Our spectacular rivers, lakes and wetlands are an opportunity to be rewilded as new Te Mana o te Wai Reserves, Rewild Aotearoa says.

Research lead Paul Hughes said the Te Mana o te Wai Reserves national Rewild Opportunity includes 800,000 hectares of public rivers, lakes and wetlands. They comprise about 90 wetlands, 300 lakes, 27,000 km of river/lake margins, and 42,000 km of riverbed. About 50,000 hectares of the public riparian land can be readily restored ending carbon emissions and building carbon sinks.

Mr Hughes said the areas are already publicly managed by DOC, LINZ and Councils, but suffered from fragmented ecological and recreational management and protection, and need to establish flourishing ecology and easy access to realise their true potential.

"What we are seeing is a huge re-emergence of New Zealanders' interest in protecting and restoring freshwater taonga and benefiting from accessible natural outdoors. So we think now is the time to ask politicians to establish new Te Mana o te Wai Reserves that are accessible to everyone."

Mr Hughes said it would give all these "nationally significant" freshwater ecosystems and landscapes proper legal protection.

"Creating Te Mana o te Wai Reserves would rewild and protect all of their unique and outstanding freshwater values."

They can also provide spade-ready employment for iwi and the community in surveying, fencing, wilding willow and weed control, access enhancement and nursery/planting/tending.

Mr Hughes said they are Reserves for all New Zealanders, and are readily accessible to everyone.

"You can walk, fish, picnic, boat and swim there - they are unique natural freshwater landscapes.”

“We have the opportunity to progress national freshwater ecosystem management to embrace wellbeing and ensure that our freshwater taonga thrive with integrated management, as embodied in Te Mana o te Wai ,” says Mr Hughes

"They will be shining examples of mountains to the sea freshwater ecological connectivity."

"So we would say it's Te Mana o te Wai Reserves for nature and everyone, certainly one of the most fundamental advances we can make for our freshwater taonga in Aotearoa."

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