“Wetlands are a precious taonga and must be protected, preserved and restored,” Environment Minister David Parker said
today on World Wetlands Day.
Wetlands filter out unhealthy and damaging substances, and act as buffers for flooding, as nutrient cyclers, water
purifiers and as important carbon sinks.
In addition, wetlands provide vital habitat for a diverse range of endemic flora and fauna, including critically
endangered birds like matuku and kotuku, as well as 67 per cent of freshwater and estuarine fish species and 13 per cent
of nationally threatened plant species.
“Wetlands play a central role in our freshwater system but are extremely fragile. The job for us is to make sure our
wetlands can continue to survive, thrive and support a healthy environment for all New Zealanders.
“The value of wetlands has not always been recognised, and many were drained for housing and development, and other land
uses. As a result 90 per cent of our wetlands have been lost.
“We have put in place the Essential Freshwater package of regulatory reforms which aims to stop further degradation,
show material improvements within five years and restore our waterways to health within a generation. Strong wetland
protection and measures to encourage regeneration are a key part of this,” David Parker said.
Funding, through the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme, is supporting the implementation of the new regulations and
the restoration and protection of wetlands around the country.
In 2020 the Government committed more than $64 million from Jobs for Nature towards council projects, many of which
involve wetland restoration. This includes the Opuatia Wetlands Project in Waikato and the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands
project.
“The Government is committed to strong protection for our wetlands to recognise the valuable role they play and the
large-scale loss of wetlands due to human activity.”
The most up to date information on the state of our wetlands can be found in Our freshwater 2020.