher/kotare
- harrier/kahu.
Threats
While the reserve has largely recovered from the periods of logging, further regeneration can be affected by:
- lack of seed of canopy tree species, such as beech, swamp maire/maire tawake, rimu, kahikatea and tree fushia/kōtukutuku
- introduced pests such as rats, possums, goats and pigs impeding the regeneration of the native vegetation, and predators such as stoats and rats preying on native fauna
- weed infestation by species such as old man's beard and banana passionfruit, which outcompetes or smothers native vegetation.
Weeds
Climbing vines such as old man's beard and banana passionfruit inhibit growth of native trees through smothering and out-competing the forest. Gorse, broom and Spanish heath is common but it is not likely to persist as native plant regeneration advances, except on the forest edges and natural light gaps where they may prevent native regeneration of shrubby species.
Animal pests
Predatory pests such as feral cats, hedgehogs, possums, rats and stoats eat the eggs and young and attack the adults. They may also outcompete native species by eating their food source, eg insects and lizards, seeds and berries.
Grazers and browsers include goats and deer. Goats in particular are having a large impact on regeneration of native plants. Goats will eat the foliage of most trees and plants and quickly destroy all vegetation within their reach, eating seedlings, saplings and litter-fall off the forest floor.
Pigs can also be a problem, feeding on invertebrates, seeds and seedlings and disturbing the forest floor.
Other resources available
There are other organisations and businesses that you may be able to use to expand your trip:
Education team at Marlborough District Council
Email: mdc@marlborough.govt.nz
Phone: +64 27 255 9924
Marlborough Museum
Blair Walker – Marlborough Lines Heritage Education Manager
Email: blair.walker@marlboroughmuseum.org.nz
Phone: +64 3 578 1712
