Kaimaumau wetland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kaimaumau wetland
Landsat image centered on the Kaimaumau wetland, Northland
Location	Northland, New Zealand
Area	1,860 hectares (4,600 acres)

The Kaimaumau wetland is a special wetland area located near the Rangaunu Harbour in Northland, New Zealand. It covers about 1,860 hectares, which makes it one of the biggest wetlands left in Northland. This important area includes the Otiaita and Waihauhau swamps, the Motutangi Swamp Scientific Reserve, and Lake Waikaramu. Sadly, the Kaimaumau wetland is currently facing dangers from digging up peat and from losing water due to avocado farms.

Amazing Plants and Animals of Kaimaumau

The Kaimaumau wetland is a home for many rare and endangered plants, birds, and reptiles found in New Zealand. It's a very important natural place because it has a mix of sand dunes and wet areas. Because native mudfish and eels live here, the Kaimaumau wetland is officially recognized as a Significant Natural Area. This means it's protected under New Zealand's environmental laws.

From a nature point of view, Kaimaumau is the second most important wetland in Northland. This region has lost a huge amount of its wetlands, about 94.5 percent.

Rare Plants in the Wetland

You can find special orchids here, like Thelymitra "Ahipara", which is one of only two native sun orchids in New Zealand. Other threatened plants include:

• Utricularia australis
• Utricularia delicatula
• The clubmosses Phylloglossum drummondii and Lycopodiella serpentina
• The ferns Todea barbara and Thelypteris confluens

Unique Wetland Birds

The Kaimaumau wetland is also a safe place for birds like the fernbird and the marsh crake. These birds rely on healthy wetlands to survive.

Invasive Plants

Not all plants here are native. Sydney golden wattle is a plant that doesn't belong here. It's an invasive species that takes over areas, pushing out the native shrubs in drier parts of the wetland.

What Threatens the Kaimaumau Wetland?

Like many wetlands in Northland, Kaimaumau holds special wood called swamp kauri. This wood is thousands of years old and has been kept safe in the wet peat. It's one of the most expensive types of wood in the world. Digging up and selling swamp kauri is a big business.

Peat Mining Concerns

The local Māori tribe, Ngāi Takoto, has plans to dig up industrial materials from the peat in a 404-hectare part of the Kaimaumau wetland. They describe this area as a "wattle farm" with "toxic soil." Even though the Northland Regional Council approved this plan, many people were concerned.

The Conservation Minister, Eugenie Sage, criticized the project. She said the public wasn't allowed to share their opinions, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) wasn't told about it. DOC is in charge of the nearby wetland conservation area. The Minister felt this project was very old-fashioned.

There are also many old archaeological sites in the area where they plan to dig. People are worried that digging might harm the nearby scientific reserve and the water underground. DOC went to the High Court in October 2018 to try and stop the mining.

Water Use for Avocado Farms

Seventeen avocado growers want to plant 670 hectares of avocados near Kaimaumau. They were given permission to take more than 2 million cubic metres of water each year from the Aupouri aquifer, which is the water source for the wetland. The growers said the avocado farms would create 70 seasonal jobs and bring a lot of money to the area.

However, DOC has challenged this permission. They are worried that taking so much water could dry out the wetland. If the wetland dries, it would allow the invasive wattle plant to spread even more. Some avocado growers started planting trees and taking water before they even had full permission. Even though they were taking much more water than allowed, they were not punished. Instead, they were given temporary permissions or warnings.

See also

In Spanish: Humedal de Kaimaumau para niños