It gives me great pleasure in presenting my annual report for 2016-17. While it may seem that we have had a quiet year DUNZ and its wetland conservation arm, Wetland Care NZ, has continued to support a number of very worthwhile projects.
Work at Wairio wetland on the edge of Wairarapa Moana continues with useful on-going research on a variety of wetland matters by Victoria University and their students. Further planting of wetland species has been completed and some additional work carried out on the bunds retaining the water within the wetland. The numbers and diversity of wetland bird species using the area is outstanding. Water levels go up and down over the year, depending on rainfall and inflow from the main lake, and this creates an excellent variety of habitat types. In mid-late summer when extensive shallow mud flats are exposed the wetland supports several hundred pied stilts, while in winter stilts are largely absent but replaced by several hundred waterfowl (black swan, shoveler duck, grey teal and mallard) along with numerous dabchick. During a recent visit by Ross Cottle, DU NZ Chairman and a sponsor they saw three bittern which is a real plus.