SH2 Rimutaka (Muldoon’s Corner)

Large scale revegetation - Hawkins won the tender for SH2 Rimutaka realignment, north of Wellington commencing August 2009. The client is NZTA, and the project site is adjacent to the Rimutaka Forest Park, administered by the Department of Conservation.
Beech forest dominates much of the park, joined by podocarps at lower altitudes, and kamahi, a predominant canopy tree (with emergent trees like rimu, rata, miro, hinau, rewarewa and maire in some areas). The project site occurs towards the southern end of the Rimutaka ranges, where most of the original forest has been destroyed by fire. This area is covered at lower altitudes by shrub woods like manuka, tauhini, rangiora and heketara with some emergent species such as hinau and rewarewa.

As part of the contract extensive work is involved in the mitigation and revegetation of native plant species. Important specimens have been identified and will be protected on site, or relocated temporarily during the construction phase. Other key tasks for the landscape works include:

- Collection & transplantation of existing seedlings & native plant debris
- Tree surgery/Arboriculture
- Supply and installation of 30ha of native plant species
- Hydroseeding with grass and native seeds
- Minor earthworks
- Supply and installation of composted mulch (28,000m2)
- Fencing of site
- Vegetation control and protection from noxious weeds