Opuatia Peat Bog Management Plan - Waikato Regional Council

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PROJECT TEAM Paula Reeves - report writing. Andy Garrick - fauna survey, peer review. Marlé Rossouw - GIS. Reviewed and approved for release by: _____________________ Willie Shaw Director Wildland Consultants Ltd Wildland Consultants Ltd 2011 This report has been produced by Wildland Consultants Ltd for Waikato Regional Council, Hamilton. All copyright in this report is the property of Wildland Consultants Ltd and any unauthorised publication, reproduction, or adaptation of this report is a breach of that copyright. © 2011 Contract Report No. 2621
1. INTRODUCTION The Opuatia Wetland (950 ha) is situated north of Lake Whangape in the lower Waikato River catchment, North Waikato (Figure 1). Approximately 180 hectares of the wetland is peat bog, and the remainder is swamp and fen dominated by willow forest and manuka. Opuatia Wetland is one of a handful of wetlands in New Zealand that contain areas of restiad bog. Restiad bogs are unique to New Zealand with peat being derived from restiad species, e.g. wire rush (Empodisma minus) and/or cane rush (Sporodanthus ferrugineus) rather than Sphagnum mosses. A number of threatened species inhabit Opuatia wetland including several orchids, carnivorous bladderworts, and long finned eel (Barnes et al. 2001). It is also good habitat for many other native fish, birds, and plants due to its size and mosaic of wetland types. Waikato Regional Council (WRC) manages a 186 ha property at Opuatia which includes 90 ha of the Opuatia wetland, 29 ha of which is a young restiad peat bog fringed by fen and swamp. As mitigation for flood protection activities, WRC was required to develop and implement a management plan (Barnes et al. 2001) for the entire 90 ha wetland area. This management plan was developed in 2001 and has largely been implemented. WRC is looking to create a new management plan which is specific to the 29 ha peat bog area. 1.1 Project brief The specifications for the work were to conduct the following within the 29 ha peat managed by WRC: Prepare a site map identifying the location of key plant communities; List all plant and bird species present in the project area, including recent planting undertaken by WRC; Describe (and where appropriate identify on map) current threats to the wetland; Identify information gaps/needs for progressing management; Identify and prioritise plant pests at the site and detail recommended methods and timing for control; Prepare a planting plan for the site including priority areas, plant spacings, recommended species, and timing; Recommend monitoring options including timing; and Prepare project timeline. © 2011 1 Contract Report No. 2621
Page 1 and 2: Waikato Regional Council Technical
Page 3: APRIL 2011 Contract Report No. 2621
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Page 10 and 11: Table 1: Actions taken to achieve m
Page 14 and 15: The soils at Opuatia Wetland are cl
Page 16 and 17: 4.6 Flora Table 2: Birds recorded a
Page 20 and 21: Removal of the grey willow canopy a
Page 22 and 23: indicative of a healthy wetland alt
Page 24 and 25: Grey willow (Salix cinerea) Grey wi
Page 26 and 27: 5.4 Nutrient enrichment Wetlands ar
Page 30 and 31: 6.4 Nutrient enrichment As WRC mana
Page 32 and 33: 7. IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING An
Page 34 and 35: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Michelle Hodges (WR
Page 36 and 37: © 2011 28 APPENDIX 1 INDIGENOUS VA
Page 38 and 39: Dicot. herbs (other than composites
Page 40: Persicaria strigosa Plantago austra

Opuatia Peat Bog Management Plan - Waikato Regional Council

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