If you haven’t heard – wetlands are the coolest comeback that cares for land, water and all the things that live in and around them, including people.

Throughout the Auckland region more than 97 per cent of wetlands have disappeared due to drainage and land development. Now, communities are getting on board with environmentalists to reverse the practice of draining seemingly boggy and unproductive land and instead, wetlands are being restored and protected.

To help landowners understand and plan wetland restoration, Friends of Awa Matakanakana and Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust are bringing Dr Rebecca Eivers to Matakana for a one-day workshop.

Rebecca will share her experience of creating small, farm-scale constructed treatment wetlands, and restoring natural wetlands; for water quality and quantity treatment to enhance indigenous biodiversity within intensive farming and horticultural landscapes.

She will expand on projects, including coarse sedimentation ponds, fine sediment and particulate nutrient filtration, nutrient uptake and E. coli reduction. She will also share experiences of re-wetting and restoring existing drained and degraded wetlands.

During farm visits, participants can discuss how best to avoid the problems and issues Rebecca has encountered while working with wetland ecosystems.

“I aim to ensure attendees learn how to achieve the right wetland (type), in the right place, for the right reasons and how to search for and recognise good opportunities for wetland re-wetting, re-creation, restoration, and construction in their focus areas or catchments.”

Bringing back wetlands restores native biodiversity, including aquatic life – from tuna/eels, kōkopu and inanga, right down the food chain to macroinvertebrates and zooplankton, as well as plants and macrophytes, and populations of native wetland birds.

“Imagine seeing matuku-hūrepo/bittern, pūweto/spotless crake, and mātātā/fernbirds on your land,” says Rebecca.

As well as boosting biodiversity, wetlands are giant sponges that filter water and soak up storm water – protecting rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal environments and our residential communities.

Format for the day

The day will start with a presentation, followed by site visits to nearby farms and wetlands. Please wear suitable footwear and bring a raincoat.

Food and drink

To keep your energy levels up light refreshments and lunch provided.

About Dr Rebecca Eivers

Originally from a sheep and beef farm in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne, Rebecca now live in Whaingaroa/Raglan in the Waikato. She completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science at the University of Canterbury and her PhD at The University of Waikato.

Now with Wai Kōkopu Consulting, Rebecca is an applied freshwater ecologist, wetland specialist, and water quality scientist. The overarching goal of her mahi is to support our natural environment, and our people, to be healthy and thriving regardless of land use and economic development pressures.

Implementing the most appropriate and effective biological ecosystem solutions (usually wetlands) to reverse environmental degradation and restore native biodiversity, while empowering communities, iwi and landowners to work alongside her is what really lights her up.

This event is fully funded through Ministry for the Environment and the Wai Connection project.