Estuarine vegetation survey - Kawhia Harbour

Report: TR 2014/16

Author: M Graeme (Natural Solutions - Marine & Terrestrial Ecologists Ltd)

About this report

A 1997 pilot study of Whangamata, Wharekawa, and Otahu estuaries determined that it is feasible to map vascular estuarine vegetation from aerial photography together with field surveys. The success of this work encouraged Waikato Regional Council to continue with this method.

The estuarine vegetation of Tairua, Coromandel, Te Kouma, Manaia, Whitianga, Port Waikato, Raglan, Aotea, Kawhia, Otama, Whangapoua harbours and the inner Firth of Thames have since been surveyed and mapped. Of these harbours, Whangamata, Wharekawa, Otahu, Tairua, Coromandel, Te Kouma, Manaia, Whitianga, Port Waikato, Raglan and Aotea have been re-surveyed to determine changes in vegetation communities over time.

The vegetation that has been mapped is within the coastal marine area and includes the spatial cover of mangrove, seagrass, sea meadow, saltmarsh and estuarine weed communities. The results of the estuarine vegetation surveys are included in Waikato Regional Council’s GIS database, and are used for state of the environment investigations and assessing activities that may affect estuarine vegetation.

This report details the results from the second survey of estuarine vegetation in Kawhia Harbour, in December 2012. Comments are included about the estuarine vegetation present, the threats to native estuarine vegetation communities, and other field notes of interest.

This report accompanies the relevant aerial map and estuarine vegetation community overlays of the survey site.

Read or download the report

Estuarine vegetation survey - Kawhia Harbour [PDF, 13 MB]