# data[].attributes.headline
Whakaora te Repo, Ora te Taonga: Restoring Our Wetland Treasure

# data[].attributes.subject
Whakaora te Repo, Ora te Taonga: Restoring Our Wetland Treasure

# data[].attributes.body
24 mins interviewing many people about the moana - how it connect people and ecosystems - the Wairarapa.

Whakaora te Repo, Ora te Taonga: Restoring Our Wetland Treasure highlights efforts towards the revitalization of Wairarapa Moana, a wetland on Aotearoa New Zealand’s North Island, while exploring the complexity and interconnected nature of this unique region. This video is an extension of decade-long collaboration between Worcester Polytechnic Institute and community leaders in Wairarapa. Alongside a written report, it was submitted to collaborators Rawiri Smith and Ian Gunn, as well as the faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, as a partial requirement for our undergraduate degrees.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Whakaora te Repo, Ora te Taonga: Restoring Our Wetland Treasure

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Coastal Restoration Trust is a nationwide organisation that brings together the knowledge and experience of communities, iwi, management authorities, industry and science agencies to save our coastal ecosystems.

# data[].attributes.headline
All the streams and rivers that lead to the Ruamahanga.

# data[].attributes.subject
All the streams and rivers that lead to the Ruamahanga.

# data[].attributes.body
A graphic to use.

# data[].attributes.headline
Cultural Values for Wairarapa Waterways Report

# data[].attributes.subject
Cultural Values for Wairarapa Waterways Report

# data[].attributes.body
Ngā mihi nui ki a Kahugnunu ki Wairarapa rāua me Rangitāne o Wairarapa for sharing this taonga.

Check out the summaries on page 94 - then find the relevant awa to read more deeply about.

# data[].attributes.headline
Summary graphic of all of the mahi going on in the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.subject
Summary graphic of all of the mahi going on in the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.body
Jobs for Nature

Pest plant target Species

Pest animal control

Aerial Control

Trapping Totals

Planting Sites and Species

Planting Days

Community Environment Fund

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Our Mahi - Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.headline
Glistening Water Website Ngāti Kahugnunu ki Wairarapa

# data[].attributes.subject
Glistening Water Website Ngāti Kahugnunu ki Wairarapa

# data[].attributes.body
Kōrero and more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wairarapa Glistening Water

This website is provided to help build a deeper connection to the diverse and beautiful repo ( wetlands) of the Wairarapa in the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. It was co-designed by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and researchers from the SpatialThink lab at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Drawing on mātauranga Māori, Indigenous science, and Western science, this website weaves together strands and layers of kōrero ( stories) from different wetlands to uncover meaning and develop understanding.

# data[].attributes.headline
Student Action Project Fund - GWRC Up to $500 

# data[].attributes.subject
Student Action Project Fund - GWRC Up to $500 

# data[].attributes.body
You can apply for this yearly to pay for equipment - environmental education providers - plants - materials etc. Simple form to fill in.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Enviroschools Programme is a long-term, whole-school programme, where schools create their own unique pathway to sustainability. Schools signed up to the Programme have the support of a facilitator, a network of other schools and a set of resources pulling together ideas that have worked for schools over the 10 years that the programme has been operating.

Find out more on the Wellington region's Enviroschools page.

expand_more Water resources - years 5 to 8

Take action for water

Is a resource educating young people about the importance of the environment. It aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to make informed environmental decisions in daily life. Take action for water resource >

Love every drop

Is a resource helping students understand where their tap water comes from and to make informed decisions about using it. Love every drop resource >

expand_more Stream health assessment kits

The stream health assessment kits provide a simple and practical resource for teachers wanting to engage students in learning about the importance of water quality, ecological systems and scientific approaches.

The kit is designed to be used in the field by teachers and students undertaking practical aspects of stream health assessment. It includes all the equipment and materials needed to undertake basic stream health assessment. Assessment involves investigating the water quality, physical features of a site and the plants and animals living in and alongside the stream.

Request a stream assessment kit

To request a kit contact streamkits@gw.govt.nz with the:
Download the lending agreement (PDF 257 KB)
Resources

This grant support schools explore and take action in their local environment. It can be used by schools taking part in field trips as part of:

There is a maximum of $500 a year available for up to: two buses or train trips, and 90 students.
Apply for a grant (PDF 493 KB)
expand_more Māehe Manawa Ora, Movin' March - for primary schools

Every March thousands of primary school students celebrate walking, biking and scooting to school through our Māehe Manawa Ora - Movin'March programme.

Active travel to school helps increase independence, physical and mental health, decision making and road safety skills of our tamariki - and the school benefits from less chaos at the school gate.

There are free resources for schools, students and parents for active travel in March and all year round.
Find out more about Movin'March
expand_more Active Travel Action curriculum resource - years 5 to 8

The Active Travel Action curriculum resource has been developed by Greater Wellington Regional Council and Enviroschools - Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui.

The resource provides a process for schools to implement sustainable active travel practices in their school through student inquiry - and an opportunity for students to take action in response to climate change.
Find out more about Active Travel Action
expand_more Bikes in Schools programme

Bikes in Schools is a programme to allow students equal access to bikes and tracks in the school setting so everyone can experience the benefits of cycling.
Find out more about Bikes in Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Education | Greater Wellington Regional Council

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Enviroschools Programme is a long-term, whole-school programme, where schools create their own unique pathway to sustainability. Schools signed up to the Programme have the support of a facilitator, a network of other schools and a set of resources pulling together ideas that have worked for schools over the 10 years that the programme has been operating.

# data[].attributes.headline
Photos from Wetland Wondering Day - 4th August. Click on the link below.

# data[].attributes.subject
Photos from Wetland Wondering Day - 4th August. Click on the link below.

# data[].attributes.body
Link to Photos
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1D5QqodQcFHkUDefZyxZWoKYOLRIrLksm?usp=drive_link

# data[].attributes.body
Indigenous knowledge is increasingly valued, but to fully respect it we need to decolonise science – here’s how.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are witnessing a resurgence of indigenous knowledge and growing acknowledgement of its scientific value worldwide.

# data[].attributes.body
Stephen did this experiment with the tamariki. We now have a set of these if you would like to borrow them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Soil Health - Measuring soil infiltration rate

# data[].attributes.headline
Pirinoa is a rare plant important to Kohunui Marae whānau  - what can you find out about it?

# data[].attributes.subject
Pirinoa is a rare plant important to Kohunui Marae whānau  - what can you find out about it?

# data[].attributes.headline
Drains are for Rain - Raising Awareness of Storm Water Drains - Taking Action in school

# data[].attributes.subject
Drains are for Rain - Raising Awareness of Storm Water Drains - Taking Action in school

# data[].attributes.body
We have 2 available for schools to borrow.
Contact Gill Stewart - gill.stewart@gw.govt.nz

# data[].attributes.headline
Restoration Experiments overview and lessons learned.

# data[].attributes.subject
Restoration Experiments overview and lessons learned.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hartley - Wairio wetlands, 8 lessons learnt

# data[].attributes.headline
Experiment Results of Tree Planting in Wetland

# data[].attributes.subject
Experiment Results of Tree Planting in Wetland

# data[].attributes.headline
Tree survival, growth, sequestration and natural regeneration of a Wairarapa swamp forest restoration project.

# data[].attributes.subject
Tree survival, growth, sequestration and natural regeneration of a Wairarapa swamp forest restoration project.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Map of Wairio with track and stage areas

# data[].attributes.body
Contact Rod and Jane for learning and exploring, planting, picnicking, and camping opportunities. Just 3 km outside of Martinborough.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In collaboration with Enviroschools and the Ruamahanga Restoration Trust we are developing a basic infrastructure to enable us to host school and community groups.
This includes:

A Green Dunny

A Gathering Shelter

A Shade House for the propagation of plants.

Whilst we are enthusiasts of upcycling materials that are ready for another life, we still need funds! To get us on our way, renowned New Zealand Artist Michael Moore generously donated a series of paintings.

The first paintings were successfully auctioned on the 1st of April and the Green Dunny Installed.
Two, three sided 'sliver' paintings, "The Three Sisters" and "tī kōuka Grove"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ruamāhanga Mauri oho Wetland & Riparian Forest Restoration Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ruamāhanga Mauri Oho is a wetland & riparian forest restoration project in Wairarapa, learning & collaborating with land, river and community

# data[].attributes.body
Contact Kara Kenny - kara@mtsw.org.nz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
SEAWEED TEES ARE BACK, GRAB YOURS AND SUPPORT KELP RESTORATION IN WELLINGTON!

Back by popular demand and for a limited time only... order now and get yours in time for Christmas! Your purchase helps us restore our beautiful native seaweeds and will have you looking more swish than a crayfish. We've had great success at growing seaweeds in our pilot site and are working hard to scale up and get them out to real restoration sites this coming winter.

Preorder yours now!
Buy Now

Rimurimu (seaweed) is some bad-ass stuff! When it's in healthy abundance it can absorb more carbon than trees, improve water quality, protect our coastlines, provide a home and food source for thousands of sea creatures - and can even be put on a t-shirt or hoodie! What's not to love? Helping to restore seaweed forests will create ecosystem health, build our knowledge and provide great opportunities for innovation.

Everything we learn through this process will be shared open-source for other community groups to use, and we are continuing to collaborate widely throughout the life of this project.
Buy Now

Join the team and gain some practical volunteering experience before the Summer season!

October 22, 2023 1:00 PM

‍When Ngāti Toa teacher Pearl Freemantle told her students there were seahorses living in the sea near Porirua, they didn't believe her.

Read Story

Want to be the first to hear about Mountains to Sea Wellington news, events and jobs? Sign up for our newsletters here.

Subscribe

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mountains to Sea Wellington is building a community with te taiao at its heart. We support people to explore and restore nature from the mountains to the sea.

# data[].attributes.body
Understanding the perspective of te Ao Māori and the role of western science in it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Te ao Māori (the Māori world view) recognises the connections between all living and non-living things. In this video, kairangahau Māori share some of their repo connections with us.

Questions for discussion:

Cheri and Rob talk about memories. What role do memories play in repo restoration?

Yvonne and Shannon talk about repo as repositories or places to store things. What types of things (physical and non-physical) were stored in repo?

Transcript

Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman

There is this thing within western science where we tend to reduce things into their parts. It's not necessarily a bad thing - it allows you to hone your expertise in those areas without becoming overwhelmed by the whole. The challenge, though, is our species, especially our birds and our fish, don't know boundaries like we have classified them as. So they don't know that that's a wetland delineation versus a terrestrial, which is land. Tuna, if it's in a flood, it's going to go across the paddock when it's hungry. The thing for us is about making sure that all those parts are connected.

Robert McGowan

You've got to look at the environment not as a thing or a resource but as a living person. We talk about Papatūānuku being mother. Every culture talks about Mother Earth. The Earth is your mother, and she has cared for you right from the very beginning.

Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman

Repo were places where practices were undertaken. I can't speak for all hapū and iwi obviously, but those that we have worked with have shared with us the strong connection in terms of the way they used to interact with our valued fish species, especially tuna, but also our birds. It was part of the whole storyscape, the memoryscape of that area that we interacted with.

We are a mua/muri people, ao we are very much a past/future people. We don't tend to look at ourselves in the present, because as soon as you do that, you become bound to 3 to 5-year programmes of action. If we always remind ourselves of where we've come from, then we can take those learnings forward into a future that we want for our next generations.

Robert McGowan

The memories tell us how it used to be and will actually help people to remember how these places were important to them and the stories there.

Yvonne Taura

Fully functioning, healthy repo are repositories for mātauranga. Everything here, our birds, our plants, our wai, everything in and above it tells us the story of why it was so important for our whānau, our tūpuna to engage with. These kept our whānau alive, these kept our tūpuna alive.

Shannon Te Huia

They were like our fridge. And this is just coming from uncles and kaumātua that it was a source where they'd go and get duck eggs, where they'd get tuna, birds - everything that would sustain our people.

Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman

They were part of our medicine cabinet, so our rongoā were also found in there. They're also really important spaces for sharing kōrero about who we are as people - so a chance to sit down and interact with each other and share information across generations about where we came from, what made us unique, what values were important to us and the way that we interacted with our environment. They were also really important spaces for harvesting non-animal or non-plant-like resources, like our paru, our kōkōwai, which we use for dyeing and other things. They had value for being spaces where we could store our taonga or protect our taonga.

Shannon Te Huia

The chemical make-up of the repo would preserve the wood and stuff, so it's no surprise that carvings and stuff are found in wetlands.

Dr Beverly Clarkson

It was a huge learning curve to realise that Māori know a lot about wetlands, there's a lot of traditional knowledge. And the mātauranga perspective enriched our understanding of wetlands, and it's a way forward to look after all our wetlands in the future.

Shannon Te Huia

With your basket and my basket, we will reinvigorate our awa working together. Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te awa.

Acknowledgements
Illustration of Papatūānuku embracing Ranginui, from the graphic novella Te Orokotimatanga o te Ao, story by Rewi Spraggon, and artwork by Munro Te Whata. Courtesy of Kiwa Digital. Downloads available on Appstore for Apple or Google Play for Android
Aataentsic (Huron Nation) living sculpture at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, Canada, by bobhilscher, 123RF Ltd
Hindu Goddess Durga fighting the buffalo-demon, attributed to Guler School (ca early 1700), Public Domain
Historical footage, woman harvesting kōura with a whakaweku, 1937, The Footage Company Australia/British Movietone
Historical still, gathering sea food, possibly in Paihia. Denton, Frank J, 1869-1963: Collection of negatives, prints and albums. Ref: 1/2-008468-G. Alexander Turnbull Library
Historical photo, women fishing for matamata on the Waikato River near Tuakau. James Cowan, The Maori: yesterday and to-day. Wellington: Whitcombe & Tombes, 1930. Sourced from Te Reo o Te Repo - The Voice of the Wetland
Close-up photo, Kawakawa leaves, Jon Sullivan, CC BY-NC 2.0
Photo, kawakawa tincture soaking, Jamie Watson
Footage of Eeling F80217 - [MĀORI EELING] [ 193-]. From material preserved and made available by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Courtesy of Dave Turnbull
Photo of Uenuku, the Atua of the Rainbow, Ngā iwi o Tainui (The tribes of Tainui). Whakairo rediscovered in Lake Ngaroto (Estimated date: 1200-1500. Accession number 2056); Photograph of the Return of Uenuku to Te Awamutu Museum (Image date: 06 Oct 1987. Accession number: PH2514/4); and photo, Māori women standing around Uenuku after he was transferred back from old museum. (Image date: 18 Nov 1975. Accession number PH2102); all courtesy of Te Awamutu Museum Collection, and with permission from Ngā iwi o Tainui

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Te ao Māori (the Māori world view) recognises the connections between all living and non-living things. In this video, kairangahau Māori share some of their repo connections with us. Questions for discussion: Cheri and Rob talk about memories. What role do memories play in repo restoration?

# data[].attributes.headline
Living Landscapes - find out about your soils at school.

# data[].attributes.subject
Living Landscapes - find out about your soils at school.

# data[].attributes.body
Which plants will grow best in the soils you have at school?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Animals and plants of a swamp wetland.JPG

# data[].attributes.body
What are our taonga species at Wairarapa Moana?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wetland habitats are diverse places. They support an enormous range of animals from microscopic communities to some of Aotearoa's largest birds.

Zooplankton - the tiniest aquatic organisms

Zooplankton are really, really small animals. The biggest are only 5 mm long, and a microscope is needed to see the smaller species. Zooplankton eat algae and bacteria in freshwater systems and they are food for aquatic insects and small fish. Although zooplankton are likely overlooked when planning wetland restoration projects, they are a really important part of wetland food webs. Water quality is important - changes in hydrology, nutrient levels, temperature and pH affect these tiny creatures. Riparian planting helps with water quality and it shades the waterway, cooling the water and protecting zooplankton from UV.

Freshwater macroinvertebrates

Freshwater macroinvertebrates include tiny creatures that live under rocks or leaves, in the sediment or in the vegetation along the edges of the wetland. Some creatures like freshwater snails and mussels (kākahi, Echyridella menziesi) spend their entire lives in the water. Aquatic insects like dragonflies and mosquitoes live in the water during their larval or nymph stages but out of the water as adults. Macroinvertebrates are an important food source for fish, birds and other animals. They also help to recycle nutrients in aquatic environments.

Native freshwater fish

Aotearoa has around 50 endemic freshwater fish species, but there are more that have not yet been formally identified. Lots of native fish species are secretive or live in remote areas. One example is the Tarndale bully ( Gobiomorphus alpinus), which lives in a few small subalpine tarns (small glacial wetland lakes) in the South Island. Other fish that live in wetlands are mudfish (hauhau, waikaka, kōwaro, Neochanna apoda and other species) and the giant kōkopu ( Galaxias argenteus).

Kōura

Kōura are freshwater crayfish ( Paranephrops planifrons and P. zealandicus). They live among rocks, tree roots and submerged vegetation. Kōura are omnivores - they eat plants, other animals and detritus (dead things). They are also food for fish, birds and humans. Kōura have pincers on their front legs for fighting each other and the predators that are trying to eat them.

Tuna

Tuna (longfin eel, Anguilla dieffenbachii) have a mysterious life cycle. They breed only once at the end of their life cycle. In the autumn, adult eels leave the wetlands, rivers and streams and head for the ocean. From there, they make a long journey to a place somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. Scientists think the spawning grounds may be close to Tonga. The larvae float on ocean currents back to Aotearoa. Once they've returned, the larvae change into glass eels (juvenile tuna) and then become elvers (small adults). They make their way to freshwater and grow into adults. Elvers feed on macroinvertebrates, and tuna will eat kōura if they get the chance. Tuna also feed on small birds and ducklings.

Birds

Some of the most recognisable animals in repo are the birds. A whopping 30% of Aotearoa's birds are wetland species. Ducks are commonly found in wetlands. For some species, like kuruwhengi (New Zealand shoveler, Anas rhynchotis variegata), freshwater wetlands are their primary habitats.

Shags are also wetland inhabitants. Aotearoa has 12 species including kawau (black shag, Phalacrocorax carbo novaehollandiae), kawaupaka (little shag, Phalacrocorax melanoleucos) and kāruhiruhi (pied shag, Phalacrocorax varius). Shags are top predators and eat small and medium-sized fish.

Ruru (morepork, Ninox novaeseelandiae) also have ties to wetlands. Like tūī ( Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), kōtare (kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus) and many other native birds, ruru fly across awa, roto, bush areas and repo. Ruru eat insects and smaller creatures, kōtare eat small fish, insects and kōura, while tūī prefer nectar and the occasional insect.

Interconnections

So many animals whakapapa to repo ecosystems. Aotearoa has lost 90% of its wetlands in the last 150 years, so efforts to restore remaining wetlands are crucial. Work to restore water quality and to minimise introduced and pest species can have positive impacts across the habitats and their associated food webs.

Acknowledgements

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wetland habitats are diverse places. They support an enormous range of animals from microscopic communities to some of Aotearoa's largest birds.

# data[].attributes.body
How do they get their oxygen when their roots are in water?
Find out about Aerenchyma.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wetlands are defined by the presence of water - places where water covers the soil or where it is present at or near the surface for part of the year. That's a wide-ranging definition, so it covers a wide range of wetland types and wetland habitats!

Wetlands are special places when it comes to vegetation. Many wetland species throughout Aotearoa are endemic and range from the tiny swamp helmet orchid ( Corybas carsei) that is only found in the Waikato's Whangamarino Wetland to Aotearoa's tallest tree - the kahikatea (white pine, Dacrycarpus dacrydioides).

Where particular plants live is determined by the amount of water that is present. Marshes and swamps usually have a gradient that moves from open water and saturated soils to drier upland soils. These are some zone characteristics:

Aquatic - permanent open water that is usually more than 1 m deep. Plants like duckweed are submerged but with their flowering parts above water.

Emergent - shallow water between 5 cm - 1 m deep. Plants like raupō (bulrush, Typha orientalis) or kuta (bamboo spike sedge, Eleocharis sphacelata) are partially submerged.

Saturated - soils are saturated most of the year. Plants like harakeke (flax, Phormium tenax), tī kōuka (cabbage tree, Cordyline australis) and maire tawake (swamp maire, Syzygium maire) tolerate a mix of flooded and drier conditions.

Moist - soils are saturated at times but dry in summer. These conditions support trees such as kahikatea, mānuka (tea-tree, Leptospermum scoparium) and whekī (rough tree fern, Dicksonia squarrosa).

Mesic - upland soils that may be saturated for short periods but are generally dry and mark the transition from wetland to other types of habitat. These conditions support kōwhai (Sophora spp.), mamaku (black tree fern, Cyathea medullaris) and rimu (red pine, Dacrydium cupressinum).

Wetland plant adaptations

Wetland habitats present challenging conditions, so some plants have adaptations that help them survive. Wetland soils are saturated and become anaerobic - lacking in oxygen. Plants need oxygen for respiration. Rushes like wīwī, raupō and sedges like kuta have spongy tissues that form air channels inside of their stems. Known as aerenchyma, these channels move oxygen from the parts of the plant that are above water to the parts of the plant that are submerged. Pukatea ( Laurelia novae-zelandiae) and swamp maire have special breathing roots called pneumatophores. These specialised roots stick out of the swampy soil and supply air to the submerged roots. Pukatea, swamp maire and kahikatea trees develop buttresses (flared trunks at the base of the tree) that support the trees in the swampy ground.

Many emergent wetland plants have elongated stems to ensure that a portion of the plant is above the water. This is important for both photosynthesis and reproduction.

Another challenging condition in some wetlands is access to nutrients. Bogs are nutrient poor, so carnivorous plants like sundews (wahu, Drosera spp.) and bladderworts ( Utricularia australis) gain additional nutrients by capturing insects and other invertebrates.

Wetland (repo) plants and te ao Māori

Traditionally, repo were both grocery and hardware stores for Māori. Repo brimmed with food and sustenance (such as tuna, kōura and various berries and seeds), materials for housing (such as roofing and insulation) and plants for rongoā Māori to treat wounds and ailments.

Perhaps the one plant most symbolic of customary Māori life is harakeke. Harakeke is commonly found in wet areas throughout Aotearoa. Although it is no longer needed for creating the many items crucial for day-to-day living, harakeke still holds significant value in te ao Māori. Raranga (weaving) tikanga and techniques are being revived and are flourishing. Harakeke heals both the people through rongoā and the whenua through riparian restoration.

Kuta is another wetland plant that is highly valued as a weaving resource. Woven gently, the kuta stem holds air, which provides warmth and softness in the finished product. These properties were valued in sleeping mats and as wall insulation for buildings.

There is significant mātauranga associated with the nurturing, harvesting and preparation of harakeke and kuta. Kōrero with local kaumātua and other whānau about these practices, especially when considering wetland restoration.

Related content

Useful links

Acknowledgements

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wetlands are defined by the presence of water - places where water covers the soil or where it is present at or near the surface for part of the year. That's a wide-ranging definition, so it covers a wide range of wetland types and wetland habitats!

# data[].attributes.headline
Ake ake model for identifying cultural indicators and making plans for the future.

# data[].attributes.subject
Ake ake model for identifying cultural indicators and making plans for the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lorraine Dixon (who works for the Waahi Whaanui Trust) helped to develop the Ake Ake model - a teaching tool that helps hapū identify their needs, goals and aspirations. Cultural indicators can then be developed from these needs, goals and aspirations with a view to restore the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River in the Huntly area.

Cultural indicators

Cultural indicators relate to changes that occur over time from a cultural perspective. For example, the decline of taonga river species is an indicator of a problem. Kaumātua talk about the quality and quantity of taonga kai such as tuna (eels) in the river when they were children. Tuna are no longer present in these numbers. This indicates a problem with the river (the environment). It also indicates that, as a consequence of the decline in river health, there could be further problems with the culture, society, economy and health and wellbeing of the people who depend on the river in all these areas. The river is part of their identity.

Once an indicator is identified, iwi consider what may have contributed to the problem, for example, the decline of a species. Restorative steps can then be taken. Lorraine stresses that cultural indicators are important because scientific indicators don't reflect the cultural perspective. Hapū living in this area have done so for generations - they know their own backyard better than anyone else, and they have knowledge of the area that has been handed down the generations. They are also aware of the interconnections between the environment, the species living there and themselves and their lifestyle.

Cultural indicators can also be used to assess whether restoration practices are working. For example, the return of taonga species is an indicator that the health and wellbeing of the river is improving.

Lorraine helped develop the Ake Ake (forever and ever) model as a means to identify cultural indicators and to explore river restoration to strengthen the cultural community.

The Ake Ake model

The Ake Ake model is a pictorial cultural mapping of individual perspectives. Perspectives are considered across five components: environmental, economic, cultural, social, and health and wellbeing. The model is produced in three steps:

Iwi learn about how the river people lived in the past - with reference to each of the five components.

Iwi identify the present situation - with reference to each of the five components.

Iwi draw what they want the future to look like for iwi in 50 years' time. Drawings should include representation of the five components.

Lorraine developed this model for iwi participation. However, usually only a small proportion of those present in a hui participate. The Ake Ake model calls for much greater participation, and whānau enjoy it because they're contributing towards their future and the future of their children.

Working through the steps

Iwi discussion and decision-making is often left to kaumātua. The Ake Ake model includes a range of age groups - kaumātua, rangatahi and kōhanga.

Firstly, kaumātua visit various groups and talk about the past - how the river ran clear and the awa was the source of drinking water. The people lived off the river - tuna filled the boats, whitebait was plentiful and the watercress was healthy and edible. The people were healthy because they ate healthy food from the river. The river was their transport. People went to the river for healing from illness. The river was the central focus of the people. Values of whānau support and sustainability were based on river activity. Rangatahi were taught the ways of their people by kaumātua. This knowledge encompassed the river as the people's place to live and socialise, their means of support, their health and spiritual wellbeing. Stories are handed down about how people could be identified by their distinctive smell because of the amount of time they spent in their part of the river or lake.

Secondly, the group discusses the present condition of the people and the river. Cultural indicators are identified across the five components. Lorraine shares about a fragmentation of cultural connection due to land changes and land ownership around the awa. This had a direct effect on the people of the river. Cultural values were lost - not passed on to rangatahi. Connections to the river were lost. The river became unhealthy, and the people became unhealthy.

Finally, the group are asked to make a pictorial representation of the Huntly area with the river and marae as they would like to see it in 50 years' time. Common themes in the pictures are identified for future restoration work. The drawings are then archived to depict iwi thinking for future generations.

Common themes

The Ake Ake model helps iwi to set goals and have aspirations for the future. Common themes emerging include:

restoring earlier cultural values and generational knowledge and transferring that knowledge to the next generation

being socially connected to the river - having communal activities around the river to restore a feeling of being one people

restoring their role as kaitiaki caring for and protecting the environment - this includes working collaboratively with scientists to restore the river and taonga species

utilising the natural resources to become economically sustainable.

This project helps highlight the values of the past and present and helps to maintain values for the future. It combines science and culture in a holistic way.

The activity Mapping the future uses the Ake Ake model to explore changes that have taken place in a local environment. The activity Ake Ake - forever and ever uses the Waikato River as the context for using the model. The activity Wetland (repo) connections - ecological and cultural perspectives uses wetland restoration as the context for learning.

Nature of science

Acknowledgements

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Model for identifying cultural indicators

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lorraine Dixon (who works for the Waahi Whaanui Trust) helped to develop the Ake Ake model - a teaching tool that helps hapū identify their needs, goals and aspirations. Cultural indicators can then be developed from these needs, goals and aspirations with a view to restore the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River in the Huntly area.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wetlands, known as repo in te reo Māori, are threatened ecosystems in Aotearoa New Zealand. Repo experts provide an introduction to the value of wetlands.

Questions for discussion:

What are some of the benefits of repo?

Why does Shaun say that repo have a bad reputation? Why do you think repo were once considered threats?

What does Yvonne mean when she says we need to lift the status of repo?

Cheri says that repo helped shape how she is as a person. What do you think this means?

Transcript

Dr Beverly Clarkson

Repo, or wetlands, are just that - they're wet lands. They have soggy ground or standing water, and they also contain plants and animals that are adapted to the wet conditions.

Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman

Repo are part of this beautiful landscape narrative between wai and whenua. They are about a whakapapa that my tūpuna were a part of and helped shape who they were and, as a result of that, shaped who I am as a person.

Dr Beverly Clarkson

Repo are important because they provide many benefits for people around the world. They purify water by removing sediments and nutrients and contaminants that are washed in from the land. They minimise the effect of floods. They also remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it.

Robert McGowan

If your wetland is drained or if it's paru - if it's full of contamination - it's not going to heal anything. In New Zealand, we have deprived the Earth of a way of keeping itself well.

Dr Shaun Awatere

I think repo have a bad reputation with a number of members of our society, because as a farming type of society, we see repo as threats to our ability to grow grass and put sheep and cows on there - so "We need to drain those repo so we can put more animals and stock on those areas." So they're seen as a negative thing in the past.

Yvonne Taura

Repo has been the poor cousin of our wai and whenua. It's been really important to lift the status of repo and to communicate all the wonderful work that's been going on within the repo.

Dr Shaun Awatere

Repo are going to be very useful in helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change. But also importantly, repo are important food sources, not only for the wider ecology, but also for humans as well. Māori used to use repo as food sources. Tuna were plentiful in these areas. Additionally, repo provide a lot of medicinal plants - there's the rongoā plants that are within the repo.

Dr Beverly Clarkson

We only have 10% of our original wetlands, so wetlands are a threatened ecosystem. Within wetlands, we have many threatened plants and animals, including Fred the Thread, Houdinia flexilissima, reputed to be the world's skinniest caterpillar. So when the wetlands disappear, our plants disappear. It's a loss of the wetland ecosystem as a whole.
Acknowledgements
Footage of Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman on Waikato Awa, with permission of Waikato-Tainui College of Research and Development
Footage, Rob McGowan in ngahere, brewing a rongoā tea, cleansing in wai and shots of waterfall, from , Scottie Productions
Waipapa mire (fen) at Pureora Forest Park, Waikato, Awarua Bog and wetlands with sedges, Dr Beverley Clarkson, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. Chapter 3, Wetlands Restoration: A handbook for New Zealand freshwater systems
Footage, diggers in wetland, NZ Green Party, CC BY 3.0
Photos, draining the Kaitaia Swamp using a dredge, and Draining the Kaitaia Swamp 1930s, Northwood Brothers Collection (1900-1950), Museum @ Te Ahu
Photo, Australasian bittern wrestling an eel. Foxton Beach, April 2017, Imogen Warren Photography
Historical photo, women fishing for matamata on the Waikato River near Tuakau. James Cowan, The Maori: yesterday and to-day. Wellington: Whitcombe & Tombes, 1930. Sourced from Te Reo o Te Repo - The Voice of the Wetland
Historical photo, bird hunters with their catch of black swans, ca. 1910. Northwood Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library
Close-up photo, kawakawa leaves, Jon Sullivan, CC BY-NC 2.0
Photo, kawakawa tincture soaking, Jamie Watson
Photos of 'Fred the Thread' caterpillar and adult moth, Birgit E. Rhode, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research
Photos, Sporadanthus rushes, Dr Beverley Clarkson, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research
Photo, swamp maire, chauncy, CC BY-NC 4.0. Sourced from iNaturalistNZ.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wetlands, known as repo in te reo Māori, are threatened ecosystems in Aotearoa New Zealand. Repo experts provide an introduction to the value of wetlands. Questions for discussion: What are some of the benefits of repo? Why does Shaun say that repo have a bad reputation?

# data[].attributes.headline
Wetland Ecosystem with a Te Ao Māori perspective

# data[].attributes.subject
Wetland Ecosystem with a Te Ao Māori perspective

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
View ecosystem connections with a te ao Māori perspective.

Repo/wetlands are not discrete habitats for the plants and animals that live in them - often these species cross over with other habitats. Use this interactive to learn about six key wetland species and discover their interconnections. The activity Wetland (repo) connections - ecological and cultural perspectives explores these ideas more fully.

To use this interactive, move your mouse or finger over any of the labelled boxes and click to obtain more information

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Background image and text are adapted from Pūniu River Care Incorporated's Safe places, healthy waters, healthy people: A guide to assist marae and hapū to build their capacity in restoration.

Transcript

Tuna

Tuna (freshwater eels) spend the early part of their lives as tunatuna (glass eels) in the freshwater systems of awa and roto. Here, they grow slowly, and once they are of breeding age, they migrate to the moana (marine environment) where they meet up in the Pacific Ocean to breed and then die. Their babies float back on the ocean currents to the rivers where their parents came from and start the cycle all over again.

Tuna image: Public domain

Harakeke

Before heading to the ocean, tuna live in repo (wetland habitats) that are the strongholds of harakeke. Harakeke is also a food source for the tūī, which loves to sip away at the nectar of their flowers in spring to summer.

Harakeke image: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

Karamū

Karamū can be found in wetlands - especially in the swamp forests that wrap around harakeke and the sedges and rushes that occupy the water's edge. Karamū are also found on the banks of tributaries (riparian margins) along with sedges - grass-like plants such as pūrei or pūrekireki. Karamū is a hardy and versatile plant so it can also be found amongst scrub on dry lands dominated by mānuka and kānuka.

Karamū berry image: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

Kōura (freshwater crayfish) live in the water underneath the protective cover of the karamū and pūrekireki, which hangs over the stream banks. These delicate little animals are valued food sources for tuna and for people.

Kōura image: DOC, CC BY 4.0

Mānuka

In the Waikato, mānuka is found on the drier edges of peat and fen wetlands, forming an important nursery for other native plant seedlings.

Mānuka tree: Duncan Cunningham, CC BY-NC 4.0, sourced from iNaturalistN Z

Tūī

Hovering over all of these spaces are the tūī. These birds fly across awa and roto, along coastlines and can also occupy spaces in wetlands. They are found in our cities and amongst native bush blocks along ranges and mountains.

Tūī image: Sid Mosdell, CC BY 2.0

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
View ecosystem connections with a te ao Māori perspective.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video ...

Cheri explains that wetlands are like our kidneys in our bodies. Our kidneys filter and cleanse our blood to remove wastes. Wetlands cleanse and filter out the pollutants in the water that comes from the catchment area before the water goes into the river.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Researcher Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman says that the wet, boggy places you see along the Waikato River as you drive north of Huntly towards the Bombay Hills may look like barren landscapes covered in swampy grasses, mosquitoes and cabbage trees, but they play a critical role in cleansing the water of the river.

Wetlands like kidneys

Cheri explains that wetlands are like our kidneys in our bodies. Our kidneys filter and cleanse our blood to remove wastes. Wetlands cleanse and filter out the pollutants in the water that comes from the catchment area before the water goes into the river.

Cleansing the water

Water flows slowly through a wetland, allowing sediment particles to settle out. Plant surfaces provide for filtration, the absorption of solids and add oxygen to the water. Wetland plants take up nutrients for growth - preventing them from entering the river where they may cause excessive aqua plant growth and upset the ecological balance of the river. Water entering the river cleansed by wetlands in turn protects downstream environments. All of this activity contributes to the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River.

Damaged wetlands of the Waikato

Wetlands are cradles of biodiversity, providing habitat for countless species of plants and animals. Pre-1840, wetlands covered about 17% of the total land area in the Waikato region. Urbanisation, industrialisation and the demand for agricultural production have now claimed much of the wetland area, leaving only 20-25% of the original wetland area.

These wetlands are in a poor condition. They are surrounded by agricultural land (receiving influxes of high levels of nutrients from run-off) and filled with invasive pest plants and animals, which compete for the same resources as our native species. This affects the habitat of important kai species such as tuna (eels) and whitebait. The wetlands also have roads running through them - disconnecting species from food and habitats.

Restoring Whangamarino - the scholarship programme

Cheri is heading up a scholarship research programme where tribal (iwi) students studying at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) are given the opportunity to work with scientists from Landcare Research and NIWA in Whangamarino Wetlands under a government-funded wetland restoration programme. Whangamarino is one of the largest wetlands in the Waikato region and is of Ramsar status.

The research programme is committed to wetland restoration. Students are given training in aspects of wetland monitoring such as geographic positioning systems, setting up plots and transects, insect identification and setting up traps for sampling of invertebrates. They then investigate areas of concern identified by scientists.

Nutrient enrichment

The effect of dairy farming intensification on Waikato wetlands is an area of concern. Under scientists' guidance, Joshua Ormsby and Jonathan Brown investigated the effects of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus on the root growth of plants in different types of wetland - peat bog, fens and swamps. They found that increased nutrients don't seem to affect swamps and fens, but the addition of phosphorus does appear to inhibit root growth in peat bogs. Phosphorus contained in fertiliser spray drift may threaten peat formation (roots are a major component of peat). A lack of peat will lead to a degradation of the unique peat bog ecosystem.

Plant and animal pests

Other investigations involve pest trees such as the grey willow. Willow colonisation is expanding, and these trees compete for resources with the native plants. Students have assisted wetland scientists to investigate the effects of chemical sprays for willow control while allowing the growth of native plants.

Scholarship student Rimutere Wharakura is investigating predator control in Whangamarino. Cheri says people don't appreciate how much damage stoats and feral cats can do in the wetland - they feed off ground-nesting birds like the spotless crake and fernbird.

Preserving taonga

Cheri stresses this work is critical. "If we lose our wetlands, it will impact on the people themselves. Our tūpuna have utilised and lived amongst these systems for generations. The plants and animals that reside in our wetlands are taonga, but so too is the knowledge that we have about our relationship with them."

Nature of science

Acknowledgements

Useful links

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Researcher Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman says that the wet, boggy places you see along the Waikato River as you drive north of Huntly towards the Bombay Hills may look like barren landscapes covered in swampy grasses, mosquitoes and cabbage trees, but they play a critical role in cleansing the water of the river.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wetlands are 'in between' areas - they are permanently or intermittently wet areas on the margins of drier land or along the margins of water bodies like lakes, rivers or the sea. The wet conditions create unique ecosystems - from the underlying substrates to the plants and animals specially adapted to live in them.

Repo (wetlands) are part of this beautiful landscaped narrative between wai and whenua.
Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman

In between doesn't mean small or unimportant - wetland systems like Kopuatai Peat Dome cover nearly 10,000 ha, and Southland's Awarua-Waituna wetlands spread over 20,000 ha.

Unfortunately, these systems represent a fraction of the wetlands that once covered Aotearoa New Zealand. Prior to human arrival, nearly 10% of the land cover was wetlands. Over the past 150 years, 90% of wetlands have been drained or have deteriorated. Agricultural and urban areas now cover what were once diverse ecosystems and areas of cultural, economic and spiritual significance for tangata whenua.

As a society, we have gained a greater understanding of repo - their cultural values and the ecosystem services they provide - and work is under way to restore repo throughout Aotearoa.

Freshwater wetlands

The main freshwater wetland types in Aotearoa are bogs, fens, swamps and marshes. Wetland types are usually determined by the amount of water and where it comes from. Water flows influence nutrient availability and the types of vegetation the wetland can host.

Bogs get all of their water from rain, so they don't receive the nutrients that groundwater and surface water often deliver to other types of wetlands. Bogs are continuously wet - the water table is close to the surface, and this creates poorly aerated and acidic conditions. Plant material doesn't fully decay in these conditions, so peat slowly accumulates. Bogs have unique ecosystems with mosses, lichens, rushes and carnivorous plants. Peat bogs in the Waikato are home to the tiny, endemic insect called Fred the Thread.

Fens also have a peat substrate. Fens are located on slight slopes or at the edges of bogs so they are fed by both rain and groundwater, which provides extra nutrients. Fens tend to be wet, with the water table just below the surface, but there can be dry patches too. Vegetation includes tussock grasses, sedges, mānuka and tall herbs.

Swamps are fed by both surface water and groundwater so they get regular influxes of nutrients. Swamps often form in valley floors, basins, deltas and plains so they have standing water that can be fairly deep. Vegetation includes raupō, sedges, rushes, harakeke and trees such as kahikatea, pukatea, swamp maire and tī kōuka (cabbage tree).

Marshes are the most nutrient rich of the freshwater wetlands. Marshes are located alongside rivers, lakes and other marginal areas. They have seasonal water fluctuations, which means they can be dry in summer but wet in winter. Vegetation includes rushes, grasses, sedges and herbs.

Aotearoa also has some uncommon wetland types including geothermal wetlands and plutonic wetlands. Plutonic wetlands form in caves and underground streams. There isn't enough light for plants to grow, so the ecosystem includes fungi, microbes, insects and fish.

Marine wetlands

Estuaries are the wetlands that form between the land and the sea where freshwater mixes with saltwater. Estuarine wetlands include marshes, seagrass meadows, mudflats and mangrove forests. These are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world.

Defining wetlands

Although ecologists like to create labels, wetlands don't always fit into discrete categories. Wetland systems can have different types of repo within them. Whangamarino Wetland, located in the Waikato region, is a combination of peat bog, swampland and open water. There can be quite a bit of variation within wetlands, and if environmental conditions change, the ecosystems the wetland supports will change too.

Related content

Acknowledgements

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wetlands are 'in between' areas - they are permanently or intermittently wet areas on the margins of drier land or along the margins of water bodies like lakes, rivers or the sea. The wet conditions create unique ecosystems - from the underlying substrates to the plants and animals specially adapted to live in them.

# data[].attributes.headline
Wetlands in Aotearoa pre human and 2008 comparison

# data[].attributes.subject
Wetlands in Aotearoa pre human and 2008 comparison

# data[].attributes.headline
Funding for projects related to the Wairarapa Moana

# data[].attributes.subject
Funding for projects related to the Wairarapa Moana

# data[].attributes.body
If you’re planning a restoration project close to the Wairarapa Moana, apply for our Community Environment Fund. Groups can receive up to $12,500.

The Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project is a collaboration between Greater Wellington, the Department of Conservation, South Wairarapa District Council, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, and Rangitāne o Wairarapa.

Our area includes Lakes Wairarapa and Ōnoke, their neighbouring wetlands, Lake Domain, the Wairarapa Lake Shore Scenic Reserve and Ōnoke Spit. Lake Wairarapa is the third largest lake in the North Island.

At the heart of our partnership is a mutual desire to restore our wetland treasure; whakaora te repo ka ora te taonga wai.

We want to help mana whenua and community groups with restoration efforts and native plant nurseries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you're planning a restoration project in the Wairarapa area, apply for our Community Environment Fund. Groups can receive up to $12,500.

The Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project is a collaboration between Greater Wellington, the Department of Conservation, South Wairarapa District Council, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, and Rangitāne o Wairarapa.

Our area includes Lakes Wairarapa and Ōnoke, their neighbouring wetlands, Lake Domain, the Wairarapa Lake Shore Scenic Reserve and Ōnoke Spit. Lake Wairarapa is the third largest lake in the North Island.

At the heart of our partnership is a mutual desire to restore our wetland treasure; whakaora te repo ka ora te taonga wai.

We want to help mana whenua and community groups with restoration efforts and native plant nurseries.

Mana whenua and community groups can apply for funding to support environmental restoration projects that are:

On public land (e.g., council reserves, Department of Conservation land and some stream margins). There are a couple of exceptions:

If the project is on Māori owned land or private land then evidence of access, community participation and wider Wairarapa Moana benefits will need to be provided.

If the project is located within the mapped area but is some distance from the Wairarapa Moana, the restoration activity must contribute to a positive environmental flow on effect (i.e., work is in a tributary stream, work supports a species in the area).

Groups who uphold manaakitanga.

The project is located within the Wairarapa Moana (see map below).

expand_more What can funding be used for?

Native plants (must be eco-sourced and ideally locally sourced)

Planting materials such as protectors and fertiliser

Tools

Pest plant control

Pest animal control

Monitoring

Seed collection

Training

Refreshments for working bees

Groups can apply for up to $12,500. This money can be spent over up to 2 years.
Find out about other projects that have received support from this fund.
Types of restoration activities can include:

This fund is not for paying salaries or wages of people involved in the project.

expand_more What would a successful application look like?

We'll judge applications on the quality of the project, rather than on how well you fill in the application form. You don't need to include a lot of information.

You'll also get an opportunity to tell us about your project kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face).

Priority will be given to projects that will:

Align with our values and vision.

Enhance the health of local ecosystems. We want to target native plants and animals in this area and provide habitats for these species.

Reduce threats to the moana and surrounding ecosystems.

Be achievable and have a plan to maintain the project progress once completed.

Plan to cope with changing conditions resulting from climate change.

Applications open - 1 October 2022

Applications close - 25 November 2022

Applicants contacted by - 2 December 2022

Successful applicants announced - before Friday 16 December

Fill out the form below and email it to waiwetlands@gw.govt.nz.

At the end of your project, we'll organise a site visit with you so you can show us how the allocated funds were spent and what was achieved.

alarm Updated October 7, 2022 at 3:00 PM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wairarapa Moana Community Environment Fund | Greater Wellington Regional Council

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're planning a restoration project in the Wairarapa area, apply for our Community Environment Fund. Groups can receive up to $12,500. The Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project is a collaboration between Greater Wellington, the Department of Conservation, South Wairarapa District Council, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, and Rangitāne o Wairarapa.

# data[].attributes.body
From Rāwiri Smith
- Ko Ruamahanga te awa
- Ko Wairarapa te Moana
- Ko Remutaka te maunga
- Pounui Lagoon

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stories of Wairarapa Moana — Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Stories of Wairarapa Moana KO NGĀ KŌRERO O WAIRARAPA MOANA

# data[].attributes.headline
Pae tū mokai o Tauira - Ra Smith sharing

# data[].attributes.subject
Pae tū mokai o Tauira - Ra Smith sharing

# data[].attributes.body
Many pūrākau within this video
- Te tapanga ō Wairarapa (Naming of the Wairarapa)
- Pae tū Mokai o Tauira
- Taupahi - seasonal gathering place of food
- Hine Tauira

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As you walk through the wetlands you'll see native vegetation, planted to support regeneration. Indomitable tōtara trees once stood majestic throughout the wetland forest. They were missing for many years, but due to restoration efforts they have now returned. The wetlands are also home to many waterfowl and wading birds including a number of threatened birds like the elusive matuku (Australasian bittern) and pūweto (spotless crake). Both of these birds are so rare and secretive they are usually only identified by the noises they make. You can hear them on the NZ Birds Online website by searching for their name.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Boggy Pond and Wairio Wetlands - Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As you walk through the wetlands you'll see native vegetation, planted to support regeneration. Indomitable tōtara trees once stood majestic throughout the wetland forest. They were missing for many years, but due to restoration efforts they have now returned.

# data[].attributes.body
The Wairarapa Moana and Wetlands have since been returned to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitaane o Wairarapa and is governed by the Wairarapa Moana and Wetlands Project.

# data[].attributes.body
Each area has a description, maps and some a voice of the place spoken by mana whenua.

LAKE DOMAIN RESERVE AND BARTON’S LAGOON

BOGGY POND AND WAIRIO WETLANDS

LAKE FERRY, LAKE ŌNOKE, AND ŌKOREWA LAGOON

RUAMĀHANGA RIVER

ŌNOKE SPIT AND KIRIWAI LAGOON

POUNUI LAGOON AND TE POUARUHE

OTAUIRA RESERVE, WAIORONGOMAI, WAIRARAPA LAKE SHORE SCENIC RESERVE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lake Ferry, Lake Ōnoke, and Ōkorewa Lagoon

Lake Ferry is a small settlement on the shores of Lake Ōnoke. Stop at the hotel for excellent fish and chips.

Lake Ōnoke is a coastal lake which is blocked off from the sea for much of the year by Ōnoke Spit.

Ōkorewa Lagoon is the site of an old fishing village, now home to a community planting project.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Explore the Moana - Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lake Ferry is a small settlement on the shores of Lake Ōnoke. Stop at the hotel for excellent fish and chips. Lake Ōnoke is a coastal lake which is blocked off from the sea for much of the year by Ōnoke Spit.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tai Gemmel — Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Our Coast, a series of short videos by Southlight Studio for the Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand in which we explore the natural processes at work behind Aotearoa New Zealand's beautiful coastlines. These videos are intended as an approachable and educational tool for all ages, and will soon be followed by our technical guides in video format.

Introduction

1. How Beaches Work: natural coastal processes

2. Coastal Squeeze: a problem of our making

3. Sea Level Rise: why, how much, how fast?

4. Fighting Nature: our past response to beach erosion

5. Working With Nature: a new approach to manage our coast

6. Setbacks: managing risks from coastal hazards

7. Dune Restoration Overview: restoring natural buffers

8. Dune Restoration: plant zones and changes over time

9. Estuaries: natural ecosystems

10. Estuaries: human impact and sea level rise

11. Estuaries: new approach mountains to sea

12. Adaptive management:for sea level rise on coasts

13. Human Roles: in restoration and management

© 2024 * Website by RS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to Our Coast, a series of short videos by Southlight Studio for the Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand in which we explore the natural processes at work behind Aotearoa New Zealand's beautiful coastlines. These videos are intended as an approachable and educational tool for all ages, and will soon be followed by our technical guides in video format.

# data[].attributes.headline
What is a wetland? Types and wetland ecosystem services.

# data[].attributes.subject
What is a wetland? Types and wetland ecosystem services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today, 90 per cent of New Zealand's original wetlands have been lost, with many of the remaining wetlands degraded by weed invasion, stock access, modifications and barriers to fish migration. 5070 The ongoing grazing and drainage of wetlands for urban and rural development is further reducing this scarce habitat type and introduced species continue to invade these areas.

In 2008, wetlands occupied approximately 250,000 hectares (or 1 %) of New Zealand's land area. 5071 The West Coast has the greatest extent of freshwater wetlands remaining (84,000 hectares), followed by Southland (47,000 hectares), and Waikato (28,000 hectares). The figures reflect general patterns of agricultural and urban development with the lowest levels found in areas characterised by land favoured for agriculture for example in the Waikato region.5072 Wetland losses are continuing to occur. In Taranaki 63 small freshwater wetlands were drained between 1995 and 2013, in Waikato 600 ha of freshwater wetland were drained between 1995 and 2002.5073 In Southland, around 10% of wetlands on private land have been lost in 11 the last 7 years . Remaining freshwater wetlands are heavily fragmented, and often in poor condition. Using an index of ecological integrity ranging from 1 (pristine) to 0 (complete loss of biodiversity and ecological function) over 60% of New Zealand's freshwater wetlands measure less than 0.5.5074 Yet these small remnants can still be important for biodiversity - especially for safeguarding rare and threatened plants5075 - and they form potential 'cores' for restoration.

Wetland types

Example of a wetland (Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation: Te Papa Atawhai, n.d.)

Wetlands are very diverse, which may explain the broad definitions provided for them within international treaties and the RMA. They vary in wetness, fertility, acidity and salinity. They are influenced by a range of factors including different landforms, substrates, hydrology and vegetation. 5076

Wetland types are varied and the type of wetland plays a key role in the variety of fauna and flora found within each habitat. The following table describes wetland types in New Zealand, and details of their distinctive features. 1963

Bogs

Bogs are low in nutrients, poorly aerated and usually acidic due to being almost constantly water-logged. All the water in bogs comes from rain, which means they do not benefit from the nutrient-laden water flowing from neighbouring or underlying soils. Bogs support a wide range of plants and animals including moss, lichens, rushes, orchids, silver pine and fernbirds. A rare moth is found in bogs in the Waikato. Bogs can be found in Southland, Westland, the Chatham Islands and in the Waikato.

Fens

Fens are marginally higher in nutrient content than bogs. They are enriched by ground water inflow carrying minerals from adjacent soils. They have a peat substrate (the partly decomposed remains of plants and animals which form in wet, oxygen-poor sites). They are able to support a range of vegetation which includes tussock, manuka, tangle ferns and Baumea sedges. Fens are found on minor slopes or on the edges of raised bogs.

Swamp

Swamps are fertile wetlands that occupy basins, valley floors, deltas, and plains. They are fed by both groundwater and abundant surface runoff so receive a regular supply of nutrients and sediments from adjacent land. Typical plants include sedges, rushes, reeds, flax, tall herbs, or manuka, often intermingled, and also forest trees such as kahikatea, pukatea, swamp maire (maire tawake), and cabbage trees (ti kouka). Extensive swamps occur at Whangamarino in the Waikato and at Mangarakau in Golden Bay.

Geothermal Wetlands

Geothermal wetlands are created by hot water and mud flowing from thermal streams, hot springs and geysers. The fern Cyclosorus is commonly found in New Zealand's geothermal wetlands. Excellent examples of geothermal wetlands are found in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

Lacustrine Wetlands

Lacustrine wetlands are connected to lakes and ponds. Vegetation in these wetlands includes aquatic plants, algae, floating ferns and herbs. Tall reed-like plants such as club rushes, raupo and giant rushes may occur closer to the edges.

The characteristics of lakes associated with lacustrine wetlands vary. Some are of peat origin, like Rotopiko/Lake Serpentine in the Waikato. Others are associated with sand dunes, like Lake Wainamu, in west Auckland. They also exist on the margins of lagoons, such as Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury, and are found on the margins of impounded rivers, such as the Waikato hydro lakes. In addition, they are found near volcanoes, such as at Lake Tarawera, and near glaciers, such as those at Tekapo and the Nelson Lakes.

Riverine Wetlands

As the name suggests, riverine wetlands are connected to flowing water in rivers and streams. The unique braided river systems of the South Island provide temporarily wet areas. Birds, such as black stilts, feed in these areas. Swampy backwater sections occur behind river levees. Algae are supported on wetland beds and submerged aquatic plants are abundant. Good examples include the Kawatiri/ Buller River in Nelson and Ahuriri River in Canterbury. The Waihou River Blue Springs in the Waikato region is an example of abundant submerged plants being supported in riverine wetlands.

Plutonic Wetlands

This type of wetland is found mainly in limestone caves and underground streams. Caves in lava tubes also support this form of wetland, as do aquifers. Plant life cannot be sustained due to a lack of light. However, fungi, microbes, insect larvae and some species of fish live there. Such wetlands are best viewed on guided cave tours such as in Waitomo and Takaka.

Wetland ecosystem services

Wetlands provide a number of ecosystem services: 5077

Role

Importance

Water Storage

Slow rate of discharge and moderate peak surges

Protect land from floods

Reduce effects of storm runoff and seasonal flooding

Assist with groundwater recharge which in turn feeds high quality water to lakes, rivers and streams

Buffer between land and sea

Provide shoreline protection along margins of lakes and streams

Can absorb action of waves or currents

Secure sediment, preventing erosion and reducing accumulation of deposits in neighbouring waterways, reducing the need for flood and stormwater control structures

Filter Pollutants

Help to improve quality of water

Allow toxins and nutrients to settle out

Plants take up a proportion of the nutrients, whilst other contaminants may be transformed into a less harmful substance

High Social Appeal

High aesthetic value

Opportunities for education, tourism, scientific research and recreation

Cultural Importance

Regarded by Māori as taonga (having much cultural and spiritual significance)

Provide important traditional resources, medicinal supplies and food

Carbon Sink

Healthy wetlands can be highly effective carbon sinks, absorbing between two and five tonnes of carbon per hectare

Threats

Over 90 per cent of New Zealand's wetlands have been drained or filled over the last 150 years. 5078 Some of New Zealand's most threatened natural ecosystems now include lowland wetlands and bogs.5079 Over half of the remaining freshwater wetlands are on privately owned land.5080

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Today, 90 per cent of New Zealand's original wetlands have been lost, with many of the remaining wetlands degraded by weed invasion, stock access, modifications and barriers to fish migration. 5070 The ongoing grazing and drainage of wetlands for urban and rural development is further reducing this scarce habitat type and introduced species continue to invade these areas.

# data[].attributes.headline
Demonstrating what wetlands do using the Catchment model.

# data[].attributes.subject
Demonstrating what wetlands do using the Catchment model.

# data[].attributes.body
We have this catchment model that could be booked ahead of time we could get it over to the Wairarapa.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join Amanda from the Greater Wellington Regional Council down by the Waikanae Awa. See a model of a catchment and what happens when it rains, then find out more about the threats to our rivers.

More River Restoration videos at http://www.learnz.org.nz/rivers201/videos

# data[].attributes.body
The Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project is a collaboration between Greater Wellington Regional Council, the Department of Conservation, South Wairarapa District Council, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, and Rangitāne o Wairarapa.

The Wairarapa Moana area includes Lakes Wairarapa and Ōnoke, their neighbouring wetlands, Lake Domain, the Wairarapa Lake Shore Scenic Reserve and Ōnoke Spit.

Lake Wairarapa is a shallow lake covering 78 square kilometres. It is the third largest lake in the North Island of New Zealand.

Since 2008, the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project has been striving to restore our wetlands.

Together with the local community, we work to enhance the native ecology, the recreational and cultural values of the moana.

The Project began as a way for the partner organisations to pool resources and expertise. This project demonstrates how much we achieve by working together.

Project governance is provided by the Wairarapa Moana Governance Group.

At the heart of our partnership is a mutual desire to Restore our wetland treasure; Whakaora te repo ka ora te taonga wai. Our vision for the future is that:

Wairarapa Moana is valued as a place of cultural and historical significance that inspires our future.

Healthy water in Wairarapa Moana nurtures all native plants, animals and their ecosystems.

Wairarapa Moana underpins environmental, customary, recreational and commercial values that benefit the wider community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Since 2008, the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project has been striving to restore our wetlands.

Together with the local community, we work to enhance the native ecology, the recreational and cultural values of the moana.

The Project began as a way for the partner organisations to pool resources and expertise. This project demonstrates how much we achieve by working together.

Project governance is provided by the Wairarapa Moana Governance Group.

At the heart of our partnership is a mutual desire to Restore our wetland treasure; Whakaora te repo ka ora te taonga wai. Our vision for the future is that:

Wairarapa Moana is valued as a place of cultural and historical significance that inspires our future.

Healthy water in Wairarapa Moana nurtures all native plants, animals and their ecosystems.

Wairarapa Moana underpins environmental, customary, recreational and commercial values that benefit the wider community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
About the Project - Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Since 2008, the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project has been striving to restore our wetlands. Together with the local community, we work to enhance the native ecology, the recreational and cultural values of the moana. The Project began as a way for the partner organisations to pool resources and expertise.

# data[].attributes.headline
Wairarapa Glistening Water Education Resource

# data[].attributes.subject
Wairarapa Glistening Water Education Resource