Motutapu

Motutapu is located in Hauraki Bay, northeast of the New Zealand city of Auckland . In close proximity is the island of Rangitoto , with which Motutapu is connected by a bridge built by the US military during the Second World War . The total area of ​​the island is 15.1 km² ^[2] .

The island is quite ancient: it was formed in the Jurassic period about 135 million years ago, when the supercontinent Gondwana still existed. From the point of view of the geological structure, the main rock underlying Motutapu is greywacke . About 600 years ago, during the volcanic eruption, which resulted in the formation of the neighboring island of Rangitoto, up to 75% of basalt ash and lapilli fell on Motutapu.

The local flora and fauna has been significantly affected by both natural and man-made factors. Motutapu was originally covered by coastal floodplain forests, similar to those found on the islands of Waiheke and other islands of Hauraki Bay. However, as a result of the eruption at Rangitoto about 600 years ago, most of the forest was destroyed, although it was soon restored ^[3] . With the advent of European colonizers, almost the entire island was cleared for farms. Currently, native forests with a predominance of Pokhutukawa are found on the coast. Other trees that grow on the island are tawapou , kokhekokhe , tarair , mahoe , puri , kofai , mangeao and karaka . In recent years, Motutapu has undergone radical changes in the issue of forest plantations. Thanks to the activities of volunteers, up to 0.75 km² of forest was planted ^[3] .

The fauna of the island is predominantly represented by a variety of birds: Maori zoo ( lat. Charadrius obscurus ), New Zealand fertile pigeons ( lat. Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae ), New Zealand firefights ( lat. Tadorna variegata ), sultanas ^[4] .

The indigenous inhabitants of the island are representatives of the Maori tribe Ngai Tai , who inhabited Motutapu even before the advent of the neighboring island of Rangitoto about 600 years ago. This is evidenced by numerous archaeological finds and monuments (about 300 in total), including fortifications, or pa ^[1] . During a volcanic eruption near Motutapu, he was abandoned by the local population, but after its completion it again returned to its traditional places of residence. The main occupation of the local Māori was agriculture , the development of which was facilitated by the high fertility of volcanic soil ^[1] .

In the 1820s, most of the population of the islands in Hauraki Bay, including Motutapu, was evacuated due to threats from the Ngapuhi tribe, whose representatives were already armed with muskets. The Ngati-tai tribe allegedly took refuge at the Maungatautari. However, by 1836, most of the locals had returned to the islands. Since then, Ngati-tai owned Motutapu until the sale of the northern part of the island to the European Thomas Maxwell in 1840 , with the advent of which the development of farming was laid on the island ^[5] . In 1845, the southern part of Motutapu was also bought by Europeans. In 1869 - 1870 the Raid brothers bought the island, which remained its owners until 1943 ^[5] . During the European colonization on Motutapu, not far from Emu and Home bays, small estates appeared, and by the beginning of the 20th century the island had become a popular holiday destination for residents of neighboring Auckland ^[1] .

During the Second World War, there were fortifications on the island to protect Auckland Bay from attacks from the sea. Back in June 1936, a battery for protection against artillery and an observation post were built ^[5] . Also, from 1936 to 1944, military camps, barracks, roads and a bridge were built at Motutapu, connecting the island with Rangitoto ^[1] .

In 1967, Motutapu became part of the Hauraki Bay Marine Sanctuary, and in 1987 the island was transferred to the New Zealand Department of Environmental Protection ^[6] .