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School kids, farmers,
retirees, businesses,
polytech students,
backpackers, community
groups, and keen
Waikato locals have
put in over 800 hours
of volunteer labour to
restore one of
New Zealand’s best peat
lake complexes.
The National Wetland Trust
has been working with the
community and agencies over
the past three years to create
a showcase site for wetland
conservation at Rotopiko/Lake
Serpentine at Ohaupo, between
Hamilton and Te Awamutu.
Over 300 people attended the
project launch, which started
with a blessing from local iwi
representatives and included
fun family events, guided walks,
and educational workshops.
With substantial funding
from the Waikato River
Clean-up Trust, and additional
contributions from the
Waikato Catchment Ecological
Enhancement Fund, Lottery
Environment and Heritage
Fund, Waipa District Council
and Waikato Regional Council,
the restoration is well
advanced.
A unique associations of plants
and animals can already be
experienced and enjoyed by
visitors, with planned species
re-introductions and natural
restoration expected to greatly
enhance the value of the site
over time. The site is a hidden
gem in the heart of Waikato
dairy country. It is a diverse
area, with three 14,000-year
old peat lakes, formed at the
end of the last glaciation, a
magnificent kahikatea forest
stand, natural lake margin plant
communities, and considerable
areas of replanted native
vegetation. Native long-tailed
bats, spotless crake, bittern,
fernbirds and mudfish have all
been confirmed at the site.
“Over 2300 native plants
have been established, with
another 2500 planned for
2015 and 2016.”
A pest fence has been built
around 10 hectares of the site
and all of the larger pests have
been eradicated, with only mice
left to target. Over 2300 native
plants have been established,
with another 2500 planned
for 2015 and 2016. Numerous
weeds have been targeted,
including substantial areas of
willow, arum lily and blackberry
removal and ongoing control
of other weeds. Five small
ponds have been constructed
to increase wetland bird forage
habitat and future breeding
ponds for pateke. Works have
also started on removing
nutrient-enriched farmland
soils from the former lake bed
to restore native peat-forming
National Wetland Trust
Rotopiko Restoration
Case study
Restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River
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