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.

The Paremata Flats Reserve was created in 1998 by the Nelson City Council with the support of the Department of Conservation. The reserve has been fenced off since 2000.

Forest and Bird Nelson Tasman has run a twice-weekly volunteer pest trapping program since 2007, which has helped to stabilise fernbird and banded rail populations. Starting with just 40 traps, the project has steadily expanded.

In addition to annual planting, Forest and Bird Nelson Tasman have coordinated weeding working bees, originally weekly and now monthly, to help the plantings get established. Of particular concern are old man’s beard and blackberry. During particularly dry periods, Forest and Bird have watered young and vulnerable plantings.

Caring for the plantings is now our key focus, along with continued trapping. We are always looking for more volunteers to join us in this work – please get in touch if you are interested.

If you would like to be part of the team caring for this amazing place, you are welcome to join our monthly working bees – usually first Saturday of the month (except January), 9am-12midday. We also welcome new volunteers for the trapping team.

Contact Miang for more information and to be included on the list for volunteer email updates.