Restoration, by the Duntroon community, of a wetland as a visitor attraction has received a boost with support from Meridian Energy Ltd which owns it.
The Duntroon community has banded together to help restore 2.3ha of environmentally valuable raupo swamp wetland on the river terrace between the town and the Waitaki River.
A series of walking tracks and boardwalks are planned to provide access to the wetland and its naturally occurring bubbling springs.
Duntroon Wetland Group chairman Mike Gray has been encouraged by the support received for the project.
"Meridian has given us access to the land, and is providing some much-needed expertise to assist in the wetland concept and planting plans. Both Meridian and EnvironmentCanterbury will provide financial support for the planned walking tracks, boardwalks, signage and fencing, and the local school has been busy growing seedlings and holding planting days," he said.
Meridian general manager of renewable development Ken Smailes said the company thought it was important to support the communities it worked in.
"We are proud to be associated with sustainable projects like this that meet a genuine ecological need," he said.
The group sometimes called for volunteers to help with planting days, advertised in advance through the monthly DuntroonDigger.
Community groups based in the Waitaki Basin were able to apply for project funding from Meridian's Waitaki Community Fund, which was managed by a panel of community representatives and Meridian staff.
