Pātea celebrates World Environment Day with buffer plants in saltmarsh

The Pātea saltmarsh can be seen while crossing over the Pātea River bridge on State Highway 3.

South Taranaki District Council staff and volunteers have worked together to protect Pātea’s saltmarsh.

On World Environment Day (Wednesday, June 5) 500 buffer plants were planted by the saltmarsh. The marsh was included in Taranaki Regional Council’s Key Native Ecosystem programme to protect the site of significant ecological value, which has been classified as “acutely threatened”.

The project is led by South Taranaki District Council’s reforestation co-ordinator Joe Churchman, who said the saltmarsh played a crucial role in coastal ecosystems.

“The saltmarsh is a habitat to bird species, freshwater fish and reptiles. Protecting and restoring the saltmarsh is essential to maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance.”

South Taranaki District Council environment and sustainability manager Cindy Koen, Pātea Community Board chair Jacq Dwyer and community volunteer Mick Parsons plant buffer plants at the Pātea Saltmarsh.

Saltmarsh habitats were rare in Taranaki, reinforcing the significance of preserving the site in the best possible condition, Churchman said.

“Our efforts will focus on fencing off the saltmarsh to prevent damage from livestock, buffer planting to enhance the habitat and improve water quality, as well pest plant and animal control.

“Monitoring plots will also be set up to understand how the area is changing over time.”

The saltmarsh can be seen while crossing over the Pātea River bridge on State Highway 3 at the southern end of the town.