500 signatures reached
To: Greater Wellington Regional Council
Restore the Raumati wetlands in Queen Elizabeth Park
Please retire the Raumati wetlands from farming, re-wet the peat by stopping drainage and restore with wetland plants.
The 85ha wetlands, once part of the Kapiti Coast’s Great Swamp, comprise all of the flat land between Poplar Avenue and Waterfall Stream parallel to State Highway 1 and drained by the North Whareroa drain for farming by a private lessee. Queen Elizabeth Park is a publicly owned recreation reserve and managed by GWRC.
(Image taken from sign in park - Kennett Watkins circa 1880 Museum of Te Papa Tongarewa)
Why is this important?
This is important as Wellington has only 2.3 percent of its wetlands remaining and wetlands are increasingly recognised and valued for the ecosystem service they provide (GWRC Wetlands report for the proposed Natural Resources Plan July 2015).
Maori used the wetlands of the Great Swamp to canoe between Paekakariki and Paraparaumu. Te kukuwai (wetlands) also supplied a lot of food.
It would be a key climate-change initiative for the Kapiti Coast as drained peat lands emit significant amounts of carbon but absorb large amounts when re-wetted, making a carbon sink more efficient than forests.
As invasive weeds such as gorse and blackberry cannot survive in wetlands, it would also allay community concerns about fire risk and use of herbicides.
A former walk through the wetland sand dune could also be restored for public access in this recreation reserve.
Under the farming lease, GWRC can negotiate the retirement of land giving reasonable notice.
This petition is timed to coincide with GWRC's review of its Parks Network Plan this year.
For more info on the importance of peat lands in climate-change mitigation please see
https://drawdowniitkgp.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/peatlands-a-secret-and-surprising-weapon/
How it will be delivered
Email the signatures