Value of Bay's wetlands recognised on World Wetlands Day

Staff from Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga planting at the Pekapeka Wetland in 2010.

With World Wetlands Day happening around the world today, the focus will be on "wetlands for disaster risk reduction".

Hawke's Bay Regional Council says efforts are being made to restore and even recreate wetlands by farmers, environmental groups and council.

In 2018 council will be hosting the national Wetland Restoration Symposia. Experts from around the world and the country will converge in Napier for this event.

Hawke's Bay used to be dominated by wetlands. Marsh and swamps once covered large parts of the plains and valleys.

These used to be habitats and food sources initially for wildlife and then for Maori who also used the waterways as transport and hunting routes.

Now Hawke's Bay wetlands are spread far and wide. The largest is Whakaki, on the coast north of Wairoa, which is managed and monitored in conjunction with Whakaki Māori Trust.

The smallest include farm dams, ponds and boggy areas planted and fenced off by landowners and volunteer groups.

A council spokesperson said one of the important functions of wetlands is reducing disaster risk, as reflected in this year's international theme.

When heavy rain runs through hills, swamps in valleys can hold large amounts of water, allowing sediment to sink and nutrients to be taken up by plants.

Cleaner water is then released steadily, therefore reducing potential damaging impacts.

Wetlands are important as feeding and breeding places, for birds, insects and fish.

"It didn't take long for birds to move into the new wetland area on the coast at Waitangi Regional Park, just showing that nature bounces back quickly when we enhance or create the right habitats," says council's open spaces manager, Steve Cave.

Diggers have created new ponding areas, using the fill to raise roads and public areas above floodwater level.

As soon as the wetlands had water in them, royal spoonbills and heron arrived and some pied stilts, ducks and dotterels have raised chicks there.

As well as enhancing and reconstructing wetlands, council has started a state of the environment programme monitoring freshwater wetlands in the Tukituki catchment.

"We are collecting ecological information so that Hawke's Bay people can better understand what plants and animals are in these wetlands, the nutrient status and how the water flows in and out of these areas," says terrestrial ecologist Keiko Hashiba.

Ecological monitoring and enhancement programmes at some of the larger wetlands is also managed by council on behalf of everyone in the region - Pekapeka Wetland, Lake Whatuma, Whakaki Lagoon, Tukituki Estuary, Waitangi Estuary, Lake Runanga, Lake Oingo, and Whakamahi and Whakamahia lagoons.

Many landowners and groups in Hawke's Bay have taken it upon themselves to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on private and public land. These people recognise the many benefits wetlands provide, including habitat for native wildlife, recreation and reducing farm nutrient losses.

HBRC provides advice and financial support for wetland projects through the Regional Landcare Scheme. In the past 10 years, they have assisted more than 140 individual landowners or groups culminating in about 190 wetland restoration or enhancement projects.

• For more information on wetlands in Hawke's Bay go to www.hbrc.govt.nz #wetlands.
• For more about wetlands internationally go to www.worldwetlandsday.org