Southern View: May 06, 2021

SOUTHERN VIEW Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday May 6 2021 7
The Avon-Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust is a non-profit
organisation formed to protect one of New Zealand’s
most important coastal wetlands. Each week, board
members will discuss matters regarding the estuary, its
rich history and what makes it unique. This week Tanya
Jenkins writes about restoration of Thistledown Reserve
ESTUARY MATTERS
Restoration draws wildlife back to reserve
THISTLEDOWN Reserve
is situated in Woolston, at
Thistledown Pl.
It comprises only 2258 sq m of
wetland area and is the source of
the Steam Wharf Stream which
connects with Heathcote River
at the Lyttelton Roundabout in
Ferry Rd.
A small city gem – a true example
of the original Canterbury
wetland with freshwater springs
continuously bubbling up keeping
this pure and clean water
temperature in the steam at a
constant cool 15 deg C.
Thirteen species of native
wetland birds had been recorded
there and 18 species of them have
been non-native.
The most common native
species being the grey warbler,
silvereye and fantail.
Pre-earthquake, it provided
habitat for short-finned eel and
whitebait. The 2010 and 2011
earthquakes caused the creek
banks to collapse, trees to fall
over, bird and fish life disappeared.
Temporary water drainage into
the reserve had been allowed
from local properties resulting in
pollution of this waterway.
Willow trees were left to thrive
to very quickly take over from
the native trees as maintenance
of this reserve by the city council
has been reduced post-earthquake
events.
Some urgency was required to
do something as the paths were
disappearing due to weed growth
and the reserve became a wilderness,
where locals became afraid
to walk through it.
The Estuary Trust stepped in
after we received permission,
support and supervision by city
council park rangers.
In 2016 the trust rounded up
local residents and started the
huge task of restoring this special
little place.
Volunteers, supervised by city
council ranger Karen Smith,
meet every third Saturday of each
month between 10am and noon
where we prune, weed and plant
and are amazed and delighted
with the return of birds, eel and
whitebait.
We would welcome an extra
pair of hand to weed, prune and
plant. We meet at the Thistledown
Pl entrance to the reserve.
No need to book, just turn up.
WILD: A pathway has been
restored at Thistledown
Reserve as part of the Avon-
Heathcote Estuary Ihutai
Trust’s restoration projects.
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