English: On a walk part way around the Travis Wetland Nature Heritage Park April 7, 2014 Christchurch New Zealand.

Travis Wetland Nature Heritage Park is a lowland freshwater wetland, located in the midst of an urban environment. It offers a number of easy walkways and viewing areas, with opportunities to see many bird species and plant communities. The walking tracks are suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs and there are a number of opportunities to take a rest on seats along the way.

There is an information kiosk and the nearby education centre provides a laboratory, educational facility and meeting space for groups. Travis Wetland is a site where education programmes are available for schools through the Learning Through Action programme to promote ecological values.

The Travis Wetland covers 116 hectares of recently retired land surrounded by urban subdivision, and was purchased by the Christchurch City Council in 1996 in response to public demand. Previously farmed and drained, the area is now being managed as a Nature Heritage Park.

Fifty-five species of birds, including 35 natives, have been recorded at the wetland. Travis is the most important freshwater wetland for birds in Christchurch, supporting about half the total Christchurch pukeko population. An indigenous skink, the native short-fined eel and possibly the Canterbury mudfish are present in the wetland. Travis also supports healthy populations of a diverse variety of insects. As the diversity of habitat develops, additional species are expected to occur.

Nearly 80 per cent of pre-European native wetland plant species are present in the wetland, including a number of species now rare on the Canterbury Plains. These include the only substantial stand of manuka, a species of spider orchid and a native sundew, which are regionally vulnerable.

Invasive weeds reduce the native plant diversity. Volunteers and contractors are eliminating species such as female grey willow, blackberry, gorse and grass from botanically sensitive areas.

For More Info: www.ccc.govt.nz/cityleisure/parkswalkways/popularparks/tr...