Help save our lakes and rivers!

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Water is good; it benefits all things
and does not compete with them.
Lao-tzu (604 BC - 531 BC)

Dear Donor

New Zealand’s lakes and rivers form some of our most beautiful wild places, and are home to some of our most unique wildlife.

From the glacier-fed high country lakes that are the jewels in the crown of our iconic high country landscapes, to our magnificent braided rivers, fresh water is one of New Zealand’s most valuable natural assets.

Endangered species, such as the blue duck/whio, wrybill and native fish, depend on healthy, clean fresh water for their survival.

Increasing pressure is being put on our lakes and rivers by unprecedented demand for water for irrigation, run-off of nutrients from agriculture, pollution, invasive pests and hydro-electricity generation proposals.

Degradation of our lowland rivers is one of the biggest environmental issues we face. More than 60% of these rivers are so polluted they are not even safe to swim in, let alone support our most vulnerable wildlife.

Forest & Bird campaigns to protect and restore our lakes and rivers to ensure that our unique species like the blue duck are not lost forever.

Please will you help Forest & Bird protect our precious water resources and our freshwater wildlife
by donating to our Winter Appeal?

Thank you for your support.

Dr Peter Maddison
Forest & Bird National President

Your generous donation will help Forest & Bird take action by:

Campaigning to protect our lakes and rivers against adverse impacts from agriculture.
Undertaking hands-on work to help threatened freshwater species on projects such as predator and weed control, riverbank planting and restoration, monitoring and relocations of endangered species.
Making submissions that will ensure that hydro generation proposals that will seriously harm our lakes and rivers and wildlife are not given consent.
Advocating at national level for better protection of our iconic freshwater landscapes and species.

Recently your support has enabled Forest & Bird to:

• Secure protection for high country lakes by having lakefront land excluded from tenure review, and establish high country parks around lakes

• Work with local and regional authorities and Fonterra to achieve greater compliance by farmers with the Clean Streams Accord to reduce agricultural impact on waterways

• Oppose hyrdo proposals that would severely damage rivers such as the Wairau and Mokihinui

• Support Water Conservation Orders to protect rivers such as the Hurunui and Gowan

• Achieve international recognition for wetlands such as the Manawatu Estuary under the Ramsar Convention.

Whio image from Department of Conservation/Te Papa Atawhai

Don't delay - please help save our lakes and rivers

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