Travis Wetland

Wetland in Burwood, Christchurch

Travis Wetland is a wetland in the suburb of Burwood in Christchurch, New Zealand. An ecological restoration programme is being undertaken to restore the wetland. It covers 116 ha of land formerly drained and used as a dairy farm.^[1] In 2009 it won the "Urban Sustainability" category in the Green Ribbon Awards awarded by the Minister for the Environment.^[2]

The Māori name for North New Brighton and the Travis Wetlands is Ōruapaeroa, pre-European occupation it was rich with eels and bird life, and was considered as an important food-gathering place by the local iwi, Ngāi Tahu,^[3] the Māori communal houses were burnt down in November 1882 when an early European settler aquired the land.^[4]

In May 2010 the rare and endangered Canterbury mudfish were released into the wetland in the hope that they would become established.^[5]

Panorama of Travis Wetland from August 2019

References

^ R. P. Macfarlane; P. M. Johns; B. H. Patrick; Cornelis Vink (April 1998), Travis Marsh: invertebrate inventory and analysis, Lincoln University, hdl:10182/4155, Wikidata Q110426826
^ Smith, Nick (4 June 2009). "Green Ribbon Award winners announced". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
^ Tau, T.M; Goodall, A.; Palmer, D. (1990). "Te Whakatau Kaupapa: Ngai Tahu resource management strategy for the Canterbury Region". Aoraki Press. Wellington, New Zealand. pp. 5–24.
^ Taylor, W.A (1952). Lore and history of the South Island Māori. Christchurch, New Zealand. p. 48.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Brown, Giles (5 May 2010). "Project aims to re-establish endangered mudfish in wetland". The Press.