Estuaries have a life cycle. They form, they age as they infill with sediment and they transform to other environments, such as freshwater marshes. They are...

New Zealand has approximately 300 estuaries. They are historically important cultural sites – Māori settlers valued estuaries as an important source of fish and shellfish, and...

In this activity, students explore Māori perspectives concerning estuaries. By the end of this activity, students should be able to: explain how a Māori legend can...

In this activity, students discuss how a variety of everyday objects can serve as metaphors for the important characteristics and functions of estuaries. By the end...

With 75% of New Zealanders living within 10 km of the coast, many students will be familiar with estuaries. In scientific terms, estuaries are the interface...

Andrew Swales talks about the big issues concerning estuaries, such as sedimentation, and what can be done to protect them. Proper management of estuaries requires an...

NIWA scientist, Andrew Swales describes what estuaries are, how New Zealand estuaries have changed over time and why they now need to be monitored. null

Estuaries are tourist attractions – attracting overseas visitors as well as local New Zealanders. null

This estuarine food web shows how nutrients are transferred through ecosystems. For example, plants are consumed by invertebrates such as snails and cockles, which are then...

Estuaries are extremely valuable. They: are nurseries – breeding grounds for fish and birds maintain the health of coastal fisheries and waters are a buffer between...

In the past, many New Zealanders have not understood the value of estuaries. Many European settlers initially viewed estuaries as unproductive wastelands. Land was reclaimed for...

In this activity, students become aware of the importance of estuaries. They identify some possible impacts on estuaries and possible actions that can be taken to...

Fjord and Ria estuaries are drowned river valleys where the river valley was originally formed by glacial action. null

Tectonic estuaries are caused by the folding of land surfaces due to volcanic activity. null

NIWA worked with local iwi (Ngāti Hikairo) to develop tools for estuary monitoring to help iwi in their role as kaitiaki. null

There are major settlements near a number of estuaries in New Zealand. This is the Waikareao Estuary in Tauranga. null

Manaia Estuary was one of the estuaries where NIWA carried out studies for Ngā Waihotanga Iho: Estuary Monitoring Toolkit for Iwi. null

Estuaries are important productive ecosystems. null

Coastal plains estuaries are formed when the rising sea fills existing river valleys. null