Tora Wetland Restoration

Embedded Ecology has support a land owner on the rugged South Wairarapa coastal farm, Tora, to restore a regionally significant wetland. In December 2021, Alvin visited the property and advised the landowners of the immense ecological significance of the wetland. However, at this time the wetland was used for grazing. Although the wetland was not heavily stoked, this impact was evident with hydrophilic species struggling to establish and heavy pugging previlent through the damper margins. 

Alvin undertook an ecological assessment and discussed potential options to enhance the wetland. The key issue being how to best exclude stock whilst managing the ingress of weeds. One of the family members had a particular interest in the project and took on the key recommendation of fencing off the wetland from grazing and worked closely with QE2 to place the site in covinent. In September 2025 the site wetland was fenced off and native species planted to support existing vegetation.