Wharekorino Wetland Enhancement Project

This showcase project at Mangatoatoa Marae will be an exemplar of best practice for restoring a safe wetland area.

The project will reintroduce plant species that historically provided food for people as well as habitat for wetland fish and birds. Species that support rongoā (traditional medicine), mahinga kai (traditional food) and toi māori (traditional art) have been selected to create a seed source for other local wetland restoration projects.  

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

• The landowner(s) will retire 3.5ha of the wetland gully
• The landowner(s) will exclude 100d percent of stock from the wetland and puna
• Waikato Regional Council will remove one hundred percent of broadleaf privet within the wetland
• Pūniu River Care will drill and inject herbicide into eighty percent of crack willow within the wetland
• Pūniu River Care will have propagated 33,000 native plants for the wetland
• Pūniu River Care and Waikato Regional Council will provide ongoing weed control within the wetland

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FUNDED BY:

• Waikato River Authority
• Mercury
• Waipā District Council

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PROJECT MILESTONES

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FENCING WATERWAYS                        

In our mission to improve water quality for the Pūniu River, a project has begun for The Wharekorino Stream. This stream runs into the Pūniu and is situated behind Mangatoatoa Marae. The Wharekorino Wetland enhancement Project will restore the area to a wetland that will help replenish tuna stock, create habitiat for many species of birdlife and provide cultural benefits for local iwi.

The Wharekorino Wetland enhancement project is largely funded by The Waikato River Authority, who envision;

“A future where a healthy Waikato River sustains abundant life and prosperous communities who, in turn, are all responsible for the restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River, and all it embraces, for generations to come.” (Waikato River Authority, N.D)

As the Pūniu River is a secondary tributory to the Waikato River, we help share a part in achieving this vision.

With support from The Waipa Distrcit council, funding for the materials for the fence were provided.

A huge milestone has been achieved with the completion of this fence for the Wharekorino project and at 560 meters long, helps us in our project to restore the Wharekorino Wetland.  A hefty 22,000 trees will be planted in the riparian zone which will give the added benefits of filtering any paddock runoff.

Fencing is essential in restoring and protecting rivers and streams by keeping stock out of waterways. Creating this space between the water and land also helps to minimise excessive nutrients, sediment and effluent runoff from directly entering the freshwater stream.

Added benefits of fencing waterways:

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• Stabilize banks by preventing treading and erosion from animals
• Reduce the risk of stock loss by drowning
• Reduce the amount of fecal matter and sediment entering the water directly
• Improved appearance of the waterway

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REFERENCES

Waikato River Authority. (N.D). The Waikato River Authority. Retrieved from Waikato River Authority: http://www.waikatoriver.org.nz/about-the-waikato-river-authority/purpose/