Lowland lake management and restoration: some insights from Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere

Abstract

The battle to conserve New Zealand’s lowland lakes is in some ways reflected in the ‘race for water’! Ken Hughey from Lincoln University outlines the challenges facing Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere. Described in 2011 by the Minister for the Environment as NZ’s most polluted lake, it still has a lot to offer - the most diverse range of bird species of any NZ location (167 species) and a huge variety of recreational activities. A cautionary message was offered about not focusing solely on the “postage stamp” restoration projects, which are important to get community involvement but won’t provide answers in the long term.