Description: A small saline site on upper reaches of a broad alluvial plain to the east of Raggedy Range, adjacent to Crawford Hills Road ¹

Type/Class: Inland saline ²

Size: 3.3 ha

Altitude: 440 - 480 m above sea level

Approximate location: 1.8 km West of the intersection of Crawford Hills Road and Poolburn-Moa Creek Road, Moa Creek | NZTM (centre point): E1334040 N4986970

Regional Plan: Water for Otago | Schedule 9 Regionally Significant Wetland, no.106, Map F12

Territorial Authority: Cental Otago District Council

Interactive map

• Soil classified as Saline Immature Semiarid Soil. ⁸
  
  
• Other plant species found include Atriplex buchananii (threat status of naturally uncommon), Hordeum spp., Buck’s-horn plantain (Plantago coronopus), Puccinellia raroflorens (threat status of nationally critical), salt grass (Puccinellia fasciculata), salt grass (Puccinellia stricta) and Selliera microphylla. ⁸
  
  
• Invertebrate species recorded include Arctesthes catapyrrha, Capua semiferana, Eurythecta zelaea, Kiwaia thyraula, Orocrambus corruptus and Paranotoreas fulva. ⁸ The small field cricket Nemobius sp. has also been recorded at this site. ⁴⁴
  
  
• The Department of Conservation considers the Moa Creek Inland Saline Wetland to be a moderately important site for biological conservation. On a scale from 1 (highest value) to 11 (lowest value) the site was given a rank of 5, on the basis of its geographical extent, relative representativeness (the extent to which the site represents the assumed 1840 condition), diversity and rarity of biota and soils. ⁸
  
  
• Potential threats to the site include irrigation, cultivation, fertiliser application, oversowing, invasion by exotic weeds, grazing and trampling by stock. ⁸
  
  
• Large sarsen stones found at this site have prevented ploughing. ⁴⁴ther moth species found are Kiwaia lenis, Scythris n.sp., Paranotoreas fulva and Loxostege n.sp. ⁴⁵
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• Listed as an Area of Significant Indigenous Vegetation, Habitats of Indigenous Fauna and Wetlands in the Central Otago District Plan. ⁵⁵

¹ Otago Regional Council (2004) Regional Plan: Water for Otago. Published by the Otago Regional Council, Dunedin.

² Ausseil, A.G., Newsome, P., Johnson, P. (2008) Wetland Mapping in the Otago Region. Landcare Research Contract Report prepared for the Otago Regional Council.

⁸ Allen, R.B. and McIntosh, P.D. (1997) Guidelines for conservation of salt pans in Central Otago. Science for Conservation: 49. Published by the Department of Conservation, Wellington.

⁴⁴ Fagan, B. and Pillai, D. (1992): Manorburn Ecological District: Survey report for the Protected Natural Areas Programme. New Zealand Protected Natural Areas Programme Series No. 22. Published by the Department of Conservation, Wellington.

⁴⁵ Pers comm. B. Patrick, Entomologist, Otago Museum (2006).

⁵¹ Otago Regional Council – Photo Archive.

⁵⁵ Central Otago District Council (2008) Central Otago District Plan, Published by Central Otago District Council, Alexandra.