Conceptual work on the Waipahi Wetland, about 2km from the South Otago hamlet of Waipahi, began as a kernel of an idea in the minds of the landowners, dairy farmers Gerard and Ann Vallely, about five years ago.
After talking to several parties about converting about 9ha of swampy dairy grazing paddock into a permanent wetland, Mr Vallely crossed paths with project manager Shane Bocock, of Clydevale.
That had proven to be the catalyst the project needed, Mr Vallely said.
"The project never really flew until Shane got a hold of it.
"He’s brought together the funding, volunteers and knowledge to make it happen, and bring us to this point today."
The purpose of the new wetland was twofold, Mr Vallely said.
"We want to restore the site to a native reserve of flora and fauna that can be an educational resource for schools, and a scientific site for ecologists and others.
"At the same time, it will act as a set of kidneys for the waterway here, which draws from a 1100ha catchment up this valley."
Multiple funding bodies, authorities and other groups and organisations had provided the $170,000 required to complete the initial phase of development, he said.
Those included the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Jobs for Nature scheme; the Otago Regional Council’s EcoFund; the Pomahaka Water Care Group, Landcare Trust; and cash and donations in kind from "hundreds" of local and regional volunteers, not least in planting.
"Eventually, we’ll have about 16,000 native plants in the ground, from swamp-loving species like carex, to shrubby natives and trees.
"The aim is to have it looking like it would have about 60 years ago, before the [Otago] Catchment Board put a drain up the middle of the valley to allow development for farming. It should start to give a hint of that in about five years or so, and mature over time."
The project had also required significant engineering, and had included installing a dam and building groynes to channel an unnamed tributary of the Waipahi River through the wetland.
Given the scale and significance of the project, he hoped to secure a QEII covenant for the site soon, allowing it to be preserved for the community in perpetuity, Mr Vallely said.
"The hope is the wetland will provide something for everybody.
"There’s already been an influx of native fish species, and we’re hopeful birds such as grey herons and bitterns will follow in time. But we’re just proud to see it reach this initial stage of development, and celebrate that today."
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I wrote what a wonderful thing this is to have done, all the work, planning and committed but also that it was a shame the wetland had been drained in the first place and so "silence" is better than praise, thankfulness and a criticism in our world today.