Mt Impey Conservation Estate
In 2020 the Holdaway family purchased “Mt Impey” – a 2381ha hill country property in the upper Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand.
Mt Impey Birdsong
Mt Impey was previously managed as part of a larger sheep and beef farm. Removal of stock from 2000ha (the Conservation Estate) and the ongoing control of pest species are enabling the regeneration of native forest, which sequesters carbon and provides habitat for threatened native species. The remaining 380ha is being planted in production forestry, which absorbs more carbon while also providing a sustainable future resource.
The Mt Impey Conservation Estate is one of the largest privately owned areas of forest being actively managed for conservation in South Marlborough. It ranges in elevation from 300m to 1448m and encompasses a diverse array of ecosystems and habitats. Vegetation includes over 50 species of trees and shrubs and 33 species of ferns. It includes extensive areas of regenerating manuka and kanuka forest, broadleaved forest gullies, sub-alpine shrubland, tussock grassland, and significant mature remnant forest stands of red, silver, mountain and black beech, as well as mountain totara and matai.
Beech
Red beech leaves. Some remaining trees are over 300 years old.
South Island Robin
Increasing the population of these inquisitive birds is a key conservation focus
NZ Eastern Falcon
Multiple breeding pairs live on Mt Impey.
Beech Forest
Mature beech forest exists in pockets that escaped historical fires
Beech Canopy
Beech forest understory. * Photo Matt Thomson
Herb
Aciphylla sub-flabellata, a threatened endemic herb.
Weta Home
Tree weta hole in kanuka trunk
Kererū
NZ woodpigeon among the kanuka forest
Pīwakawaka
NZ native fantail
Totara
Forest remnant. Emergent dead trees are old totara that have been killed by possum browsing.
Parker Stream
A waterfall in Parker Stream.
Native Mistletoe
Tupia antartica, an endangered native mistletoe, responding to reduced possum numbers.
The area is large enough to support native birds such as the eastern falcon, South Island robin, and abundant populations of other native forest birds such as tui, bellbird, tomtit, fantail, and brown creeper. It is also home to a range of unique invertebrates including the endemic tree weta.
Ongoing management by the Holdaway family, with the help of a collection of dedicated volunteers, seeks to address the numerous threats facing the Conservation Estate.
This includes:
- The establishment of a network of traps to control invasive predators such as rats, stoats and feral cats that, if not controlled, can have a devastating effect on New Zealand’s endemic birds.
- Removal of weeds such as wilding Douglas fir and Pinus contorta that would otherwise smother the native vegetation
- Control of feral pigs, goats, possums and deer to allow the regeneration of palatable species such as tree fuchsia, narrow-leaved mahoe, Aciphylla sub-flabellata, and the native mistletoe Tupeia antarctica.
All of this work is being funded by proceeds from wine sales. By buying our wine, you can directly contribute to the enhancement of New Zealand’s unique biodiversity.