`Bug Man` Ruud Kleinpaste Speaker at National Wetland Trust AGM

Wet & Wild
‘Bug Man’ Ruud Kleinpaste
Speaker at National Wetland Trust AGM
The National Wetland Trust’s public AGM will be
held at Langham Hotel, 83 Symonds St, Auckland
on Tuesday 19 August from 7pm with Ruud
Kleinpaste, the ‘Bug Man’, the guest speaker at
the event.
Dutch/Indonesian-born Ruud Kleinpaste has worked in television for 14
years as presenter, scriptwriter and director on numerous shows, ranging
from children’s television to serious (and heavy-digging) gardening
programs.
Ruud gained an MSc (Hons) in Silviculture and Animal Ecology at
the Wageningen University in the Netherlands, but Ornithology and
Entomology have always been far more important hobbies to him: he
studied kiwis in New Zealand and single-handedly raised the profile of
all those small, invertebrate creatures that really rule this world through
recycling, composting, pollination and bio-control.
The ecology and conservation of our planet along with the role of insects
are common threads in most of Ruud’s activities, and his presentation at
the AGM, titled “Messages from Below,” will show how the little guys mighty midges and tiny tyrants - contribute big-time to biodiversity.
The Trust welcomes members’ nominations for Trustees from around
New Zealand, and has phone and video conferencing facilities available
for meetings. If you are not already a member, simply go to our website
www.wetlandtrust.org.nz to join.
Nominations for Trustees for the National Wetland Trust will be
received by the Secretary until the close of business on Monday
18 August 2008. Nominations should be addressed to:
Jenni Hensley, Secretary, National Wetland Trust, c/o 2 Rataroa
Road; Miranda; R.D. 3; POKENO or gekkomoon@slingshot.co.nz
The AGM event is open to members and non-members, with
reservations essential.
Please RSVP to: Janice Stokes (Environment Waikato) freephone
0800 800 401 or by email to enquiries@wetlandtrust.org.nz
If you are interested in sharing a bus from Hamilton to the venue on
a cost-recovery basis please let Janice know when you rsvp.
Light refreshments will be provided at the AGM. There is no cover
charge for the event, so please consider a generous donation to the
National Wetland Trust on the night.
To see the AGM Agenda and find out more about the National
Wetland Trust visit our website:
www.wetlandtrust.org.nz
For more information contact:
Karen Denyer
Executive Officer
National Wetland Trust
karen.denyer@wetlandtrust.org.nz
021-031-2716
The Golden Plover Scholarship Award
In 2001 the Golden Plover Award was established by Drs Tony Reiger
and Steven Messerschmidt, in conjunction with the National Wetland
Trust of New Zealand and the University of Waikato. The Award is up to
a value of up to $1000.00 and is open to a student undertaking original
research at Masters level (part-time or full-time) at any University in New
Zealand on any topic covering:
•
increasing the appreciation of wetlands and their values by all New
Zealanders
•
increasing the enhancement and restoration of wetlands
•
increase the understanding of wetland processes by all New
Zealanders
•
good experimental design that will lead to an increase in scientific
knowledge of an aspect of wetlands
•
improve transfer of the results of research to key target groups (i.e.
wetland landowners, policy makers, and councillors).
For more information or to apply for the Golden Plover Award
candidates should contact the Scholarships Office of the University
of Waikato or see
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/research/scholarships/
Applications close 31 August 2008
Wet & Wild is the National Wetland Trust’s quarterly publication. We seek
contributions, though published at the editor’s discretion. Each issue will
be available on: www.wetlandtrust.org.nz within two months of publication,
where they can be downloaded as pdfs.
Membership forms can also be
downloaded from the website.
Submit articles to slindsay@fishandgame.org.nz
A grateful thanks to Mighty River Power for sponsoring
the National Wetland Trust newsletter.
Issue 18 - March 2008
1
WETLAND NEWS
NWT Trustee wins 2008 Green Ribbon
Award
NWT Trustee Monica Peters, and Gretchen Robertson, have won
a Dunedin Region Highly Commended in the Ministry for the
Environment’s Green Ribbon Awards.
The Award is given to an individual, business, group or organisation who
have designed or produced an innovative solution that will protect, enhance
or improve the environment. Gretchen and Monica have spent six years
compiling a comprehensive toolkit, which enables New Zealanders to get
involved in caring for their local estuaries.
The project began in 2001 when a small community at Karitane, Otago
wanted to learn more about their estuary. Gretchen realised there was a
lack of resources and materials available to communities to understand the
importance of estuarine health. She recognised the huge importance of
estuaries to New Zealand’s lifestyles, livelihoods and living systems.
Most New Zealand cities and towns surround estuaries (including Dunedin,
Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Napier). She also recognised that
without an affinity for their local estuaries the people of New Zealand would
not be able to ‘Turn the Tide’ (the title of the toolkit) on historical damage to
these RAMSAR protected ecosystems.
Gretchen began voluntarily designing a set of estuarine indicators and
monitoring protocol that could be used by community members at no cost.
Monica joined the project and began trialling the monitoring protocol with
the Karitane community, who provided feedback on the tools.
It became clear to Gretchen and Monica that scientific monitoring can leave
more questions unanswered than answered within the highly dynamic and
complex estuarine setting. Although useful information is gained through
scientific monitoring some important factors such as peoples experience
and values are missed out. Gretchen and Monica embarked on the task
to design a toolkit applicable to all New Zealand estuaries that harnesses
local knowledge as a baseline for future decision making and provides
tools for people to get involved in a way that interests them personally.
The kit has now been completed and is available through New Zealand
Landcare Trust at $25 each (which covers the printing costs only). The
resource is also available online for free. Since the release of the kit (in mid
2007) over 140 community groups and educators have purchased copies
around the country. This demand recognises the demand for user-friendly
tools for communities to get involved in caring for their environment.
Gretchen and Monica have not profited from this resource in any way other
than the satisfaction its demand must bring.
Franklin wetland restoration
Franklin Mountain Bike Management Committee is working with
Franklin District Council and MWH (Engineering, environmental and
management consultancy company) to restore a previously grazed
area to a fully functioning wetland.
This restoration will enhance the biodiversity of an adjacent regenerating
vegetated area and an area of stream/wetland. The area also forms the
upper reaches of a stream catchment which is important to native fish
species that has been depleted throughout the region and whole North
Island. MWH is providing sponsorship for the project which will support a
range of planting, weed control and interpretation initiatives.
“Wai Wetlands?” Symposium 2008
The 2008 Wetland Symposium, “Wai Wetlands?”, was a joint venture
between the National Wetland Trust, NIWA, University of Canterbury,
Christchurch City Council, Environment Canterbury, Ngai Tahu, Department
of Conservation, Landcare Research, Fish & Game, the University of
Waikato, Meridian Energy, Waihora Ellesmere Trust and Banrock Station
Wines & Wetland Care New Zealand.
This was the third time that the event was held (after Wellington in 2004
and Hamilton in 2006), but the first time in the South Island.
The aim of the Symposium was to provide a highly practical, participantdriven forum for knowledge exchange, training and networking for
landowners, iwi, people committed to wetland biodiversity and restoration,
policy makers and wetland scientists from all over New Zealand. The
programme catered for all, including plenary and technical sessions,
as well as soapbox, practical sessions and fieldtrips (1/2 and one day)
with practical training on site and environmental education. Another aim
of the Wai Wetlands? 2008 Symposium was to document best practice
restoration techniques for a wetland restoration handbook (due 2009).
The Symposium was a great success, with over 150 delegates attending
from all over New Zealand. Community groups were again well represented,
and the feedback from delegates was very positive, with highlights being
the networking opportunity, the keynote lectures, the short talk sessions,
the practical sessions and the tidal wetland tour. The fieldtrips to Te Waihora
were also a huge success, with more than 50 people braving the wind, rain
and cold to attend the technical and community tours.
Thanks to all our sponsors and supporters.
The next Wetland Symposium will be held in 2010.
Conservation Programmes receive
substantial funding
Two important conservation programmes will get a major funding
boost of $12 million, thanks to the Green Party’s successful Budget
initiative.
MP Metiria Turei has secured a total funding package of $12 million to
support community and government biodiversity partnerships, and research
into the conservation impacts of climate change and carbon storage.
Funding of $8 million over four years will go to five major research projects
on climate change on conservation land. $4 million, over two years, will go
to the new National Community Biodiversity Fund to support restoration
projects on public land that protect indigenous biodiversity. This will
complement the existing Biodiversity Condition and Advice Fund of $3.5
million a year that funds projects on private land.
“Community groups are doing significant restoration work on public land
like dune lands and urban waterways. These groups need support but
often have difficulty accessing money for equipment or expertise. I expect
to see the fund also support projects on Maori land, which often does not
qualify as private land for funding purposes,” Mrs Turei says.
In a time of increasing concern for food affordability, freshwater restoration
projects can help to rebuild freshwater plant and fish food sources.
“Conservation land should be protected and its natural values restored.
And now we will be able to demonstrate the extent to which native forest
can mitigate the effects of climate change and how to best manage this
resource in an increasingly unstable global climate.”
Issue 19 - July 2008
2
The funding of five major research projects will support community
and government biodiversity partnerships. The research projects on
conservation land are:
The climate change impacts on threatened species and threatened
environments and DOC management adaption - case studies of wildlife
will be used to predict the impacts of climate change on species least able
to adapt. South Island river and alpine ecosystems will be a particular
focus;
Since forming in 2003 members of the care group have held working bees
to target wattle, pampas, gorse, pine, blackberry and rampant roses.
Environment Bay of Plenty Weedbusters Coordinator Sara Brill said
working in marshlands was not an enviable task, but the Nukuhou
Marshlands Care Group had met their challenges with great enthusiasm.
”Working with Environment Bay of Plenty and the Opotiki District Council
they have battled weed invasions and planted hundreds of new native
seedlings,” Ms Brill said.
Measuring the impacts on water in a warming climate to see what effect
changes in snow melt will have on ecosystems and extinction - studying
the impact of altered snow levels and the effect on river and underground
aquifier water supplies, the maintenance of freshwater habitat, human
economies and habitation;
Department of Conservation Weedbusters spokeswoman Sarah Crump
said the commitment of the volunteers was inspiring. ”They were actually
nominated for the Weedbusters award by the Eastern Bay of Plenty branch
of Forest and Bird. It is to their credit that they attracted the respect of such
a significant conservation group,” Ms Crump said.
The definition of natural carbon footprint and potential for carbon gains
on conservation land - researching changes in plant biodiversity which
influence influence carbon sequestration, where carbon is stored and how
this varies over different ecosystems on DOC land;
“The judging panel too was impressed with the wide biodiversity focus of
the group and their dedication to monitoring the marshlands.” Ms Crump
said that as well as achieving a new group Weedbusters Award for their
efforts, the volunteers’ vigilance and hard work had gone a long way
towards restoring the health of the Nukuhou marshlands.
Wider consequences of carbon sequestration for ecosystem - investigating
how encouraging natural succession of forests will enhance sequestration
along with other biodiversity values;
Assessment of the impacts on DOC infrastructure and assets - climate
change is increasing the intensity of extreme weather events. What
does a potential increase in floods, slippage, wind storms, tidal surges,
avalanches and rock fall mean for management of huts, tracks, and
campsites on DOC land?
$4 millon over two years will go to the new National Community Biodiversity
Fund to support restoration projects on public land that protect indigenous
biodiversity. This new fund will complement the existing Biodiversity
Condition and Advice Fund of $3.5 million a year that funds projects on
private land. The new fund is for restoration and protection projects on
publicly owned riparian (river and stream bank), coastal and dune land.
The Community Diversity Fund will:
Cover restoration projects on land in public ownership that is managed by
territorial authorities (councils), LINZ and the Department of Conservation
Encourage partnerships between community groups and the agency
responsible for the land to work closely together on biodiversity projects;
Decisions on funding would be aligned with the Statement of National
Priorities for protecting rare and threatened native biodiversity
There will also be updating work on the Carbon Monitoring System (CMS).
The CMS is a national measurement that acts as a primary indicator for
reductions or increases in the carbon footprint of conservation land;
”The group has also kept impressive records and has excellent plans to
continue their work in the future”, she said.
Big Lagoon wins Southland Regional
Council Environmental Award
Big Lagoon at Taramoa used to be a two-acre mudhole. Now it’s a
70 acre wetland featuring indigenous vegetation that’s home to
hundreds of wildfowl, open to the pulbic and protected by a QW2
Trust Covenant.
The Southern Wetlands Trust is the realization of a dream by Americanturned-Kiwi Tony Reiger, who bought the property then sought out and
involved locals with the knowledge and skills who could help him establish
the wetland.
The wetland has now trebled the number of commonly seen species by
creating habitat for birds, including small ponds and backwaters, native
plantings and nesting boxes. Reiger’s efforts, along with the locals who
have supported him, has been rewarded by the Big Lagoon winning the
Southland Environmental Rural Award.
Friends of Mapua Wetland video used to
share learning
The Action Bio-Community website is using digital interviews to
share learning and skills.
The National Wetland Trust is lobbying to have wetlands included
in the carbon sequestration research on DoC lands; these are a
specifically mentioned ecosystem in the Government’s 2007 national
priorities for protection.
To see it in action visit http://www.biocommunity.org.nz/detail where
David Mitchell, the Friends of Mapua Wetlands, is filmed talking with
Lindsay Vaughan in Mapua, near Nelson. He talks about the challenges
of restoring wetlands in the area, and shows you the incredible progress
that this group has made.
Nukuhou Marshlands Care Group wins
award
The Unique Plant List with over 46,000 Plants
Endless hours of tramping through marshlands by the Nukuhou
Marshlands Care Group over the last several years to clear
weeds and plant native plants have been acknowledged with
a 2006 Bay of Plenty regional Weedbusters Award from the
Department of Conservation and Environment Bay of Plenty.
If you are looking for wetland plants a useful resource is NZ Plant Finder
on www.plantfinder.co.nz, which lists approximately 90 nurseries all over
NZ with the list growing. It will allow you to access locally grown species
ecologically satisfactory for wetland restoration.
New Zealand Plant Finder www.plantfinder.co.nz
Issue 19 - July 2008
3
National Wetlands Centre update
The designs for the National Wetlands Centre’s varied
wetland gardens have now been costed and fine tuned
in terms of the logistics of their creation and ongoing
maintenance.
To give you some idea of what these will be like we are
publising a feature wetland garden from the Centre’s
proposed landscape plan over the next few issues. The
Centre’s proposed wetland gardens are seen opposite in the
concept plan model. So far we have featured the Kahikatea
Garden, Braided River System, Peat Lake and Sphagnum
Garden.
Geothermal Garden
Background
Geothermal systems are created by heat flow from deep within the
earth, reaching the surface by conduction or as hot water,
and often associated with gas emission, and unusual, often
toxic, soil and water chemistry. In New Zealand all known
geothermal systems are hydrothermal, where water, often
rainwater, percolates down into areas of elevated rock
temperature where it heats and expands, rising towards the
ground surface.
The combination of high ground temperatures and unusual
soil chemistry creates a unique habitat utilised by a small
suite of plant species (and other organisms) with wide
environmental tolerances. Characteristics of geothermal
plants include prostrate or stunted growth forms, and
reduced growth rates, and the unexpected presence of
species such as ferns and fern allies that normally occur in
warmer, tropical and warm temperate regions. Heated ground
and hot springs create a warm humid habitat, allowing these
species to occur in areas that would normally be too cold.
The objective of the geothermal wetland is to display a smallscale wetland garden incorporating geothermal features and
indigenous plant communities characteristic of geothermal
systems, for the purpose of enticing visitors to the National
Wetland Centre and educating visitors about the ecology and
values of, and threats to, geothermal ecosystems in New
Zealand.
Site Features
The concept for this garden is a miniature geothermal
ecosystem featuring a fumarole, steaming ground, a sinter
terrace, geyser, small hot water stream and pond, and
prostrate kanuka shrubland surrounds. The concept is
wider than just the wetland components of
geothermal systems.
It is assumed that the site is approximately
10x10 m. At the rear and wrapping around the
sides will be prostrate kanuka on steaming
ground. Near the front will be a fumarole with
ferns.
In the center will be a geyser that periodically
erupts with heated water that will flow over
a small sinter terrace into a short, e.g. 3 m
stream fringed by thermal ferns, and dissipate
into a pool where it will be re-circulated.
Surrounding the fumarole and geyser will be
almost bare geothermally altered soil.
Issue 19 - July 2008
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Carbon is the “new black” and wetlands can
be part of the solution
By Keith Thompson
Because natural peatlands are ‘sinks’ for carbon, a 10m deep peat
bog could be worth $1M per hectare in Kyoto units. If you had $60B
would you buy Yahoo - or help to save the planet?
Well since ‘emissions management’ is trading at that level on the London
stock market at the moment and the global potential for carbon trading is
well over a trillion dollars within the next decade, I’d seriously consider
investing in the black stuff and other chemicals that can cause global
warming.
The international Kyoto Accord was reached in 1997 and is now ratified
by 175 countries, including New Zealand. Under its Protocol, by 2012
participating countries have agreed to reduce, by an average of 5%
(compared with 1990), their collective emissions of six gases that are
known to cause global warming.
Kyoto is only the beginning of the drive to save the planet. There will have
to be more, and much more ambitious, Kyotos after 2012 before we can
claim that human global activities are ‘carbon neutral’: that is, they do not
discharge more carbon than they use.
Agriculture is a special case because,
although globally agriculture
contributes 15-30% of the greenhouse
gas emissions, in New Zealand it’s a
whopping 50%.
The three most damaging gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous
oxide - all of them absorb heat from the sun, the so-called ‘greenhouse
effect’. This is a good thing up to a point, but as concentrations of these
gases continue to rise, which they are doing quite rapidly, the atmosphere
has continued to heat up and the Earth is now warmer than at any time
during the last 100,000 years.
And we can be certain now that this is not a ‘natural’ phenomenon. We
are causing this!
All three gases are released by burning fossil fuels and wood, and from
the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria, whether in soil, water
or ruminant stomachs. Nitrogen is not only a serious pollutant of many
waterways, but the problem is transferred to the atmosphere when bacteria
convert all this excess nitrogen to nitrous oxide.
Agriculture is a special case because, although globally agriculture
contributes 15-30% of the greenhouse gas emissions, in New Zealand it’s
a whopping 50%.
Under the New Zealand Government’s Emissions Trading Bill (currently
being debated), government (ie the taxpayer) will cover the ‘Kyoto cost’
of agricultural emissions until 2013. From 2013-18 they will cover 90%
and by 2030 the industry will no longer be subsidised (with free emissions
trading units) for its carbon emissions. It has yet to be decided whether
individual farmers will be responsible for emissions compliance, or whether
the suppliers and processing companies - that is, fertiliser manufacturers,
meat and dairy processors and the like - will be the primary participants.
In fact, since National now says that if they become the next government
they will want to give the whole emissions trading thing a thorough reexamination, who knows what the eventual agriculture formula will be!
A quick history lesson tells us that management of our primary industries
has been something of a mess over the years. We tend to forget that
as late as the mid 80s large areas of native bush were being ‘converted’
to pasture using Land Development Encouragement loans. Then for
a while in the early 90s farm forestry was going to be the way to make
money and blocks of pines were appearing everywhere on the landscape.
Now the trees (complete with their carbon credits) are coming down (for
very poor returns) and the intensive dairying replacing them is going to
have its emissions costs subsidised by the taxpayer for at least 10 years!
Landcorp Farming is converting no less than 25 000ha of central North
Island plantation forest (potential credits) to intensive dairying (actual
debits).
Following ‘economic flavour of the month’ is no way to manage our
valuable land resources. It’s time for some sensible long-term ecologybased land-use planning and the government support to go with it. For a
start, carbon stocks are a much more reliable currency than money if we
want to seriously plan for the future.
Whichever way things go, farming costs are likely to rise (and be passed
on to consumers), although the net result of carbon emission costs will be
to provide an incentive to improve farming efficiency, including fertiliser
use, decreasing farming intensity on steepland and low-porosity soils,
improving stock excrement management, reducing energy use, etc. Rules
should have already been in place to do this, since 300 new dairy farms
will go into production during 2008 alone.
So emissions trading should never be regarded as a ‘licence to pollute’ - it
is an ‘incentive to improve’. But there is little incentive under a subsidised
system (as is so clearly demonstrated by European and American
agriculture)!
Already the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium is looking
for ways to lower ruminant methane and nitrous oxide emissions by 20%
before 2013. Will it look as urgently if emissions charges are not imposed
for another five or ten years?
A lot of the emissions problem in farming lies with the ‘over-heavy’ use of
soils. Recent studies by Environment Waikato show that 15% of Waikato
pasture soils have very high nitrogen levels and 27% have high Olsen P
values.
In addition, about a third of Waikato pasture soils have low numbers
of macropores (the small spaces between soil particles), due to stock
compaction. This reduces aeration and infiltration and increases soil
erosion and nutrient and organic carbon runoff to waterways on sloping
soils and promotes pugging in level paddocks.
Soil infiltration rates under intensive dairying are, in fact, often only a tenth
of what they are under forestry. When fertilisers and excrement wash into
rivers, streams and lakes, they not only create water quality problems
(eg algal growth), they are converted to greenhouse gases there too by
Issue 19 - July 2008
5
bacteria. As also are municipal and industrial wastewaters. So greenhouse
gas emissions don’t just come from dry land.
There are also many other businesses looking for attractive options,
preferably in New Zealand, to offset their emissions or energy use.
The Dairying and Clean Streams Accord (signed by Fonterra, Regional
Councils, Ministry for the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry) is committed to reducing pollution in waterways, but it is not
legally binding. There has to be a strong case for plugging emissions
trading into the management tools of the Clean Streams Accord - especially
for intensive dairy conversions from forestry.
Wetlands deserve to be a major beneficiary of offsetting and mitigation
requirements and options. They not only perform many essential
ecosystem functions (flood control, nutrient processing, sediment removal
and soil erosion sinks, water supply, native fauna feeding and breeding,
etc), they are also the most endangered of all New Zealand’s ecosystem
types - particularly in lowland areas. In an important scientific paper in
1997, Robert Costanza et al estimated that in terms of ‘ecosystem services’
provided (waste treatment, food, water supply, recreation, etc), wetlands,
on a per hectare basis, are the most valuable ecosystems on Earth - many
are worth up to $30000 per hectare annually.
Traditionally, if you make a mess you’re required (by your Council,
neighbour, wife) to clean it up - or to do something else (tree-planting, crate
of beer, flowers) by way of compensation. This is ‘on-site mitigation’.
Emissions trading is all about offsetting your pollution, and ‘carbon
offsets’ are therefore payments made to someone who doesn’t pollute to
compensate for your own emissions. ‘Off-site’ mitigation’ is the basis for
carbon-trading. For example, the first ever carbon-offset was planting trees
in Guatemala in mitigation for building a coal-fired power station in the
United States in 1989.
And there were at time of writing at
least 200 private traders around the
world who will help you to trade almost
anything. For instance, on Trade-Me 19
March 2008: ‘Carbon trading - offset a
cow’. Final bid: $16.00!
But there are two types of carbon credits: those that are ‘official’ (certified
units) and can be traded by the government for Kyoto units, and those
which are ‘voluntary’ (verified units) and can be traded by anyone. Meridian
Energy, for instance, generates 80 000 credits per year from its White Hill
wind farm and these can be sold for Kyoto credits.
So if we can offset carbon, why not water quality, biodiversity, ecosystem
services, and so on? Well, you can.
And there were at time of writing at least 200 private traders around the
world who will help you to trade almost anything. For instance, on TradeMe 19 March 2008: ‘Carbon trading - offset a cow’. Final bid: $16.00!
Yes, this was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but you get the idea!
What is really exciting about the rising respectability and popularity of
voluntary offsets is the increasing availability and acceptability of off-site
mitigation funding and the huge potential for supporting habitat restoration
and ecosystem rehabilitation projects, and other conservation initiatives
such as land purchase.
In addition to being already available through independent emissions
traders, voluntary carbon offsetting directed towards carbon-capturing
ecological restoration projects is already offered by airlines such as Air
New Zealand and many travel agents. Maybe this ‘service’ will soon also
be available at petrol stations, car-hire companies, etc.
There are many deserving community-driven bush or waterway restoration
projects around the country that are struggling for money and mitigation
funds could be a lifeline for them, but having to provide the funds would
also be an incentive for farms, piggeries, developers, etc to improve onsite management and thus gradually reduce their mitigation payments and
their offsetting purchases.
Wetlands also deserve help because there are so few of them left in New
Zealand. The figure of ‘90% loss’ is often heard, but that doesn’t present
the full picture.
All of the Waikato’s lowland wetlands are considerably modified by
drainage, introduced plants and high nutrient levels.
Only a handful of small kahikatea remnants in the North Island still have
enough water to be called by their proper name of ‘swamp forest’. Only
0.25% of restiad bog remains in good conservation condition (most of the
rest has been converted to farmland).
So it’s not just a question of ‘how many wetlands are left’, but ‘what
condition are they in and are they sustainable?’ As a rallying cry for
wetland conservation ‘No net loss’ doesn’t necessarily guarantee quality
or condition. A ‘good’ wetland has an intact hydrology (waterlogged
permanently or flooded for a large part of the year), a major part of its
original biodiversity remaining and relatively low nutrient levels.
An increasingly valuable initiative in the United States is ‘wetland mitigation
banking’. A landowner or developer whose activities have diminished the
quality of an existing wetland can pay towards the on-going management
of a better sustainable natural or restored wetland somewhere else (offsite mitigation). The system is now working so well that it is now becoming
economic for some landowners to create or restore wetlands specifically
to add to this mitigation bank. Maybe we could use this system in New
Zealand for improving the effectiveness of buffer zones around some
conservation wetlands. Almost 50 years ago, Horrie Sinclair realised his
dream of owning a wetland by re-flooding his farm on the Taiaeri floodplains
(Otago). Today he wouldn’t have had to live in a caravan whilst the famous
Sinclair Wetlands were maturing - he could have claimed mitigation and
carbon credits!
But the most under-valued property of wetlands is the ability of many of
them to store carbon: healthy natural peatlands not only store carbon, they
also remove it annually from the atmosphere and progressively add to the
amount stored - indefinitely. Forests only do that when they are young;
mature forests no longer annually add to their carbon storage as peatlands
can do, so plantation forests only generate carbon credits for 60-80% of
their commercial life; mature native forests only store carbon - they don’t
generate new credits.
Regenerating native shrubland will assimilate about 2 tonnes of carbon per
hectare per year - that’s equal to 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide. EBEX21 is a
Landcare Research certified offsets scheme which provides an opportunity
for landowners to generate credits in this way - up to $400/ha when carbon
dioxide eventually reaches $50/tonne (currently it’s worth just over half
that). This is ‘carbon farming’ and it’s a good way to make some money
out of land which is only marginal for conventional farming purposes
Issue 19 - July 2008
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Except that the government doesn’t yet seem to
realise how important wetlands are to the economy!
Amazingly, despite their importance, neither
wetlands nor peat have even been mentioned in
the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme! In
the recent Budget, the Greens secured a welcome
$12M for climate change and the protection of
biodiversity. Two of the projects will investigate
how encouraging carbon capture and storage
might enhance biodiversity values. Only forests are
mentioned in this context, but it’s early days yet and
hopefully, the importance of including wetlands in
these studies will soon become apparent.
Whangamarino Wetland
Our ultimate goal is sustainable land-use and
sustainable conservation and, to be realistic, we will
have to pay and penalise people in order to get there.
Carbon trading and achieving carbon neutrality is a
means to an end, but we can’t pay someone else to
balance the books for ever.
But for the time being at least, carbon is the new
black and offsetting is the name of the game.
anyway. That could be 1.5M ha of marginal pasture and erosion-prone
land throughout New Zealand.
Keith Thompson is a wetlands ecologist who lives in the
Waikato.
But it’s not the only way. Peatlands are also ‘sinks’ for carbon - they
continually add carbon to their store (at least 2t, and sometimes as much
as 5t per hectare per year) through carbon dioxide uptake by plants.
This means they have a significant annual value as a source of carbon
credits - maybe $500-1000/ha/yr. In addition, each metre depth of an
existing peatland stores about $100 000-worth of Kyoto units per hectare
- permanently, as long as it’s kept waterlogged. Now add that to the value
of wetlands for their other ecosystem services! This compares with about
$50 000-worth ($50 price) stored only very temporarily by 800 tonnes of
mature radiata forest.
Peatlands developed for agriculture, on the other hand, are losing at least
a tonne of carbon per hectare each year as carbon dioxide. Environment
Waikato estimates that Waikato’s developed peatlands lose 1.4million
tonnes of carbon dioxide each year - that’s up to $70M-worth of carbon
dioxide from degrading peat alone on farms with organic soils. It has
been estimated that 10% of Waikato pastureland (about 140 000ha) is
‘marginal’ for farming and that it might be better used by planting trees and
generating carbon credits.
However, there wouldn’t be many of these credits left if they were used just
to offset carbon dioxide released from degrading peat under the 35 000ha
of Waikato peat farmland! A recent American study concluded (for some
North Carolina farmlands) that it could be economic to re-flood farms
for carbon credits once the carbon price exceeds about $35/ha. Once
emissions charges start to bite in New Zealand agriculture, we could well
see carbon traders offering mitigation deals: “Farm one - flood one”!
Degrading peatlands globally may be contributing over 5% of the world’s
greenhouse gas emissions. We can see everywhere the devastation
wrought on under-valued natural resources - from Amazonian rainforests
to the world’s fisheries. Market forces only work in conservation if you pay
people enough to leave something alone (or, better still, to improve it). So
by giving emissions a significant market price, wetlands should now be
sufficiently valuable for people to be queuing up to save them.
GLOBAL DATA ON SALT MARSH
I am a research student at the University of Edinburgh, UK
who is currently researching/compiling an inventory of global
methyl bromide emissions. One of the largest emitters of
methyl bromide is a salt marsh environment.
However, global data sets do not include salt marshes.
Therefore, I have changed my approach and I am currently
attempting to find data on a country scale. Do you have any
datasets that would be available of wetlands (especially salt
6
marshes) in New Zealand?
Please contact me on: G.I.Fenney@sms.ed.ac.uk
Any help would be most appreciated.
Best Regards, Gareth Fenney
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
Issue 19 - July 2008
7
Weedbusters is a weeds awareness
and education programme that
aims to protect New Zealand’s
environment from its increasing
weed problem. Pest animals and
plants (weeds) are the greatest
threat to New Zealand’s biodiversity.
People play a large part in spreading
environmental weeds, often without
knowing it, and Weedbusters aims
to educate people and raise awareness to turn this problem around.
Weedbusters means action - taking part in weed issues are essential if
we are to limit the spread and establishment of weeds.
Our Vision for Weedbusters: New Zealanders are aware of and taking
action to reduce the impact of weeds on the environment, economy and
human health.
Our Goals for Weedbusters:
Ensure that the New Zealand population is aware of the threat of weeds
Increase the number of people participating in managing the weed
problem
Help all agencies involved in weeds work to share resources and provide
clear and consistent messages
Secure ongoing funding for the Weedbusters programme
Weedbusters comes under the umbrella goals of the New Zealand
Biodiversity Strategy (http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz) and the New
Zealand Biosecurity Strategy ( http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/bio-strategy/
biostrategy.htm), and shares the vision that in 2010
“New Zealanders, our unique natural resources, our plants and animals
are all kept safe and secure from damaging pests and diseases” (The
Biosecurity Strategy for New Zealand, August 2003).
What are weeds?
A weed is a plant growing where it is not wanted and having a harmful
impact. Weedbusters focuses on plants that affect our environment,
economy and health. There are lots of names for harmful plants: pest
plants, noxious weeds, pest plants, environmental weeds etc. But these all
amount to the same thing; plants with harmful impact, so for simplicity we
just call them weeds .
The Department of Conservation lists over 300 weeds that cause
environmental damage. Regional councils and unitary authorities also have
lists of weeds, which are of particular concern for their areas. There are
also weed species that are banned from sale, propagation and distribution
under the National Pest Plant Accord.
Wilding pines, Neville Peat
All about WeedBusters
year, adding to the more than 300 seriously invasive weeds managed
by DOC. Only seven species of invasive weeds have been successfully
eradicated from NZ. Invasive weeds are one of the main threats to the
survival of 61 threatened native vascular plant species; and impact on
another 16 species. Weeds threaten the long-term survival of some native
animals by changing or destroying their habitat, reducing the availability
of food or breeding sites, or influencing the way native and introduced
animals behave.
Weeds are a risk to nearly 600 000 hectares of protected natural areas.
Freshwater, wetlands, coastal habitats, lowland forest, shrubland and
native grasslands are all particularly vulnerable areas. Weeds cost farmers,
growers and foresters tens of millions of dollars every year in herbicides
and in lost production. Waterweeds in hydro lakes hinder electricity
generation.
How weeds are introduced:
Over 75% of the weeds of conservation were originally deliberately
introduced to NZ as garden plants. Many of the ‘World’s Worst Weeds’ are
not yet present in NZ. There are over 24,700 introduced plants growing
in gardens and nurseries in New Zealand; 10% of these will naturalise
(establish in the wild), and 10% of these will become serious pests.
New weed seeds come into NZ on imported fresh fruit, used cars, used car
tires, boots, camping equipment, and in soil on and around containers.
Humans = weed problems; and this is an international issue. People bring
in new plants that escape; rubbish is dumped in bush reserves; and the
expansion of coastal subdivisions and lifestyle blocks exacerbates the
spread of pests.
What weeds cost:
10% of DOC managed land is under sustained weed management, and
hundreds of thousands of hectares are threatened by weeds.
For more information about what makes a weed a weed visit:
www.landcareresearch.co.nz/education/weeds/ and our site on http://www.
weedbusters.co.nz
Regional, city and district councils spend hundreds of thousands of dollars
a year controlling weeds on reserves, parks and other natural areas. Weeds
are the main threat to the existence of 61 native animal and plant species.
Why worry about weeds?
If left uncontrolled, pest problems expand exponentially. It costs $3 per
hectare per year to control young wilding pines compared to $1,500 for
25-year-old trees. If nothing is done to control pine trees growing wild, in
40 years tourists might have trouble even seeing Aoraki/Mt Cook or Mt
Ruapehu.
There are now more introduced plant species growing wild in NZ than
native plant species. Introduced plant species continue to naturalise at an
alarming rate. Around Auckland alone there are four garden escapes every
Issue 19 - July 2008
8
By Monica Peters
Latin name: Carex secta
Family: Cyperaceae
Distribution: Throughout the
North, South and Stewart Islands. Scarce on the main Chatham Island.
Habitat: Coastal to montane wetlands.
Description: Endemic tussock forming sedge up to 1.5 x 0.8 m. Carex
secta can survive for 100+ years. Mature plants develop trunk-like bases
made up of matted rhizomes, roots and old culm bases. Leaves are
narrow (1.5 - 7mm wide), long (1 – 1.5+m) and drooping, pale green to
yellow-green. The inflorescence is a loosely branched, slender, drooping
panicle 0.45 - 1m long.
Carex secta provides good habitat for native and introduced wetland
bird species. Ideal for restoration projects, C.secta is hardy, fast growing
and tolerant of a range of soil moisture conditions – C. secta can survive
immersion in water and sediment during floods. In riparian situations, the
foliage flattens against the stream bank during flood flows unlike others
such as flax (Phormuimm tenax) and even toetoe (Cortaderia fulvida, C.
richardii).
The more rigid growth habit particularly of flax offers some resistance to
flows and tends to be uprooted during floods. On steep stream banks,
C. secta can be planted at right angles to the bank surface to minimise
slips.
Carex secta, John Hobbs
Status: Non –threatened
Carex secta can look very similar to Carex virgata though can be
easily distinguished by the inflorescence. While C. secta is branched
and drooping, C. virgata is more upright and much less branched.
Silt trap, Lake Kainui, Monica Peters
Purei in Maori means a
cluster or an isolated group
which describes the growth
habit of this plant.
Other names: rurei, pukio.
Formerly also called niggerhead.
Left: Carex secta is also used as a key
species in this small wetland designed
to trap nutrients and sediments from
farmland before entering into a nearby
peat lake.
Resources: www.nzpcn.co.nz
Wetlands of New Zealand - A Bitter-Sweet Story wins Montana Medal for non-fiction
Janet Hunt has won the 2008 Montana Medal for Non-fiction for a
book that evokes both national celebration and sorrow; the story
of our wetlands.
‘Janet Hunt’s Wetlands of New Zealand has achieved all of these
things, and many readers, we are sure, will feel galvanised to explore
these revealed mysteries for themselves.’
Wetlands of New Zealand - A Bitter-Sweet Story, written over many years
and designed by the author herself, is a stunning and touching insight
into these beautiful (and broken) eco-systems and their inhabitants.
The winners of the country’s most prestigious awards for contemporary
writing were chosen from more than 220 books submitted.
This year’s Montana New Zealand Book Awards judges, journalist and
critic Lynn Freeman, publisher David Elworthy and novelist Tim Corballis
said while all the category winning titles exemplified excellence in their
fields, their decision to name the overall Non-fiction winner was made
in a heartbeat.
‘The very best Non-fiction is a delicate balance of facts and research,
and a sense of the writer and their passion for their subject. When the
story told also brings to our attention as a nation, something significant
that has been overlooked, we really can’t ask for more.
The principal sponsors of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards
are Montana and Creative New Zealand. The awards are managed
by Booksellers New Zealand and supported by Book Publishers
Association of New Zealand, the New Zealand Society of Authors and
Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd.
The National Wetland Trust has copies of Wetlands of New Zealand A Bitter-Sweet Story for sale. Visit www.wetlandtrust.org.nz
Issue 19 - July 2008
9
NWT NEWS
DEVELOP YOUR OWN WETLAND TRAIL
PROPOSED VISION AND STRATEGY FOR
THE WAIKATO RIVER
The National Wetland Trust made a submission on the proposed Vision and
Strategy for the Waikato River to the Guardians Establishment Committee.
As well as providing specific comment on the document’s objectives and
actions, we noted that we could:
* offer expertise, knowledge and information about the Waikato River
and associated ecosystems, and about relevant educational material and
resources
* assist with increasing public access to the River through development
and distribution of wetland trails,
* promote the work of the Guardians to a national audience through our
newsletter, website and proposed national centre at Rangiriri
* help educate the public, local and visiting, about the values and
management needs of the Waikato River and associated ecosystems
through interpretive material at the proposed wetland centre.
We also noted that the future Wetland Centre could provide a physical
focal centre for the Guardians, particularly as an interface with the public.
LAKE SERPENTINE: POTENTIAL FOR
DEVELOPMENT
One of the Trust activities is enhancing access to wetlands via
development and publication of wetland trails. These could be walking
or driving trails and are supported by a paper wetland trail guide, an
electronic version on the NWT website, and signs to and around the trail
route.
We have begun developing a series of wetland trails around New Zealand,
including walking and driving trails to visit and learn about a range of wetland
types. The first of these wetland trail guides, around Whangamarino and
Lake Waikare is now available on our website.
Why wetland trails?
The Trust is a voluntary non-profit organisation that aims to bring together
wetland enthusiasts to protect wetlands through greater understanding
and appreciation by the general public.
Most New Zealanders have an appreciation of the value of tall native
forest along with many opportunities all over the country to access and
enjoy them. Wetlands are difficult to access, with few developed walking
trails, and consequently suffer a general lack of appreciation. Driving and
walking trails that take people to and through publicly and easily accessible
wetlands will help increase wetland appreciation and protection.
The Trust has official Transit road signage and an existing trail guide
structure. We are happy to work in partnership with interested groups
or agencies. If you wish to develop a wetland trail guide endorsed by the
National Wetland Trust please contact us on enquiries@wetlandtrust.org.
nz to discuss your ideas.
Or visit our website at http://www.wetlandtrust.org.nz/publications
for more information on how to develop wetland trail guide.
We have supported the work the Waipa District Council are undertaking
at Lake Serpentine, in particular progress in securing a significant stand
of kahikatea, extending the buffer around the eastern margins of the lake
Reserve and planting the pastureland acquired and vested in Council, in
wetland plants.
We see the site as having great potential to become a wetland showcase
along with the possibilities of enclosing the Council administered land and
“East Lake” with a predator proof fence. Removing and preventing the
invasion of mammalian pests will present opportunities to re-introduce
wetland species like banded rail, brown teal and NI fern bird that have
been lost from the Waipa District through predation.
Predator proof fences have been shown to be effective and are now
being erected in many places around New Zealand, but few have been
constructed to protect a wetland system. Wetlands are one of NZ’s rarest
ecosystems, yet nationally they continue to be drained and modified.
The Waipa peat lakes are no exception and are particularly vulnerable
to intensifying land use, drainage and contamination from catchment
runoff. The investment Waipa District Council is making in avoiding and
remedying adverse environmental affects and promoting recreational use
of the lake is commendable.
The development of Lake Serpentine will certainly provide a readily
accessible opportunity for the public to experience and enjoy one of New
Zealand’s unique wetland types alive with native wildlife, as it should be.
WETLAND ONLINE DATABASE
The NWT has secured a contract with Environment Waikato to investigate
the development of an on-line database of wetland related resources
(including literature, national and regional databases, and other information).
The intention is to build a virtually identical version, but including upgrades
that are in preparation for that site (a more spatial search, whereby you
select a geographic area of interest).
The contract is in two parts: a feasibility report; and compilation of
Issue 19 - July 2008
10
literature, databases, other resource material as the basis of a database
of Waikato-related information (this contract does not involve actually
building the database). The NWT will be interested in seeking permission
from Environment Waikato and the Department of Conservation to use the
software to build a national version.
See http://www.waikatocoastaldatabase.org.nz/ for an example of
the model that EW and DoC own the software for. Contact Karen
Denyer, NWT Executive Officer, for more information: karen.denyer@
papawerageological.co.nz
Society of Wetland Societies
International Fellowship Award
The 2008 Society of Wetland Scientists International Fellow Award
was presented to Dr. Peter Nevill Johnson of LANDCARE New
Zealand.
The International Fellow Award is presented to an internationally outstanding
scientist for distinguished contributions to the field of wetland science and for
fostering the aims of the Society in science, education, and management.
The Society of Wetland Scientists is an International Organization of nearly
5000 members dedicated to the conservation, management, and scientific
understanding of the world’s wetland resources.
Dr. Johnson is recognized for a nearly 40-year career promoting wetland
issues and plant conservation in New Zealand. He is the author of two
wetland books: Wetland Types in New Zealand with Phillipe Gerbeaux
and Wetland Plants in New Zealand with Pat Brooke.
These books make wetlands accessible to the public and provide a
rigorous framework for further conservation of wetlands in New Zealand.
Dr. Johnson is the author of 67 scientific papers, 31 popular articles, 228
scientific reports, and a regular presenter of illustrated lectures to local
conservation organizations in New Zealand.
At the beginning of his career, Peter was the recipient of the Hamilton
Memorial Prize from the Royal Society of New Zealand, awarded
annually for the encouragement of beginners in scientific research in New
Zealand. In 1994, he was awarded the Loder Cup, New Zealand’s premier
conservation award. In 2007, Dr. Johnson was awarded the H.H.Allan
Mere Award by the New Zealand Botanical Society for his outstanding
contributions to botany in New Zealand.
inland to its headwaters in the Hunter Hills, and east to the coast. Over recent years the society members have met regularly and heard from
a range of specialist speakers in fields such as river engineering, ecology,
hydrology and water quality, while work on the management strategy has
been the focus for the past year.
Environment Canterbury is facilitating
the project and ECan resource care co-ordinator Julia Laming says it’s a
huge step forward to get the sign off on the strategy.
“The basis of the strategy is to conserve the water in the catchment and
to address any issues that may jeopardise future water quality of the
waterways and the lagoon. Water quality, the flow of the river and the
allocation of the water are some of the key issues, and also enhancement
opportunities,” she says.
ECan has been involved in water quality monitoring for some time in
the area and is starting vegetation surveys.
The management strategy
also rates access as a high priority and aims to get signs at key places
explaining the significance of the environment and offering some guidance
on protection. Both the strategy and a summary will be available from
mid-July.
In the future, the society would like to be involved in co-ordinating public
open days geared at educating users about ways to minimise effects on
the river environment, and increasing awareness of potential ecological
damage.
The next meeting of the society will be its annual meeting. If you would
like to participate in future and/or attend the meeting please contact:
Julia Laming, ECan Resource Care Co-ordinator, 03 684 0510, or julia.
laming@ecan.govt.nz or
Waihao Wainono Water Users Society: John
Wilkie 03 3037466.
Database Project
Michael Browne, Manager, Global
Invasive Species Database
This project was originally entitled “Global Invasive Species
Database (GISD) support for biodiversity conservation in Auckland
and Northland.”
Water quality, flow regime and allocation are likely to be the first
priorities tackled following the approval of the Waihao River - Wainono
Lagoon management strategy.
One of the most pervasive and ecologically damaging effects of human
activities is the widespread movement of species beyond their natural
range. Invasive species are the second greatest threat to native biodiversity
after habitat destruction. On offshore islands, they are the greatest threat
to native biodiversity. Invasive species have decimated Auckland and
Northland icons such as the kiwi and kereru. In wetland ecosystems,
invasive plants, insects, molluscs, fish, mammals and birds are competing
with and preying upon native species, and changing ecosystem processes
and functioning with consequent impacts on native biodiversity, amenity
and cultural values and livelihoods. Donors, regional councils and the
government spend millions of dollars on eradication and control of invasive
species, but their activities and their successes, and those of community
groups, are not well known. In addition, effective management of pests
and weeds is quite complex and extremely challenging for beginners.
Communities working to protect their environment need good technical
and moral support.
The document has been produced by the Waihao-Wainono Water Users
Society, a group of about 60 people which includes landholders, recreational
users, irrigators, local runanga and the Central South Island Fish and Game
Council. The South Canterbury society has been in existence for about 10
years, and covers the area from Hook in the north to Morven in the south,
This project has given us the opportunity to present information about
the work being done by community groups and others to address pests
and weeds in Auckland and Northland in order to enhance biodiversity,
livelihood and amenity values. I would like to take this opportunity to thank
the board of trustees of the ASB Community Trust for their support.
Peter is also known for his communication and photographic skills, his
keen sense of humor, and passion for New Zealand’s flora. Peter received
his B.Sc. in Botany in 1969 and a Ph.D. in 1973 both from Otago University.
He resides with his partner Pru at Broad Bay on the Otago Peninsula near
Dunedin, New Zealand.
Green light for Waihao River Wainono
Lagoon management strategy
Issue 19 - July 2008
11
Omokomaru Farm: a model of high country
land management
By Monica Peters
Diminishing diversity
Benefits
The 820 ha Omokomaru Farm is located on the south and southeastern facing slopes of the Taringatura Hills in Southland. This
aspect combined with altitudes reaching 400m above sea level makes
for challenging terrain to farm.
Warrick Day is a second generation farmer on the property. He’s seen film
footage taken by his father in the 1940s which showed clear streams and
wetland areas thick with sedges, flax and cabbage trees. He’s also seen
the native vegetation markedly decrease over time through stock damage.
Streams too, have become muddy and unable to support the fish life that
he remembers from his childhood. Realising that the next generation were
never going to experience the same things he had on the farm in his youth,
Warrick decided to do something about it.
Covenanted wetland - These areas of natural vegetation create
an enjoyable working environment, are beneficial to stock and
provide wildlife habitat. Photo:Warwick Day
Retiring and fencing off gully and wetland areas has meant easier stock
management. The microclimate created by the dense stands of gorse
and broom in the gullies has enabled native species such as wineberry
(Aristotelia serrata), coprosma spp., broadleaf (Grisellinia littoralis),
pittosporum spp., cabbage trees (Cordyline australis) and kahikatea
(Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) to re-establish naturally from seeds dispersed
by birds.
Aerial view over wetlands - This aerial view
shows the extensive nature of the wetlands
along the gully system Photo: Warwick Day
Creating a land management model
Warrick has always been interested in wetlands and waterfowl. With new
habitat developing from native plant growth he’s been able to discover
new things about the land he grew up on. Brown creepers (Mohoua
novaeseelandiae), fern birds (Bowdleria punctata), marsh crakes (Porzana
pusilla) and bitterns (Botaurus poiciloptilus) are some of the species he’s
been finding and learning about. These areas of natural vegetation create
an enjoyable working environment and are also beneficial to stock. The
stands of trees and shrubs provide shelter to stock from the cold southerlies
which sweep over the region as well as shade during the hot summer
months.
Focusing farming on the good parcels of land and retiring the unproductive
areas is the model Warrick is developing. Many of the gully areas on the
farm were becoming choked with gorse and broom, both highly invasive
woody weeds with seeds which can persist in the soil for decades. Due to
the cold and shady nature of the gullies, their potential for growing pasture
grasses is limited.
Fencing these areas off and concentrating pasture improvement efforts
on land which yields more profitable returns was a logical step to take.
Additionally, areas of the farm in red tussock (Chionocloa rubra) are only
lightly grazed by sheep in winter so as not to damage these endemic
grasses. A light grazing regime is important as it helps to keeps weeds such
as Cock’s foot (Dactylus glomerata) and lotus major (Lotus pedunculatus),
under control. The tussocks are closely observed to make sure they remain
healthy – “It’s a fine balancing act”.
Gully protection - Fencing gullies has made stock management
easier. Natural regeneration is taking place in the microclimate
created by pioneer plant species. Photo: Warwick Day
Issue 19 - July 2008
12
Farming for the future
Hosting farm field days is one method of extolling the benefits of retiring
marginal land and increasing farm biodiversity to land managers.
Warrick however points out that the message needs to reach those
who don’t typically attend – land managers whose farms have become
“sterile environments”. His own model of effective land use which offsets
productivity with biodiversity is firmly rooted in his desire to create a farm
for the future which can be enjoyed by those who live and work on it.
Rare fish thriving near Lake
Horowhenua
Giant kokopu. a type of rare and threatened native fish, have
been found in good numbers near Lake Horowhenua where
Horizons Regional Council has been working with landowners
to improve streambank vegetation.
Horizons Research Associate Carol Nicholson said 27 giant kokopu
were found during a recent survey of fish in a small section of the
stream near Levin between Kawiu Road and Lake Horowhenua,
which is part of a Horizons restoration project.
Berm-riparian zones and wetlands - The diversity of habitats
on the farm creates multiple spin-offs for people, stock and
wildlife.
“We were astounded to count so many of these fish, which are listed
as rare and threatened nationally, in such a short section of the Lake
Horowhenua tributary stream,” said Ms Nicholson.
A similar survey two years ago revealed only a couple of the fish,
so we were delighted to see that they seem to be thriving now. It’s
great news for landowners, who with Horizons’ assistance, have
fenced and planted the stream banks between Kawiu Road and
Lake Horowhenua,” said Ms Nicholson. “We cannot be sure that the
increase in numbers is directly due to the revegetation work on the
stream, but it certainly helps provide a much better habitat for the
fish.”
The giant kokopu was among several species of native fish found by
Horizons and Department of Conservation staff during recent surveys
of fish communities in streams and wetland areas in Horowhenua
district.
Ms Nicholson said individual giant kokopu recorded in the survey
ranged in length from about 70mm 200mm, indicating the population
was sustaining itself. Because only a small section of the stream was
surveyed, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of larger fish living and
breeding in other areas.
Tussock preservation - Areas of red tussock (Chionocloa
rubra) are carefully managed so as to retain their integrity.
Photo: Warwick Day
Farm statistics
Total farm size 820 ha
500 effective
Retired areas 215 ha (includes gecko covenants and wetlands)
Pines 96 ha
7,000 stock units: Sheep and 60 breeding cows. As the land develops
and the paddocks become more productive less cattle will be kept to
minimize soil pugging.
Horizons Policy Monitoring Officer Barry Gilliland said giant kokopu
were “like very chubby torpedoes”.
“They are pretty special fish,” said Mr Gilliland. “Their scientific name
is Galaxias argenteus because the markings are reminiscent of a
galaxy. They can live as long as 20 years, grow as big as 580mm,
weigh as much as 2.8kg and live in streams so small they can hardly
turn around.”
He said giant kokopu were as shy as they were spectacular. “They
hide under overhanging vegetation, woody debris and undercut
stream banks, and only come out to feed at night. It is one reason
people often have no idea they are in a stream.”
Issue 19 - July 2008
13
The National Wetland Trust was established in 1999 to increase the appreciation of wetlands and their values by all New Zealanders. Our first
major task is to build a wetland interpretation centre for people to learn more about wetlands and experience their special qualities. For more
informationn visit our website: www.nationalwetlandtrust.org.nz
Other Trust aims are to:
•
Increase public knowledge and appreciation of wetland values
•
Increase understanding of wetland functions and processes
•
Ensure landowners and government agencies commit to wetland protection, enhancement and restoration.
The trust has thirteen elected trustees representing, iwi, landowners, tourism and farming industries, local government authorities, Fish and Game
Councils, the Department of Conservation, NGOs, Crown Research Institutes, and universities.
MEMBERSHIP FORM
An annual family subscription is $20
Name
Address
Phone
Fax
Email
Organisation (if relevant
Tick here if you require a receipt
Please make cheques out to NATIONAL WETLAND TRUST and post with this subscription form to:
Treasurer
National Wetland Trust
C/O P.O.BOX 177
PUKEKOHE.
Issue 19 - July 2008
14