Nelson Marlborough > Hunting News July 08

  Para Wetland Development progress update

The first ‘on the ground’ development work undertaken since a 20 year resource consent was obtained in 2007, has been the aerial application of glyphosate to 12.5 hectares of crack willow canopy in the southern block of Para Wetland at the end of summer this year.  This area encompassed most of the area gifted to Fish & Game, excluding buffer areas that will be dealt with through ground control in the future.  Buffer areas were left to ground control due to the proximity of the State Highway or presence of existing native vegetation values identified in a January 2008 vegetation survey undertaken between DOC and Fish & Game staff.  Based on North Island experience, it is likely that the sprayed willows will take 4-5 years to rot and collapse, after which point levels information will be obtained to assist with any future earthworks that may be required to retain some summer water within this block (currently the entire block dries out each summer).  Further follow-up aerial spot spraying is likely to be required in autumn 2009 to kill the few remaining willows within the aerially sprayed area.  Annual maintenance spraying of previously cleared areas elsewhere in the wetland also occurred this summer.  Planting of approximately 100 kaihikatea and cabbage trees was also undertaken for suitable sites within Para wetland towards the end of April 2008.  More development is envisaged for the coming summer including the possible installation of some re-watering culverts along with further boom spraying of crack willow within the northern area of the wetland.

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