Getting down in the weeds with coastal lagoons

Christchurch City Council Rangers have been getting hands-on to restore coastal lagoon environments to their natural state.

Field Operations Ranger Guillaume Jacob works year-round with his team to protect and enhance our region’s coastal lagoons – specifically, the Regional Park area surrounding Te Riu O Te Aika Kawa Brooklands Lagoon.

“We’re trying our best to return this important landscape to the way it used to be,” Guillaume says.

This coastal ecosystem has some of the most intact examples remaining of saltmarsh vegetation, providing essential habitat to countless insects, invertebrates, fish, migratory waders, indigenous waterfowl and other wetland and coastal birds.

The chain of wetlands includes coastal dunes, the margins of Brooklands Lagoon and ephemeral wetlands that extend westward to the Styx River.

For Guillaume, the best part of the restoration work happens during the colder months.

Winter is spent putting plants in the ground, hand releasing new plants and selecting species to be eco sourced and grown at the Councils nursery.

“It’s my favourite part of the job - planting with our ranger team under the clear blue skies with the snowcapped alps in the background.

“Working here is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. I still pinch myself to work in such a beautiful landscape.”

For the past four years, the Regional Parks team have employed ten additional rangers from the Mahi mō te Taiao Jobs for Nature Programme. Their conservation work has been instrumental in boosting local biodiversity efforts in the Christchurch region, including the area near Brooklands Lagoon.

This year the team have put almost 7000 plants in the ground working alongside local volunteers.

The rest of the year is the time to tackle weeds.

“We’re up against broom, gorse, willow, pines, poplar – all of which would simply take over the landscape and outcompete natives if we didn’t act.

“It involves walking for kilometres each day, climbing up and down the dunes or crawling in thick vegetation.”

A day’s work can also include maintaining walking tracks, mowing and clearing trees, and upgrading interpretation and wayfinding posts.

Guillaume says that like all good things, restoration takes time.

“Although the lagoon is a wetland, the dunes that surround it are incredibly dry, and the establishment of plants is slow in places.

“Success can be measured by taking a moment and slowly appreciating the small change in the surrounding landscape.”

This week is the annual Te Wiki o Te Taiao Conservation Week, with a focus on taking action for nature.

Find ways to get involved in helping look after our environment via the Council website and volunteer opportunities through Conservation Volunteers New Zealand.