Background
The Mātūkū Link is a wetland and restoration project located in Te Henga/Bethels beach Te Henga/Bethells Beach, owned and operated by the Mātūkū Reserve Trust. The Mātūkū Link includes over 37 hectares of wetland and forest habitat in the upper reaches of the Te Henga Wetland complex. The complex comprises one of the largest freshwater wetland areas in the Auckland Region, covering approximately 180 ha, and home to range of threatened habitat types and threatened fauna including mātūkū-hūrepo/Australasian bittern, pāteke/brown teal, and mātātā/North Island fernbird.
PDP was engaged to undertake a Significant Ecological Area (SEA) wetland assessment and delineation in the Mātūkū Link. Under the Auckland Unitary Plan, landowners in rural zones can earn Transferable Subdivision Titles for the protection or restoration of significant areas of indigenous vegetation or wetlands. Titles can then either be used or sold to other landowners looking to subdivide within the countryside living zone. This mechanism provides a financial incentive that rewards landowners for protecting, enhancing, and creating good quality indigenous habitat.