Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Floating wetland moored on Lake Rotorua

Updated at 11:33 pm on 9 August 2012

An artificial floating wetland the size of a rugby field is now moored in Lake Rotorua, with the aim of removing tonnes of phosphorus and nitrogen each year.

The $900,000 structure which Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Rotorua City Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council have jointly funded, is made from more than 500,000 recycled plastic soft drink bottles and 20,000 native flaxes.

After months of construction the wetland is now moored near the edge of the lake at Sulphur Point.

Trust chairman Toby Curtis says the concept fits in well with the iwi's kaitiakitanga or conservation responsibility.

He says a feature of the wetland is that the flaxes have been planted in a formation to make the word Rotorua, which will be easily seen from the air.

Mr Curtis says the trust would like to see more floating wetlands, but it's a matter of finding the money.

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