The Gallery: Green – A visit to a Nikau Reserve

Beautiful nikau palms growing in a safe reserve on the Kapiti coast. The nikau is very slow-growing. Research conducted in lowland forests near Auckland found it takes 40-50 years to begin to form a trunk and about 200 years to reach 10 metres tall (ref. DoC).

These beautiful palms, with rich green fronds and brightly coloured fruit, are under threat because they grow primarily in coastal and lowland areas, where their habitat has been greatly reduced and disturbed by human development and land conversion.

We chanced upon this reserve as we drove along the Kapiti Coast on Easter Saturday. We were on our way to Lindale Park to enjoy some Easter fun at the community fair. We stopped off and enjoyed a magical short loop walk, seeing Pukeko and many fabulous Kereru, New Zealand’s native pigeon.