Restoring small wetlands on private farms

Abstract

This paper has been researched by the author as part of the 1995 Kellogg Scholarship. The aim is to encourage anyone who has any remaining wet patches of land to consider creating a wetland or pond for indigenous flora and fauna. Restoring habitats for our native plants and animals and plants is a better alternative to calling in the drain digger! A newly restored area can be created for the many birds, fish, animals and plants whose habitats have been destroyed all over New Zealand. As a result of modifying the environment for farming, helped by heavy investment by Government to subsidise large scale drainage and modification of river systems, many large wetlands have been lost. All the productive land created by these Government schemes has undoubtedly repaid the Government and the land owners many fold, so now it is time to restore a little of what was taken from the indigenous environment. New Zealand is still losing more of the natural wetlands, ponds and small streams, through the continued draining of wetlands by farmers and developers. There are approximately 500 species of plants and animals on the endangered list. Many of these species require wetlands as their habitat. These habitats have been slowly depleted or silted up. Twenty-two percent of New Zealand's birds require wetlands as a full or part requirement, but have only one percent of their previously available habitat left. Wetlands are understood little by the general public and the farming community, but they form a crucial part of the life cycles and ecosystems of the New Zealand flora and fauna.