New viewing deck in Rotopiko's Jurassic Forest

The new boardwalk at Rotopiko Reserve. Photo / Supplied

Visitors to Rotopiko Reserve near Ōhaupō are in for a new treat this summer. In the shady Jurassic Forest, the National Wetland Trust has built a new section of boardwalk and elevated deck.

This is part of the trust's innovative discovery trail, allowing visitors to get up close to giant kahikatea trees, to measure their girth and guess their age.

Constructed by Te Awamutu company Keir Landscaping, the deck and boardwalk will protect the tree roots, provide a dry track through the forest year-round, and offer a shady spot to rest.

The kahikatea forest also has a moko (lizard) activity station and there are plans for a pekapeka (long-tailed bat) activity station.

Bill Harris, chairperson Ngati Apakura Runanga and National Wetland Trust trustee, with a toki found by Rotopiko volunteers at the wetland site. Photo / Karen Denyer

Funding from the Lottery Environment and Heritage Fund, Waipā District Council, Trust Waikato and WEL Energy Trust has enabled the trust to complete this work and plan for extra activity stations.

With the help of mana whenua, Ngāti Apakura, the trust also aspires to install an ethnobotany trail at the site, with interpretive signs telling of the traditional linkages between local iwi and local native plants.

Wetland trustee and the chairperson of Ngati Apakura Runanga, Bill Harris, says lockdown has been difficult for lots of whānau but now we can move about and with Christmas holidays it's great that we have something new at Rotopiko to explore and to inspire our tamar ki in the living sciences.

Rotopiko Reserve elevated deck under construction. Photo / Supplied

The reserve is open to all visitors during daylight hours via the entry off the southbound lane of State Highway 3, and is suitable for pushchairs.