To celebrate the beauty and diversity of the country’s wetlands, the National Wetland Trust of New Zealand, and Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, are hosting the Rotopiko BioBlitz - New Zealand's first wetland BioBlitz.

The family-friendly event comes off the back of World Wetlands Day and will be held at Rotopiko, Lake Serpentine, site of the future National Wetlands Centre, on February 16 and 17. Rotopiko is part of the more than 30 peat lakes in the Waikato, and one of the best preserved. Restoration at Rotopiko has been underway for decades, with a low pest-proof fence surrounding one of the lakes.

Over the course of the BioBlitz, a group of scientists and volunteer experts will be on hand to help the public collect a wide range of plants, fungi and animals living at Rotopiko. There will be displays and activities for all ages. The aim of the event, is to document every species within the fence and study the outcome from pest eradication.

Organiser Monica Peters says it’s a wonderful opportunity for the public to learn from scientists about different species, native and exotic, why they’re important, and to see how samples are collected and identified.

“It’s really interesting to see the diversity of species living in these remant pockets of nature in a largely farmed landscape,” she says, “It’s a nice thing to get the public more aware of what is right on their backdoor step – both to appreciate what lives there but also as a beautiful place to visit.” The first day of the BioBlitz will host students from Hamilton East School, Te Pahu School, the Kiwi Conservation Club, Kirikiriroa Explorers Club and Ohaupo School. While the second morning will feature bug man Ruud Kleinpaste and invites public along to take part.

Home to an wealth of species including secretive native birds like bitterns and banded rail, eels, whitebait, mangroves and kahikatea, our natural wetlands are rapidly dimishing with wetland loss calculated at about 90 per cent over the last 150 years.

Education is key to help raise awareness of the importance of New Zealand’s remaining wetlands and its importance as an ecosystem and species that live within it.

This family event is a chance for the public to meet scientists and experience the immense range of species living in Rotopiko. It is rare for so many different types of biologists to be able to work together in the same place, at the same time and on the same project. Onsite, there will be specialists in plants, fungi, birds, soil and water bacteria, nematodes (small soil-dwelling creatures) and insects.

BioBlitz events began in New Zealand in 2004, with Manaaki Whenua scientist Peter Buchanan wanting to create a better connection with science and the public. Since then more than 20 events have been held throughout the country.

Every BioBlitz is dependant on the location, resource and event objects but they all share the common goal of scientists sharing with visitors what they have discovered at the site.

“People are often interested to see the really tiny stuff. The stuff you can only see under a microscope,” says Peters.

The target is to record a snapshot of species present within a specific location over the given period – all flora, fauna and fungi. This information will provide important information for the National Wetland Trust as well as the Department of Conservation and Waipa District council who administer the Rotopiko reserve area.

“Rarely do we get the opportunity to dig through the layers and look at what’s living underneath.” On February 16, the Rotopiko BioBlitz will run into the evening to showcase flocks of tens of thousands of starlings and other exotic species that pour into the site now that introduced predators have been removed, says Peters.

“It’s a really extrodinary sight, and the noise is phenomenal.”

Ultimately, an engaged and aware public is the key to making the future National Wetlands Centre earmarked for Rotopiko viable and sustainable.

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