News
Kahutara kids muck in on Ōnoke Spit
Forty Kahutara School pupils teamed-up with a community group for a planting day at Ōnoke Spit on Friday 25 May.
Ōkorewa Lagoon restoration
Lenting small2 Reeves Small A chilly southerly couldn't prevent a terrific turn-out at a Ōkorewa Lagoon planting day on Sunday 27 May. More than 60 people coated up and pulled on their gummies to help out, including a bus load of enthusiastic volunteers from Wellington. The combined effort resulted in nearly 2,000 "eco-sourced" natives being planted.
Wader bird count - Lake Wairarapa February 2018
An exciting highlight of the February 2018 wader bird count was the presence of a *glossy ibis*! This is only the second reporting of a glossy ibis at Lake Wairarapa since 1992. There have been about 50 records of them from around New Zealand - they come across from Australia.
The great Kākahi Count
More than 40 volunteers got hands-on with scientific research as part of the Kākahi Count at Wairarapa Lake Shore Scenic Reserve in February. Everyone gathered their 50 kÄkahi within the 30 minute time-frame. We also collected one juvenile â the first for this site and only the second between the two sites for the four years of data collection.
Kākahi Count 2017
The conditions were perfect at Lake Wairarapa for the third annual count of kākahi (native freshwater mussel). Over thirty people, including new and returning volunteers, joined in to carry out the survey at Lake Domain. They waded in to collect kākahi then examined and recorded information about this little-known native species.
World Wetlands Day 2017
World Wetlands Day is held annually on the 2 February. Celebrate with a visit to the North Island’s largest wetland complex - Wairarapa Moana, South Wairarapa. Pick up a free copy of the new Wairarapa Moana Wetlands - Sea of Glistening Waters visitor guide from information centres to help plan your trip. Download a copy from the Visitors page.
Featherston Youth Group Planting
A successful planting day was held on Sunday the 7th of August.
2016 Planting Efforts
Volunteer restoration groups held community planting events to continue their efforts in restoring special areas of Wairarapa Moana. There is further information about the restoration groups and their projects on this “waiwetlands” website, via blog posts on this site, or by making an internet search on individual groups.
Ducks Unlimited at Wairio
The Ducks Unlimited group had their annual Wairio wetlands planting event in June. As well as helping to plant, Martinborough School students had a wetland plant identification activity. About 750 mainly kahikatea, flax and sedges were planted at the event. This is a restoration project on a large scale and more information.
Friends of Onoke Spit on the western shore of Lake Onoke
Friends of Onoke Spit on the western shore of Lake Onoke 11th and 13th May 2016