Southland Wetland Trail Guide 3.Indd
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March 2012 – Printed on recycled paper recycled on Printed – 2012 March along the route. the along the National Wetland Trail sign sign Trail Wetland National the www.wetlandtrust.org.nz Southland Plains Region. Look for for Look Region. Plains Southland [email protected] the best remaining wetlands in the the in wetlands remaining best the Email us at at us Email Use this guide to explore some of of some explore to guide this Use New Zealand New Pukekohe 2340 Pukekohe ax) for weaving and other materials. materials. other and weaving for ax) fl ( harakeke the National Wetland Trust. Wetland National the PO Box 177 Box PO cance to Maori, providing food, food, providing Maori, to cance fi signi spiritual and Working Party in association with with association in Party Working National Wetland Trust Wetland National of native animals and plants, and are of cultural cultural of are and plants, and animals native of Prepared by the Southland Wetlands Wetlands Southland the by Prepared ood risks. They support a great diversity diversity great a support They risks. ood fl reducing Contact Us Contact services such as improving water quality and and quality water improving as such services Southern Scenic Route Scenic Southern recreational values, and perform vital ecosystem ecosystem vital perform and values, recreational under-rate their importance. They have very high high very have They importance. their under-rate Wetlands are a forgotten habitat and many people people many and habitat forgotten a are Wetlands Southland Plains Plains Southland sediment and nutrient input, and reclamation. reclamation. and input, nutrient and sediment of generous grants from: from: grants generous of Many estuaries have been degraded by stock grazing, grazing, stock by degraded been have estuaries Many This trail was produced with the help help the with produced was trail This ux and freshwater from streams that enter them. them. enter that streams from freshwater and ux fl in Waiau Trust Waiau are brackish wetlands subject to regular tidal tidal regular to subject wetlands brackish are Estuaries Invercargill City Council City Invercargill water, or damp areas with emergent vegetation. emergent with areas damp or water, Environment Southland Environment and in wet gullies. They may have large areas of open open of areas large have may They gullies. wet in and Department of Conservation of Department often found on the edges of lakes, rivers and ponds, ponds, and rivers lakes, of edges the on found often Gay Munro and the Southland Wetlands Working Party Working Wetlands Southland the and Munro Gay rainwater, surface water run-off and groundwater, groundwater, and run-off water surface rainwater, following for their support in producing this brochure: this producing in support their for following are fertile freshwater wetlands fed by by fed wetlands freshwater fertile are Swamps The National Wetland Trust wishes to thank the the thank to wishes Trust Wetland National The 2-5 tonnes of carbon per hectare in their soil each year. each soil their in hectare per carbon of tonnes 2-5 Healthy bogs are important carbon sinks, locking up up locking sinks, carbon important are bogs Healthy plant matter in waterlogged, acidic, low-nutrient soils. soils. low-nutrient acidic, waterlogged, in matter plant www.wetlandtrust.org.nz from Available by the slow build-up of thick layers of undecayed undecayed of layers thick of build-up slow the by Bay of Plenty Region Plenty of Bay formed over thousands of years in cool, wet climates climates wet cool, in years of thousands over formed • Rangitaiki Plains and Ohiwa Harbour, Harbour, Ohiwa and Plains Rangitaiki • (bogs and fens) are ancient wetlands, wetlands, ancient are fens) and (bogs Peatlands • Whangamarino and Lake Waikare, Waikato Waikato Waikare, Lake and Whangamarino • Underground wetlands Underground • Other trail guides in this series: this in guides trail Other Geothermal pools Geothermal • Estuaries and intertidal areas intertidal and Estuaries • and restoration and Lakes, tarns, rivers and streams and rivers tarns, Lakes, • commit to wetland protection, enhancement enhancement protection, wetland to commit Swamps, bogs and fens and bogs Swamps, • • Ensure landowners and government agencies agencies government and landowners Ensure • New Zealand wetlands include; include; wetlands Zealand New processes temperature, chemistry, salinity and source. source. and salinity chemistry, temperature, • Increase understanding of wetland functions and and functions wetland of understanding Increase • by their water - its amount, depth, permanence, permanence, depth, amount, its - water their by wetland values wetland and nesting fernbird (inset). fernbird nesting and ecosystems, with the different types determined determined types different the with ecosystems, • Increase public knowledge and appreciation of of appreciation and knowledge public Increase • Waituna Lagoon, Awarua Peatlands Peatlands Awarua Lagoon, Waituna in aquatic or semi-aquatic conditions. They are diverse diverse are They conditions. semi-aquatic or aquatic in Trail Guide: Trail The Trust aims are to: are aims Trust The land that supports plants and animals adapted to living living to adapted animals and plants supports that land A wetland is a permanently or seasonally wet area of of area wet seasonally or permanently a is wetland A by all New Zealanders. New all by National Wetland Trust Trust Wetland National increase the appreciation of wetlands and their values values their and wetlands of appreciation the increase What is a Wetland? a is What The National Wetland Trust was established in 1999 to to 1999 in established was Trust Wetland National The Flora and fauna Caring for Southland’s wetlands Wetlands of the Southland Plains Southland’s wetlands are home to the threatened South Besides the work of agencies like the Department of As only 10% of original wetlands remain throughout Island fernbird and Australasian bittern. The little Conservation (DOC) and Environment Southland (ES), New Zealand, Southland is fortunate to retain fernbird, like a sparrow with a long scruffy tail, can be there are a number of groups involved in wetland around 30% of the pre-European extent. With a cool, heard tick-ticking as you walk through low growing restoration and protection including: predominantly coastal climate and extensive fl oodplains, vegetation of jointed rush or manuka, and may approach the Southland Plains environment was especially The Waiau Fisheries and Wildlife Habitat if you click two stones together. Bittern are rarely seen as favourable for wetland formation. Peatlands (bogs and Enhancement Trust – established in 1996 to mitigate they are secretive and solitary, with only 750 estimated fens) are a major component, although many other and remedy the adverse effects of the Manapouri Hydro throughout New Zealand. They can sometimes be seen wetland types are also found here: swamps, estuaries, Power Scheme on the fi sheries and wildlife values of the on boggy paddocks seeking out earthworms or porina lagoons, dune lakes, dune slacks, fl ood plains and terrace Waiau Catchment. Mark Sutton, Ph. 021 540 814 grubs, although their more natural territory is stalking forests. the swamps and streams for native fi sh or hunting for Southland Wetland Working Party (SWWP) – an inter- The 15,000 ha peatlands in the Awarua/Waituna lizards on the Tiwai Peninsula. agency group set up in 2004 to develop wetland policy, Wetlands are part of the largest (and fi rst) Ramsar1 site in education material and generally raise awareness of the Open water areas are inhabited by New Zealand. Stretching from Fortrose Estuary to Bluff value and presence of wetlands in Southland. waterfowl, mostly the introduced Harbour, they formed after the last ice age, about 10,000 Environment Southland. Ph. (03) 211 5115 mallard, but also native shoveler years ago and are home to highly specialised species like and grey teal. Black swan and Arawai Kakariki – initiated in 2007, this 5 year sphagnum moss, wire-rush, fernbirds and bittern. Canada geese are regularly seen DOC wetland restoration programme involves three The Mataura, Oreti and Aparima Rivers that formed on Waituna Lagoon. Waders nationally signifi cant wetlands including Southland’s the plains fl ow into extensive estuaries; the Toe Toes include the royal spoonbill, pied Awarua Wetlands. At Awarua the focus has been on at Fortrose, New River near Invercargill, and the Jacob stilts, white-faced heron, and the protecting water quality through the involvement of River at Riverton respectively. These estuaries have long secretive marsh and spotless crakes. communities in education, and catchment and riparian been a valuable source of fl ounder, shellfi sh, whitebait Migratory birds visit Awarua Bay from October to April, management; increased understanding and control of and waterfowl for Maori. They were also important with abundant godwits, turnstones, red knots and the animal and weed pests; and improving recreational trade routes for early European settlers. Today Riverton occasional sanderling and golden plover. opportunities, with formed walking tracks. DOC. Harbour still has a fi shing fl eet, however, severe Ph. (03) 211 2400 The Awarua peatlands are home to several native lizard erosion from forest clearance and rabbit damage has species, including common, green and cryptic skinks. Waituna Landcare Group (WLG) – formed in 2001 to led to infi lling of the other estuaries. Recent land use The wetland is also a stronghold for fi sh, particularly help protect the Waituna Lagoon through community intensifi cation has seen estuaries come under further giant kokopu, while banded kokopu and inaka are found education and local action. pressure as nutrient levels increase favouring smothering in many of the coastal waterways where whitebaiting is Gay Munro, Secretary. Ph. (03) 239 5827. algae and reducing biodiversity. a popular pastime. Both longfi nned and shortfi nned eels Bushy Point Fernbirds – a privately owned wetland at Swamps and fl oodplains have also been extensively are found in Southland water bodies. Otatara, open to the public by appointment. modifi ed by land development.