2015/16- Beech/Podocarp Masting Event

It looks like the southern South Island is gearing up for another solid Beech seed mast this Summer/Autumn. Also predictions show that it may be a heavy podocarp fruiting season as well! The native tussocks (Chionochloa) often seed heavily at the same time as beech so these could go nuts as well. All this fruiting combined could create a lot of food for rodents, potentially causing another rodent/mustelid plague in our native forests and grasslands next Spring and into Summer of 2016/17.

Keep a lookout and chuck your observations up on this new page I've created.

Posted on October 25, 2015 11:51 PM by rowan_hindmarsh_walls