Agencies and community groups who work to restore lakes and wetlands in the Waipa District attended a Waikato Biodiversity Forum in conjunction with the Waipa District Council at Te Rahu recently.
The Waikato Biodiversity Forum is a group of research and management agencies, iwi groups, private landowners and community groups who are committed to protecting and increasing native biodiversity in the Waikato region.
Peat lakes are a special feature of the Waipa landscape and there are now only 17 left in the district.
A diverse range of species depend of these lakes and wetlands for their survival.
These include endangered birds such as bittern, fernbird, banded rail, spotless crake and dabchick and plants such as the cane rush.