Community joins forces to restore whitebait spawning site

 

A class of Maungaturoto School students and their parents joined forces with a local whitebait spawning site restoration project in Maungaturoto last week, planting 1000 plants next to the Wairau River by the Fonterra factory in just two hours.

The project started in 2014 when Reconnecting Northland (WWF/Landcare Trust partnership) joined forces with The Whitebait Connection to initiate a three year project in the Paparoa and Maungaturoto areas.

The project is aimed at identifying Inanga (whitebait) spawning areas, engaging the community in that process and finding local solutions to protect these significant and nationally threatened habitats and species.

Many of the plants were harakeke (flax) and ti kouka (cabbage tree) which are well suited to wet areas, with some enrichment species such as manuka, karamu and lacebark planted as well to provide much needed shade, help assist biodiversity and bring mauri (life) back to the waterway.

“These plants have all been grown with a purpose – to revive the local waterways and harbour,” says Otamatea HarbourCare Society’s Mark Vincent.

The day was organised by the Whitebait Connection (Mountains To Sea Conservation Trust), but as with any community event there was lots of help: Reconnecting Northland commissioned the work, NIWA assisted with the location of the saltwater wedge, Mark Vincent supplied the plants and Fonterra staff assisted with site access, spawning surveys and preparing the planting site as well as helping on the day.

“It’s great to be part of this community project,” says Fonterra Maungaturoto Environmental Lead, Steven Gale.

Organiser Kim Jones from the Whitebait Connection says the plants will shade the whitebait eggs next autumn and will shade the water and keep it cool for the life in the river, as well as hold back the soil and runoff, helping to stop it getting down into the harbour.

The Wairau River can be sourced back to the Brynderwyn and Pukeareinga Mountain ranges, flowing through farmland and past the Fonterra factory and oxidation ponds before forming the Wairau River and entering the Kaipara Harbour.

Next year the project will be trying to locate the Inanga spawning areas in the Pahi and Paparoa Rivers.

“Inanga are very specific about where they spawn,” says Jones.

n Want to get involved in the project? Volunteers are needed to help with egg hunts, spawning surveys and planting days. Contact Kim Jones 027 243 4818 or kim@whitebaitconnection.co.nz