Wetlands provide important areas of natural habitat, adding to the biodiversity of Hawke’s Bay and the stability and quality of our waterways. These areas provide a home for many of our birds, plants and amphibians. They also filter sediment and nutrients, regulate water flows, decrease the frequency and size of floods, and reduce erosion.
Some waterways have also benefited from restoration work to improve flow, native plant and aquatic life, water quality, public access and safety. The Te Karamu is one of Council's flagship restoration projects, a waterway that flows from Pakipaki to Clive meandering thirty kilometres through rural country and increasingly park-like urban spaces.
On this page
|
 |
Hawke's Bay Regional Council’s wetland policy aims to preserve and enhance the remaining areas of significant native vegetation, significant habitats of native fauna and ecologically significant wetlands in the region. It also provides for assistance to landowners to protect and enhance their own wetlands.
Before settlement, Hawke’s Bay was covered in dense native forest, wetlands and high country tussock. The vast majority of native forest and tussock has been removed, and wetlands have been drained, as a result of successive settlement and development by Maori and European. Less than 10% of the original wetland area of Hawke’s Bay remains, and many of the remaining areas are in poor condition or under threat from land use activities. While it is unreasonable to expect revegetation of the landscape back to its pre-settlement state, it is important to value the areas of native vegetation and habitat that remain, and encourage the establishment of new wetland areas.
The Council has researched and developed a priority list of ten wetlands, in consultation with iwi, landowners and community groups.
|
This book aims to help farmers, community groups and volunteers to restore or create wetlands in Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast. Whether you want to develop your wetland for biodiversity values, improve farm water quality, enjoy duck hunting or for cultural values, the ten steps take you through planning water flows, landscaping, pest control, plant selection and ongoing maintenance. Pick up a free copy from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Hawke’s Bay Fish & Game, Gisborne District Council or the Department of Conservation.
|
 |
Council Owned Wetlands
 |
Tukituki Estuary is recognised as a significant area within the Regional Coastal Plan and is a Recommended Area for Protection under the Department of Conservation's Protected Natural Areas Programme, due to its ecological and biodiversity values.
The Tukituki Estuary is formed where the Tukituki River meets the sea, between East Clive and Haumoana. Over 60 hectares it includes Grange Creek and all the wetlands and associated riparian margins between the lower Tukituki stopbanks for a distance of 800m upstream from the mouth.
|
The wetlands and estuary support a range of bird species including common waders, such as oyster catchers, banded dotterels, white heron, royal spoonbill, black fronted dotterel and godwits, terns such as the black fronted, white fronted and Caspian as well as a variety of shags and waterfowl. Other migrants and occasional visitors also turn up from time to time.
Disturbance and loss of wetland habitat have been identified as the most significant factors adversely affecting wildlife values. Loss of wetland habitat has been caused by drainage, grazing and weed invasion amongst other things. Disturbance is mainly human and the result of people with dogs and/ or vehicles.
Council aims to achieve a balance between public access and the use of its precious water areas.
|
Waitangi is one of ten top regional wetlands requiring protection and enhancement.
Waitangi Estuary is 240 ha of wetland where the Muddy Creek, Ngaruroro, Tutaekuri and Clive Rivers meet the sea. This area provides a variety of wetland and coastal habitats that support a significant population of bird species, including heron and bittern, and has a composition similar to that of the nearby Tukituki Estuary.
|
 |
Because of the wetlands' proximity to Napier and Hastings, the expansive lagoons and excellent public access get good use for fishing, whitebaiting, boating and other sports.
History
Because of the presence of rich natural resources (birds, fish and plants) the area has always been important to Maori and was the site of a Pa in the 1800’s, which was washed away in 1897. The estuary is also the site of William Colenso’s Mission Station.
The estuary initially linked the Ngaruroro and Tukituki river mouths and in the late 1800’s was used to transport people and goods between the two by small boat. Significant changes have occurred since then as a result of natural storm events, coastal erosion and the construction of the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme.
Numerous stop banks and pump stations were constructed along these rivers and muddy creek south to the Tukituki River during the 1960s and 1970s to provide flood protection and drainage to the productive land between Napier and Hastings. While this was important for the economic development of Hawke’s Bay, it did help destroy an extensive wetland system over the same area.
 |
Pekapeka is the second highest ranking wetland in the Department of Conservation (Hawke's Bay) Heretaunga Ecological District . In the 1990’s Hawke’s Bay Regional Council implemented a management plan to restore the wetland; the Council is now working on its second management plan.
The Pekapeka swamp runs alongside SH2 south of Hastings and covers 98 ha (mostly now owned by Hawke's Bay Regional Council). It is a remnant of a former extensive wetland system covering the majority of the Poukawa basin.
|
Pekapeka is one of the few remaining large, inland wetlands in Hawke’s Bay and is being restored to enhance its capacity to regulate flood waters and to increase the natural biodiversity that resides in and around the wetland.
An interpretation site is being developed within the wetland, with access from SH2, to provide information on the history and value of Pekapeka for the people of Hawke’s Bay, and the importance of wetlands for our ecological health. This should be completed by 2011.
History
This land originally sold as the Pekapeka block was subsequently owned by members of the Campbell family, when it became known by them as Horonui. Pakipaki Maori referred to the Campbells as “the people of Pekapeka”, never the people at “Horonui”. However the origin of the name Pekapeka is unknown. Pekapeka can be a bat, a toy windmill made of flax leaf, a greenstone ornament, the lateral arm of a fish spreader or of a catching spear. It can be a hook for hanging a spear, or a plant, or a plait of flax string…or a carpet shark…or a starfish.
The wetland has substantial cultural significance. Since 1997 Pekapeka wetland has gained waahi tapu status under the Historic Places Act 1993. The Poukawa catchment was once a major source of eels and birdlife for Maori. Three pa sites are immediately adjacent to the wetland and were used for eel catching and barter.
Through drainage, irrigation, grazing and introduction of exotic plants like willow the wetland was severely degraded. In the 1960s the wetland had approximately 5% coverage of willows, but by 1986 this had increased to an estimated 60% which was choking and drying out the wetland. In 1998 restoration work commenced to control pest willow species, especially crack and grey or pussy willow, other plant and animal pests, and to increase the amount of open water and flow.
For more information contact our Operations Group Environmental Manager.