Council able to help care for wetlands

Wetlands form a critical connection between the land and water, support an incredible array of plants and animals and have important benefits such as improving water quality and protecting against floods. Picture by Liam Clayton

Planning a wetland restoration?

The Gisborne District Council’s catchments and biodiversity team is working on developing some tools and resources to help landowners and community groups with planning biodiversity enhancement projects.

Locals have to complete a writeable pdf template that can either be filled out digitally or printed off.

It’s intended to be used as a “catch-all” project planning document that once completed can be submitted to council to ensure the project is compliant with local and national rules around doing work in wetlands.

This should be done before starting any work in a wetland.

Wetlands form a critical boundary between the land and water. They can be permanently or seasonally wet areas, shallow water, and land water margins that support a natural ecosystem of plant and animals that are adapted to wet conditions.

No matter what shape or size, they contribute to the water quality in the region. They are crucial for the health of the environment and ecosystems, are of significant cultural importance for Māori, and provide important habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals.

If residents have a wetland on their property, the council can offer advice and support to help keep it healthy and restore it. The council advises to apply for the Natural Heritage Fund that may be able to provide funding for wetland enhancement or restoration project.

The first of these new resources is now available on its website.

https://tinyurl.com/yc5hy7n9

For more information on rules regarding wetlands visit:

https://tinyurl.com/4m77vhes