City Nature Challenge and the night life of Ōtari
Be it day or night DOC entomologist, Will Brockelsby, is a regular visitor to Ōtari, always keen to explore the insect world that lives here. We timed his Autumn Guided Walk for the night time, also to take part in this year’s City Nature Challenge, when Wellington vied with cities worldwide to list the most native species on iNaturalist in one weekend. And wow! Did we find some insects - and moths, glowworms, spiders, wētā and so much more. More than 60 parents, grandparents, kids and others joined the quest - with Will and fellow entomologist, Shaun Thompson, helping to identify the critters.
All up, during the City Nature Challenge weekend in Ōtari alone, a total of 633 observations and 299 species were recorded by 34 different observers. Of these, 327 were plant observations, of 160 different species, and the remainder were all kinds of insects, spiders, snails, birds, eels, mites, and a very special species of fungus gnat that had never before been recorded on iNaturalist.
Fungi Kingdom, with Geoff Ridley (mycologist)
Among all the plants that co-exist within Ōtari there’s one ‘kingdom’ different from all the rest. And are they popular! Mycologist Geoff Ridley ran two fully-booked tours shwoing people how to find fungi growing in Ōtari: they found them on tree trunks and under forest litter, reds and browns, scarlet pouches and ruby bonnets. Be in quick next year!
Ecology of Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush
DOC ecologist Annemieke Hendricks’ biodiversity insights were hugely popular.
Learning about our common native plants
Leon Perrie (Curator of Botany, Te Papa) guided both young and older folk on an introduction to Wellington’s common native plants, be they the peppery-tasting, medicinal kawakawa to the lofty podocarps. Helped by Te Papa evolutionary biologist, Lara Shepherd, everyone gained a better appreciation of the ecology and requirements of the native plants we are most likely to see. And we didn’t eat too many kawakawa leaves!
Ōtari Essentials
The Trust’s own volunteer guides led an ‘Ōtari Essentials – introduction to the wonders of Ōtari’ experience. Many people visit Ōtari without knowing about the special heritage here, or the stories of some of our rarest native plants. This tour provided enlightment!