Athenree Saltmarsh wetland restoration
In 2006 the Department of Conservation was very generously gifted 22 hectares of low lying grazing land by the late Maurice (Snow) Garde-Browne at Athenree.
This land is adjacent to the existing DOC administered Athenree Wildlife Refuge Reserve and was gifted to the Department on the condition that it be restored to wetland/saltmarsh that will provide habitat for indigenous plants and animals.
Ecological value
The existing wetland reserve provides outstanding wildlife habitat for native birds and is regionally significant. It holds some of the largest populations of threatened wetland species within the Bay of Plenty, such as fernbird and Australasian bittern.
Australasian bittern
Many of the wetlands around the margins of Tauranga Harbour have been modified or lost due to reclamation, drainage, weed encroachment and grazing.
How you can help
There's lots of work to do on this project over the next few years and your involvement and assistance at any stage in the process is welcome. Some of the particular aspects that you may be interested in are:
- animal and plant pest control
- growing and planting native vegetation
- developing access and signage