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Managing our Environment

Great Moss Swamp

Description:

Remnant of a previously more extensive, 500-ha swamp flooded by the Loganburn Reservoir. Areas of red tussock (Chionochloa rubra), silver tussock (Poa cita), sedge tussock (Schoenus pauciflorus) and Sphagnum squarrosum. One of the few remaining subalpine swamp areas in the Rock and Pillar Ecological District.1 

Type/Class:

Fen 2

Size:

422.6 ha.

Altitude:

840-880 m above sea level.

Approximate location:

20 km West of Sutton.
NZTM (centre point): E1354900 N4950400

Regional Plan: Water for Otago.

Schedule 9 Regionally Significant Wetland, no.55, Maps F26.

Territorial Authority:

Dunedin City Council.

 

Great Moss Swamp

Recorded Values:

Value

Description

A1

 Habitat for nationally or internationally rare or threatened species or communities. Presence of threatened plant species tufted hair-grass (Deschampsia caespitosa) and Carex secta var. tenuiculmus.

A4

 High degree of wetland naturalness. '2'

A2, A3, A5-A9

 No relevant information is currently held by the ORC.

 

Other Information:

  • Listed as an Area of Significant Conservation Value in the Dunedin City District Plan. Described as a swamp/lake with restiad bog and tussockland, rush and sedge swamp, and of regional and national significance. 28

  • Presence of freshwater crayfish (Paranephrops zealandicus) in the Loganburn Reservoir. 29

  • The presence of Sphagnum porina (Heloxycanus patricki), a moth classified as in 'gradual decline', has been recorded. 30, 31

  • Hemiandrus 'Rocklands', a small ground weta, has been recorded at Great Moss Swamp. 32

  • Located within Te Papanui Conservation Park.

  • Composition of Sphagnum sp., Carex sp. and red tussock (Chionochloa rubra). 2
Aerial View of Great Moss Swamp (March 2009)

Aerial View of Great Moss Swamp (March 2009)

Great Moss Swamp (2009) “51”

Great Moss Swamp (2009) “51”

Great Moss Swamp (2009) “51”

Great Moss Swamp (2009) “51”

References:

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

28. Dunedin City Council (1999) Dunedin City District Plan. Published by the Dunedin City Council, Dunedin.

29. Whitmpre, N. (2000) Ecology and distribution of the freshwater crayfish Paranephrops Zealandicus in Otago: implications for conservation Published by the Department of Conservation, Wellington.

30. Hitchmough, R, A. (2002). New Zealand threat classification system lists. Threatened Species Occasional Publiscation 23. Published by the Department of Conservation, Wellington.

31. Barrat, B.I.P. and Patrick, B.H. (1987) Insects of snow tussock grassland on the East Otago Plateau in: New Zealand Entomologist, No.10, pp.69-98.

32. Department of Conservation (1998) Threatened Weta REcovery Plan. Threatened Species Recovery Plan 25. Punlished by the Department of Conservation, Biodiversity Unit, Wellington.

51. Otago Regional Council - Photo Archive.

 

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