Paremata Flat Reserve is a publicly-owned area, under the jurisdiction of Nelson City Council, that encompasses tidal, river and land biodiversity systems.

The reserve, on the shoreline of Delaware Bay is one of Nelson City’s best kept secrets.  20kms North of Nelson, this remnant of coastal forest and surrounding estuary is home to fernbirds and banded rail.

In an ecological evaluation the Nelson City Council gave the reserve the highest value, due to the patch of lowland coastal forest which contains a number of locally rare native trees.  The reserve has been fenced off since 2000, and our branch has run a twice-weekly volunteer pest trapping program since 2007, which has helped to stabilise fernbird and banded rail populations.

Banded rail are shy, secretive and reluctant to take to the air.  They are found in swamps dominated by reeds and sedges.

We have also held annual planting days to restore the area with species of makaka, Olearia solandri, flax, kahikatea, kowhai, and Melicytus and Pittosporum species.

These species provide food and shelter for fernbirds, tui and kereru.

By planting podocarps in the reserve Forest & Bird will also help in the restoration of a once extensive alluvial podocarp forest.