twinkles Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 Over our back fence is a stretch of overgrown land, then the whanganui river. We own a small part of the overgrown land and the council has decided to develop their part for the neighbouring school to use. They want to use our bit too if we agree, in which case we get to decide what we want done with it basically. They're looking along the lines of clearing all the non-natives and just having grass and native trees. Our part includes most of a big swampy thing, which at the moment is just black sludge and rubbish year round. So when the council man was here going over it, I asked what they planned for the swamp and he suggested it could be drained and filled in, but if we want it to be set up as a proper little swamp/wetland thingy they'd definatly look at that instead. So what should it be like? I've never seen a 'natural' swamp, would it be like a pond with plants? What would live in it - just mosquito larvae or would fishies live there? Its not connected to the river. I can see it could be lovely if it was cleaned and restored, but don't know what i should suggest they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 Ummmm, I have never looked that closely at swamps and wetlands, which I think are too separate things (but don't quote me). Swamps tend to be a lot of still water with trees around the edges. Wetlands have shallower water and a lot of marshy areas for frogs and other critters. Have a look here and here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 Whatever you do, dont drain it and fill. NZ has lost most of its wetlands already to development and farming. Wetlands are homes to many native fish, birds, and other aquatic life. You should post up some pics of it as I waould be keen to see the area you are talking about. I manage to spend hours and hours just watching wildlife in wetland areas. Call me a geek if you will, but its what I love to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 i think its a peat bog, at least it looks boggy and black and sludgy lol. I might have to go for a hike over there later and grab some pics. Its about 8x15m of water i think, with trees growing across it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deno Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 there's a guy, Kevin who owns a LFS in Masterton. He used to (maybe still does) manage a swamp/wetland between Masterton and Carterton. maybe you could give him a call, he may be able to give you some clues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 Contact your local DOC and they will put you on to someone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 http://www.wetlandtrust.org.nz/symposia.html and a good starter for you http://www.nrc.govt.nz/upload/2217/Wetl ... 0Guide.pdf i have a few pdf's on the subject if you need them native fish habitats will be the way to go and if you can talk the council into predator fencing it even better you would then be able to breed brown teal etc in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 I've worked on a few farms with natural wetlands on them, and the farm I'm on now backs on to a volcano, we get a lot of runoff so we have lots of swampy areas. Lots of flax and reeds, floating vegetation. Good frog life, eels. But with the cows they tend to muck it up a bit, goes all muddy and smells. but with walking platforms zigzagging through it, along with the bird life I'd imagine it would be quite pleasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 I thought it was illegal to let cows into natural waterways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 It is. But it doesn't stop anything. But a lot get fined tens of thousands of $ for releasing effluent into waterways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Heh, you'd be surprised what happens on private land, last Friday I had to walk 4 cows out of the bush up behind Kamo, all full of native bush all been chewed on by the moomoos. As for the swamp, if it's in a paddock it's fair game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 thanks for the links at the moment the cows are fenced well away from it, but dogs are walked there and there's alot of cats, i doubt they'd pest fence the area so not much chance of ducks breeding there. They all seem to stay on the opposite (house free) side of the river anyway. There are possums too. Loads of tuis and fantails, silvereyes and hedge sparrows live in the plants over there now, and the paradise ducks swim over to the paddocks to eat the grass. Rabbits in the paddocks too but i don't think they go near the bush/swamp. Where its black, sludgy water and mud, is that what its supposed to look like? Or does it need more planting/digging/something to make some clean water? Its not deep in the dry season, maybe 20cm of water in the deepest part, but the muddy stuff is really deep if you step on it lol. I imagine it would look nice if they planted some plants around the edge of the swamp, to define it sort of, and give cover for birds round the edges, and cleared out all the rubbish and fallen down trees in the water, but i don't know if the old trees should be left there? They're going to clear everything not native anyway. There is a second swampy part that is connected to the river, but its over the other side and i don't know if they're planning on using it too. Would it be worth putting nesting boxes on some of the trees for birds too? Or would the possums come and scoop them out? And could mud fish live in the swamp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 oh and was planning to get photos but never got time, will go grab some tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 a couple of more links to stuff local to you http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents ... strict.pdf 1 on farm waterways http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/wat ... -jul01.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Aye, that's one thing about my chosen career I find embarrassing, intensive dairy farming is quite hard on the environment, water ways in particular With extensive N usage, erosion, effluent and spreading noxious weeds Dairy farmers get a bad rep. If ever I find myself able to purchase a dairy farm I'd seriously consider going organic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 sadly a lot of the time it comes down to money or time mind you though money spent on controlling liver fluke might be better spent on fencing off swamps less than 10% of nzs original wetlands left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Most of Christchurch was wetland originally but has now been reduced to a small area behind the ears of some politicians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 well done alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 good searching livingart, i tried to find anything relating to this region but couldn't find any info. Says there's only .6 hectares of wetlands in the whole region, thats a very good reason to work on restoring it, even though its only small. There's no farm runoff, its filled by rain i think and the neighbouring paddocks just have a couple of cows to keep the grass in check. The primary school edges the other side, they'll be using the rest of the area for picnics and to learn about the bush. All non-native trees will be cleared, i don't know if they're planning on planting any more natives though, they want to keep it relatively clear with plenty of grass since thats supposed to be better for flood protection. Its all the land between the river and the floodbank. Apparently wetlands are good for absorbing floodwaters though so that should be in their favour, and there'd be a benefit in planting round the edges of it with swamp plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Carlos there's definatly a market for organic milk, i buy it when i can afford it. If it was sold closer to the price of normal milk i'd buy it all the time. I think more people would spend the extra for it if they were aware of how much damage dairy farming does, but its rather idealised in the consumers mind, same way that pig farming is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 price of a commodity is what attracts most people nowadays getting the school involved in the restoration project would be a good idea once you can turn the local kids on to a project the whole family will get involved it will raise awareness in the local community of the problems facing nature wetlands are the planets filtration system a scientific study proposed that every glass of water you drink has been through 6 other humans before you drank it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 just been for a tramp over there, it looks heaps nicer than last time, largely because all the leaves have fallen and covered the mud, and we've had a bit of rain so there's more water. Its longer than i though, about 15m by 2-4m Here's what the edges look like the water and above it All that stuff above is what they want to clear, i worry the water might dry up in summer without the covering. Would we need to plant something else around it to try and shade it more? At the moment its all moss and ferns and lichen, dripping and prehistoric looking. I couldn't see any fish, but did see some tiny water insects, couldn't get close enough to see properly though. No doubt there's lots of things living in there. Saw lots of ladybugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted July 3, 2009 Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 It looks perfect how it is. Why do they need to clear it. I would think they should promote the native growth and once that takes over them remove exotic species. Why can't they remove rubbish and just build a path through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 apparently the area needs to be cleared so its not a flood hazard, but they will leave anything native and just clear the other stuff. All the big (poplar?) trees that you can just see at the top will be going too. If they do clear everything over the swamp and the tree growing in the middle of it, any suggestions on what they should be replaced with? As the edge of it is our land if they want to drain it and make a field we'll be blocking them at every step. All the old fallen trees covered in plants look very cool, definately don't want to disturb them, and they provide alot of the shade too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.