Environment Enhancement Fund

Don't forget about Environment Canterbury's Environment Enhancement Fund as a possible source of financial assistance for wetland work. 

Restoration

With all restoration efforts, the aim is to keep it simple. In the end, you want a wetland that takes care of itself with little effort from you. Start your restoration, if possible, within a former wetland area.

Something to think about...

Restoring a wetland is an incredibly rewarding experience.  It's a lot of work, but it's often "fun work" with a big environmental payoff.  You will need help.  Seek advice from Environment Canterbury and other agencies with expertise.

To protect your investment of time and energy and love, a covenant can be placed on the wetland site – land ownership is retained and is transferable but the site’s natural features are protected.

Don't forget about Environment Canterbury's Environment Enhancement Fund as a source of financial assistance.

Keeping your wetland wet

Maintaining water levels is one of the most important tasks in managing your wetland. You may need a resource consent if you build a dam, weir or stopbank.

Make sure that the area has a water supply that will keep it damp throughout the year.  Will you need to construct a dam or divert water into the wetland? You will need a resource consent from Environment Canterbury if the dam is in a permanently-flowing watercourse. For intermittently-flowing watercourses, construction of a low (not more than 3 m tall) dam is a permitted activity subject to special conditions (contact Environment Canterbury customer services for more details).

Before you even lift a spade, spend more time monitoring the source and amount of water, especially over a range of seasons. Mark out where the water comes to at different times of the year.

Restoring water levels

A wetland with a high water table or steady water supply will stay damp throughout most of the year. However, if the area has been drained, you may need to restore the original water level by blocking a nearby ditch or drain.

Be aware that it is natural for some wetlands to dry out during the summer and that some species of fish and birds prefer it this way. Environment Canterbury staff can help you with advice on restoring water levels.

In some instances, you may have to:

• Build a low bund (stopbank around a water body)
• Install a partially submerged weir
• Build a low dam across a stream or river (make sure fish can still get through) or
• Dig out an area to create a depression.

To make sure that water levels don’t rise unnaturally high, these structures must allow for generous overflows. Contact us to find out more about when a resource consent is required for earthworks or vegetation clearance.

A dammed pond will diversify your wetland habitat for plants and animals. However, they can be difficult to keep free of weed and algae in summer, and may block fish access.

Most native birds prefer swampy rushes, raupo or flax rather than deep open water. Make sure you provide wide areas of vegetation next to a pond.

Protecting wetlands from stock

You can encourage native plants to regenerate from natural seed sources by fencing off wetlands. Fencing will prevent stock getting trapped in the wetland and also helps to improve water quality.

Fencing off and planting the edges of streams flowing into wetlands helps to keep excess nutrients out of the wetland.

Boggy pasture near wetlands should not be grazed during winter or wet periods to protect the soil and the wetland.

Farmers using wetlands for stock drinking water may wish to place a drinking trough for stock under the outflow pipe of a dam outside the wetland’s fence. This is good idea if the outflow does not flow into a natural waterway. However, if it flows into a natural waterway, doing this may stop native fish from reaching your wetland.

Minimise stock damage

It is better to graze sheep rather than cattle near wetlands, as sheep are less likely to enter water, pug soil or ring-bark trees. It can be useful in special situations to graze the edge of wetlands, for example if the dominant species are non-native and will be eaten by the stock (for example, young willows). However, in most cases it is best to keep stock out of wetlands and control weeds by hand.

Mid-summer to mid-autumn is the best time to graze land near wetlands, as it will be drier and most bird breeding will have ended.

Peat bogs should never be grazed, as they have naturally low nutrient levels. An increase in nutrients (from stock dung or urine) can allow weeds to invade.

What do I plant?

Check out our wetland planting pages for information on what to plant, where, when and how.