Duck ponddigging ruins wetland

What was meant as a duck pond ended up in an excavator’s watery grave and with formal warnings for the operator.

A keen duck shooter has dodged prosecution from the Waikato Regional Council after he took to an area of protected wetland with the 20-tonne excavator. He received two formal warnings instead.

Council investigations manager Patrick Lynch said the area is categorised as a Ramsar site – a wetland of international importance, designated for protection under the Ramsar Convention. There are only six Ramsar sites in New Zealand.

In February, the man borrowed the excavator to cut a pond next to his Waitakaruru maimai in the southern Firth of Thames. The internationally significant wetland extends between Miranda and Thames and is one of New Zealand’s three most important coastal stretches for shorebirds.

Council staff were tipped off by a complaint while the excavator was stuck.

Investigation officers found the machine almost fully submerged in a large hole with part of the cab and boom visible above the water. Piles of excavated marine mud were found around the pond.

The excavator operator claimed he was removing leftover building materials from his maimai, but further investigations found he was preparing the pond for the start of the duck shooting season in May.

Matters were made worse for the wetland environment when he called in heavy machines to recover the stuck excavator.

‘‘Human activity is the biggest threat to any wetland and people simply cannot go in there with 20-tonne diggers destroying habitats,’’ Lynch said.

‘‘We are very fortunate to have such an exceptional wetland in our region. Being listed as a Ramsar site recognises the need to provide additional protection to the area and its diverse bird, plant and fish life.’’