The Taranaki Regional Council has taken a strong role to encourage the protection of wetlands.
Wetlands have many advantages - they lessen the risk of floods by storing rainfall and runoff, and they play a very important role in our ecological diversity, for plants, birds and aquatic organisms.
Drainage of regionally significant protected wetlands; ie those in Egmont National Park, or in other reserves, or which have covenants over them.
Prohibited
Rules in the Fresh Water Plan control drainage of certain significant wetlands. Significant wetlands are listed in the Fresh Water Plan as:
- Regionally significant protected wetlands (listed in Appendix IIA of the Plan).
- Regionally significant unprotected wetlands (listed in Appendix IIB of the Plan).
- Wetlands under 5 ha in area containing threatened species (listed in Appendix III of the Plan).
- Wetlands over 5ha in area.
Drainage of regionally significant protected wetlands is prohibited. Land drainage that might affect other significant wetlands is looked at carefully.
Refer to the Fresh Water Plan or contact the Regional Council if you think your land drainage might affect one of these wetlands.
REFER TO FRESH WATER PLAN
Also see Land Drainage