Our Wetland Restoration Plan Completed Example Name/Property name Teal Farm Date January 1, 2003
Wetland Restoration/Management Template SITE DETAILS Owner Mr and Mrs Teal Occupier (if different to owner) Location (e.g. access/street address, topographic grid reference if possible) 10 km east of Tirau Wetland dimensions (ha or sq. m, existing/ proposed) 2 hectares, including kahikatea stand, swamp and likely pond area. Site map (attach sketch or air photo or topographic sheet with wetland area drawn on, outline current major vegetation types, weed infestations etc., attach photos of the site if possible, to the opposite page) QEII convenant dry slopes stream boggy paddock unfenced swampy area unfenced kahikatea stand
General description (main wetland type etc.) Kahikatea stand and swamp with bulrushes, boggy paddock areas. Topography (lie of the land) and soils Swampy seepage zone with low fertility, sometimes waterlogged soils surrounded by moderate to steep pasture slopes with moderately free draining silt loam soils. Stream flows past the edge of the swampy area that serves as a flood plain during heavy rain. Current Vegetation (e.g. main plant types, photos can be attached) Grazed pasture and bulrushes, and a small stand of adult kahikatea (unfenced) above the main body of the wetland area. Special Features (e.g. threatened species, historic features, cultural sites) Nothing we know about. Nearby Natural Areas (areas of native bush or habitat, indicate how far away they are) Small pockets of remnant kahikatea swamp scattered around the district. QE II bush area protected at the top of the farm contains a canopy of mangaeo and tawa.
Wildlife (known/seen in the area) Currently attracts ducks (mallards and paradise ducks) and pied stilts. Site history (if known, old air photographs can be helpful) Probably all kahikateadominant swamp 100 or more years ago Description of water flow and drainage (hydrology, e.g standing/flowing water, permanent/temporary, groundwater/surface water etc.) Swamp areas currently have a drain cut through the middle. Water accumulates during heavy rain and in the winter but the area can dry out completely in the summer. Current condition (comments/impressions on current state of the wetland and threats it faces, e.g. stock damage, weeds, lack of water) No serious weeds at present, it is grazed at present.
ENHANCEMENT PROPOSAL What you plan to do Vision (what you want to achieve) To see the remnant kahikatea stand and swamp area restored to a healthy, native plant wetland that will be visually appealing and will provide habitat for wildfowl and other wetland plants and animals. Vision sketch (attach landscape sketch/diagram/drawing of how the restored wetland may look) streamside planted swamp, stream and new plantings fenced off boggy padock planted dry slopes planted kahikatea fenced wetland reflooded, fenced and planted Objective(s)/steps towards the vision (e.g. wildlife haven, water purification, amenity, conservation) Fence off and plant the swamp margins and immediate faces draining into the swamp with native trees and shrubs. Reflood the swamp area by removing or filling the surface and subsurface drains Construct a pond on the downstream end of the swamp area Create a visually pleasing feature Water Source/Management (current source, duration, extent, fluctuations and intentions to change/improve these) The edge of the swamp is fed by a stream that flows all year round. To create a wetland with permanent water the surface drains will have to be filled and the subsurface drainage systems sealed or removed. The small stopbank along the stream margin will have to be removed to allow water to flow into the wetland area during high flow. A dam will be built on the downstream end of the wetland just before the stream flows under the road and into the neighbours and a pond excavated from upstream of the dam. An elevated culvert will be installed in the dam at a height to retain at least 2 metres of water. An overflow sill will be positioned to take excess water during heavy rain. Silting/Silt Management Not a major issue in this stream. The pond may have to be dredged of silt every few years if it begins to fill in. This could be done by a digger.
Fencing 200 metres of 8wire post and batten fencing will need to be constructed to exclude sheep and cattle from the kahikatea stand and the swamp area, plus the surrounding faces. 4wire temporary electric fencing will be used to graze the parts of the block that are not planted to control weeds. Weeds There are no serious weed problems now. Continued grazing by sheep and cattle behind temporary electric fencing in areas yet to be planted will assist with weed control. Planting (write general intention here) Want to plant natives only and do so in a way that restores a natural look to this part of the farm. 3600 trees, shrubs and sedges will be required to plant out the area. Will need to hire labour to help with planting in some years and perhaps assist with releasing. Have a restricted budget so the proposal is to set a maximum number of plants to be planted each year at 1200 so that all planting will be finished in 3 years. Suitable species for Planting (write general intention here, specific species go into table below look at what is growing, and in what proportions, in nearby natural areas for ideas, check Environment Waikato s Wetland Management Factsheets or web page: www.ew.govt.nz) Standing water: Nothing in the areas permanently covered by a reasonable depth of water. Raupo in shallow backwater areas; some native reeds (especially clubrush, Schoenoplectus validus) in the back corners. Wetter margin sites: Sedges and flax in pockets but some areas of grass to be left to function as loafing areas. Kahikatea to be planted from the top of the wetland to join up with the existing kahikatea stand. Also some native swamp maire and pukatea in areas where the ground is always moist but not waterlogged for long periods. Drier sites, e.g. wetland edge, bunds, adjacent pasture: Mixed native colonisers suitable for stream and wetland margins karamu, koromiko, cabbage tree, manuka, ribbonwood, mingimingi, kowhai and putaputaweta (marble leaf). On the drier slopes karamu, koromiko, cabbage tree, kanuka, five finger, kohuhu, lemonwood, wineberry, and a scattering of totara. Purpose of the planting away from the stream margin is to form a canopy quickly so as to exclude weeds. Plant spacings no greater than 2 metres.
Plant Numbers and Plant Spacings (measure or pace out the area to be planted and divide by the spacing between each plant twice to determine plant numbers required. Eg. the planting area measures 20 metres by 20 metres, and the recommended plant distance between plants = 2 metres. Calculation: 20 x 20 = 400 sq metres. 400 divided by 2, divided by 2 again = 100 plants required to fill the area. For natives on pasture no greater than 2 metres between plants is recommended, 1 metre between sedges on the wetland margin.) Wetter (Pond margin) Scattered planting 150 plants Wetter (Wetland margins) 150 x 3 m = 450 sq m / 1 / 1 450 Drier (Flat areas) 100 x 20 m = 2000 sq m / 2 / 2 500 Drier (Slopes) 200 x 50 m = 10,000 sq m / 2 / 2 2500 Planting Details Location Species Spacings Number Wet (Pond margin/shallow water) Raupo 1 m (in pockets) 40 Schoenoplectus validus 1 m (in pockets) 40 Eleocharis sphacelata 1 m (in pockets) 40 Baumea articulata 1 m (in pockets) 30 Wet (Wetland margins) Carex secta 1 m 240 Carex virgata 1 m 60 Carex geminata 1 m 40 flax 1 m 100 Kahikatea 3 m 30 swamp maire 3 m 15 pukatea 3 m 15 Dry Flat areas Karamu 2 m 70 Koromiko 2 m 50 Cabbage tree 2 m 50 Manuka 2 m 100 ribbonwood, 2 m 50 mingimingi 2 m 100 kowhai 2 m 40 putaputaweta (marble leaf) 2 m 40 Dry Slopes Karamu 2 m 500 Koromiko 2 m 300 Cabbage tree 2 m 200 Kanuka 2 m 700 Five finger 2 m 150 kohuhu 2 m 150 lemonwood 2 m 150 wineberry 2 m 300 totara 2 m 50 Total plant requirement 3600 plants Plant Source (e.g. local native plant nurseries, grown from locallysourced seed) Local native plant nurseries. Sedge numbers doubled by splitting. Will try growing some manuka and kanuka from seed collected locally.
Planting out Will span planting out over 3 years. No more than 1200 plants per year to keep on top of the spray releasing. Cambridge Tree Trust have offered to assist with the first year s planting. The remaining two years will be undertaken by us (owners) and some contract planting labour. Sedges planted during summer (low water). Releasing (weeding around plants, how often, for how many years, using what method) All spray releasing of plants to be done with Roundup (or equivalent glyphosate herbicide) only. Natives are not tolerant of any chemicals and Roundup is the least damaging provided it is applied carefully and spray drift is minimised. Releasing will need to be done at least 3 times per year for the first two years following planting, and twice a year for year 3 and possibly year 4. Owners and farm hand will do most of the releasing using a backpack sprayer but will call on contract labour when needed especially in spring when work demand on the farm is greatest. Animal Pest Control (what pests are present, how often will control be conducted, for how many years, using what method) Possums are not too much of a problem at the moment but hares and rabbits are numerous and tend to target new native plantings. Will apply Pindone poison pellets to rabbit and hare dung heaps or distribute in feeders where dogs might have access to the bait. Bait stations will be put up when possums start arriving (when the native plants are put in). Rats can be controlled through these bait stations too. Will need to do stoat control when bird life begins to arrive. Will place 4 or 5 Fenn traps (in birdsafe tunnels) around the wetland and pond margin at regular intervals and where access is most likely Wildlife Needs (e.g. embayments, nesting islands, loafing areas, food supply, gently sloping water margins, fish accessways) Aim to provide a variety of habitat by enhancement planting of the wetland margins and slopes. Areas of open grass will be retained next to the wetland and the pond which will serve as loafing areas. These should be next to gently sloping waterway edges so that birds can climb out easily. Pockets of sedge, raupo, flax and bulrush will provide nesting habitat at the wetland edge. Cabbage trees, ribbonwood and other trees and shrubs will provide shade around the pond and wetland margins. On the downstream slope of the dam that is to created to establish the pond, beneath the culvert, a concrete and stone gentlysloping fish ladder should be installed to enable fish and invertebrates to move upstream.
TIMING (tick which months each activity will occur in, examples inclue: blocking drains, digging pond, realigning fences, resiting stock water supply, collecting seed, preplanting herbicide spray, planting, releasing, pest control) Year 1 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Permanent fencing Graze planting area Pest control Planting Postplanting release Spray releasing Year 2 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Temporary fencing Graze planting area Pest control Planting Postplanting release Spray releasing Install pond Block wetland drains Year 3 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Temporary fencing Graze planting area Pest control Planting Postplanting release Spray releasing Install pond Block wetland drains Year 4 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Temporary fencing Graze planting area Pest control Planting Postplanting release Spray releasing Install pond Block wetland drains
COSTS Item Unit Year 1 Year 1 Year 2 Year 2 Year 3 Year 3 Year 4 Year 4 cost Qty $ Qty $ Qty $ Qty $ Equipment hire/ contractor Herbicide Spray applicator Permanent fencing Temporary fencing Gates New stock water supply Plants Planting (labour) Pest maintenance (labour) Traps (fenn and tunnels) Bait stations Possum/rat/rabbit bait Releasing/weeding (labour) 1 $100/hr $280/20 L Farm gear $10/m $5/m $3/plant $2/plant $46.00 $10 each $85/bag $0.50/plant 1 container 200 m 50 m 1200 Free staff 4 10 3 1200 x1 280 2000 250 3600 184 100 255 600 1 cont. 1200 1000 staff 2 bags 2400 x2 280 3600 2000 170 2400 40 hrs 2 cont. 1200 1000 staff 2 bags 3600 x2 4000 560 3600 2000 170 3600 2 cont. staff 2 bags 3600 x2 560 170 3600 TOTALS $7269 $8450 $13930 $3770 TOTAL COST OF PROJECT $ 33,419.00 plus GST Funding source (selffunded, specific grant application etc.) Self funded 1 Contractors supply own Roundup; contractors do one release in Yr 1 and 2 for each of the next 3 years
LEGAL/ SOCIAL ISSUES Consent requirements (creation of open water will generally require earthworks consents. Check with Environment Waikato and your local council if any other consents will be required in connection with blocking drains, diverting water, use of herbicide. You also need permits to release live fish into a waterway from the Department of Conservation, Fish and Game Council, and/or the Ministry of Fisheries). Consent required for dam to be created and new culvert installed across the stream. Have spoken to Environment Waikato. Neighbour issues (potential effects on neighbouring or upstream/downstream properties, e.g. flooding, dewatering) Only significant impact on downstream neighbours could be small changes in the flow dynamics of the stream as a result of the emplacement of the dam and elevated culvert. This could be a positive change as the pond and functioning wetland are likely to reduce the speed and peak of flood flows, i.e. floods should not be as bad. Safety (drowning risk etc.) All wetland and pond areas will be fenced off from the main access ways and tracks. MONITORING / MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS Monitoring methods (indicate using techniques below, or alternative techniques) Photopoints (photographs taken from selected points at regular dates, embed posts to rest the camera to help take the same view each time) Four posts (treated 4x4) will be driven into the ground leaving height of 1.6 m (eyelevel) to provide views of the kahikatea site, the swampy water/land margin, across the water to the wetland and from a vantage point over the whole site. Posts will be placed where they won t be covered up by plants immediately in front of them. Photos will be taken twice per year, one winter shot (high water level), one summer shot. All photos will be labelled/dated and stored in an album to show change over time. Plant survival (number of plants per species that died, this will help you decide which species are more suitable for your site) Records will be kept of the number of plants per species planted, and any dead plants (as noted) for the first three years Regeneration (e.g. note flowering, fruiting, selfseeded native plants) Anecdotal notes will be entered onto a calendar for the wetland, noting which species are flowering or fruiting, any birds seen/heard, seedlings that are found (identified if possible). This will not be a regular scientific survey. Other (specify) none, but will keep a calendar diary of any notable events, e.g. very high floods etc
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HAMILTON 401 Grey Street, PO Box 4010, Hamilton East Telephone 07 856 7184 Facsimile 07 856 0551 PAEROA 13 Opatito Road, Paeroa Telephone 07 862 8376 TAUPO Cnr Titiraupenga and Paora Hapi Streets, PO Box 501, Taupo Telephone 07 378 6539 Facsimile 07 378 9049 Environment Waikato s Freephone 0800 800 401 www.ew.govt.nz