What lies beneath: Stars of the swamps

What we know as whitebait is actually a mix of five different fish species, including the stunning giant ko¯kopu. When they are happiest, they grow to more than 45 centimetres and the markings on their dark coloured bodies look like golden stars. They live close to the coast in low-lying habitat, and love places rich with overhanging tree cover and deep pools with lots of woody debris for them to hide under; wetlands are a favourite spots. Little is known about where these secretive fish spawn, but it is thought that wetlands play a key role. To keep these guys happy, we need to improve streamside habitat, keep our waterways clean (wash your car on the grass) and avoid installing drains and culverts that make it

hard for fish to navigate up streams. the Waitemata¯ Harbour.

This jewel in the crown of the Waterview inlet has a long history of permanent occupation and seasonal use by Ma¯ ori who rested waka on their way down and up the island.

The richness of the estuarybordering wetland was legendary as it acted as a supermarket, pharmacy and fabric store. The park is home to a plethora of creatures, from migratory birds such as the kuaka, that fly more than 11,000 kilometres from the Northern Hemisphere to feed in our estuaries, to native fish and cryptic wetland birds like the ma¯ ta¯ ta¯ (fernbird), pu¯ weto (spotless crake), the moho pereru¯ (banded rail) and even matuku, which have been spotted on a trail

These cute native brown ducks are particularly human-tolerant. Unlike many of their shyer wetland counterparts you can sit and watch them swimming about without them scarpering off. Count yourself lucky if you get a glimpse; there are only estimated to be between 2000 and 2500 of them living in the wild. The combination of wetland loss, introduced predators and competition with mallard ducks have not been kind on these friendly fowl. camera.

And it’s here that, for more than 10 years, volunteer Raewyn Michael has been planting, trapping and running guided walks with Forest & Bird Waita¯ kere.

A transport company office manager by day, her true passion is conservation.

‘‘Being a citizen of Te Atatu¯ , I want to look after this place and make sure it’s there for the next generation. To see it fully restored to a functioning wetland would be incredible. Maybe not in my lifetime, but I hope it will happen one day.’’

Forest & Bird Waita¯ kere has recently partnered with NGO Community Waita¯ kere to undertake conservation work at Harbourview-Orangihina, developing a restoration plan for the area to provide opportunities for locals to get involved in its future.

Forest & Bird’s focus sits squarely with predator control and you’ll find a small, dedicated group of local volunteers out there every couple of weeks, diligently checking traps for squashed pests.

‘‘Pest control is intrinsic to the survival of the wetland and the plants and animals that call it home,’’ says Michael.

‘‘There are so many predators out there eating the seeds, the insects, the sea and wetland birds, and their eggs, and we know from going out there, from years of being there, that with predator control the more you have, the better chance all the plants and native animals have of recovering.’’

The space is also home to Wild About Te Atatu¯ (WATA), a conservation, restoration and education

Our aim is for kids to care about this space to understand how lucky they are that this is in their backyard and to feel passionate that they will take action to protect and conserve it. Bronwyn Smith, above