Travis Wetland is an important site for the local and regional conservation of wetland plants. Nearly 80 per cent of pre-European native wetland plant species are present in the wetland, including some now rare on the Canterbury Plains. There are around 53 species of native and introduced birds, including around fifty percent of the population of pukeko in Christchurch.
A group of volunteers from the New Zealand China Union of Culture and Arts and the wider Chinese community, organized by the Everyone an Artist Trust, enthusiastically participated in planting and weeding at the Travis Wetland. These artists, ethnic migrants, students, mums and kids are all environmental protection volunteers who have been galvanizing a collective will to make the world better. They met one of the Christchurch City Council staff Kenny at the car park and started their day from the education cantre. Kenny kindly introduced the history, the local plants, and the current situation of the wetland, then he demonstrated to the volunteers how to plant the trees appropriately, as well as detailed the names and charateristics of each type of tree. They have planted about one hundred trees and weeded out lots of Janpanese honeysuckle that does lots of harm to the natural habitats of the rare birds in the wetland.
They enjoyed a picnic with the staff and volunteers from the Conservation Volunteers at the education centre when everything was done on such a nice day. What a day for all the volunteers.
