Resources

National Wetland Trust newsletters

See back copies of our informative newsletters including profiles of native plants, weeds, and inspirational stories of restoration projects across New Zealand.

Life in the Shallows

Published in 2022 by Massey University Press, this book is a rich compilation of stories about Aotearoa New Zealand’s wetland scientists and their work. With a quirky style, funny or hairy field stories, pop boxes with interesting scientific facts, and wetlands to visit that bring each scientists work to life, the book will engage and inform a wide range of readers.

The book was written by Karen Denyer and Monica Peters, with contributions from Garth Harmsworth and Yvonne Taura (Matauranga Maori) and Philippe Gerbeaux (Western wetland pioneers). All proceeds from the book will go to the National Wetland Trust to further its work.

TAKE A PEEK INSIDE!  $65 inc GST. ALL PROCEEDS FROM DIRECT SALES GO TO THE NWT

National Wetland Trust posters

Download and print our colourful posters that show the wide range of things wetlands do for us. Ask us if you need higher resolution versions.

Ngā Repo, He Taonga Tuku Iho

Wetlands for Pure Water

Wetlands for a Cooler Climate

Wetlands for Wildlife

Wetlands for Safer Communities

Wet and Wild Places

“Our Wet & Wild Places” is a beautifully illustrated booklet produced by the National Wetland Trust featuring five of New Zealand’s six Ramsar sites. The booklet includes information on the special features of each site and how to get there.

This booklet is currently out of print, but we may be looking at republishing it in the future so check back in for updates. 

Educational

See our Useful Links page for a list of wetland teaching resources.

Te Reo o te Repo (The Voice of the Wetland)

This beautifully illustrated book highlights a range of mahi (work) undertaken by iwi (tribes) and hapu (sub­tribes) in New Zealand to increase the health and wellbeing of their repo (wetlands). Information includes processes for facilitating renewed and vibrant connections between whanau (families) and their resources, understanding our cultural resources, and learning from case studies on wetland (rohe kōreporepo) (restoration, cultural indicators, and monitoring, all led by or in collaboration with tangata whenua (indigenous people).

The handbook can be downloaded in sections from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.

Wetland Restoration Handbook

The handbook builds on regionally based restoration guides and provides a detailed, comprehensive ecosystem approach for anyone who plans to or is making a difference to improving wetlands. It is written in a way that can easily be understood and, more importantly, acted on.

Beautifully designed it has excellent colour photographs and can be downloaded from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.

Hooked on Native Fish

The NZ Landcare Trust produced a fun factsheet series focused on our native fish. Individual sheets cover urban fish, rural streams, catchment management for fish, in­stream works to maintain or improve fish habitat. Factsheet 1 has been translated into Te Reo.

Wetland book wins Montana award

Renowned New Zealand author Janet Hunt won the 2008 Montana Medal for Non­fiction for her book Wetlands of New Zealand a Bitter Sweet Story on history of our wetlands, evoking both national celebration and sorrow. Written over many years, it is a stunning and touching insight into these beautiful (and broken) ecosystems.

Key New Zealand wetland publications

Wetland Types in New Zealand by Peter Johnson & Philippe Gerbeaux describes a recently devised system for classifying and naming New Zealand wetland types, providing an understanding of how wetlands work.

An analysis of wetland loss between 2001/02 and 2015/16 by Landcare Research details a process to map wetland extent and change, and concludes that 13% of New Zealand’s wetlands were lost or reduced in area in just 15 years.

An investigation into the root cause of wetland loss by the National Wetland Trust reveals the weak links in New Zealand’s regional policies and process. See our Useful Wetland Reports page for detailed background reports.

The Post­-glacial history of NZ wetlands by Matt McGlone details the development and evolution of wetlands since the end of the last ice age. It takes a provocative look at how we should be managing wetlands today.

A Directory of Wetlands in New Zealand by Pam Cromarty and Derek Scott is a detailed inventory of New Zealand’s major wetland ecosystems.

Loss of wetlands in Southland since 1990 by the Department of Conservation and  Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research found that 3452 ha of Southland’s wetlands were no longer present in the landscape and a further 3943 ha were at risk.

Wetland plants in New Zealand by Peter Johnson and Pat Brookes is a comprehensive and richly illustrated field guide is a must have for wetland botanists and enthusiasts. Produced in 1998 this book is currently out of print, but the link takes you to an electronic copy. The NZ Plant Conservation Network is another good botanical resource.

More wetland resources