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.
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:
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.
Experiencing birds in your green space
Experiencing invertebrates in your green space
The stream study at Mill Flat compliments this module with the introduction to freshwater invertebrates.
Investigating animal pests in your green space
Investigating plant pests in your green space
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.
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:
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.
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.
Mill Flat is inhabited by good populations of common native species such as:
While the reserve has largely recovered from the periods of logging, further regeneration can be affected by:
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.
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.
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
Blair Walker – Marlborough Lines Heritage Education Manager