Wetland, Ōtūwharekai

A trailside wetland

Though small and shallow, the several lakes that dot this patch of Canterbury land share an outsized cultural cachet. Named the Māori Lakes after New Zealand's indigenous peoples, this grouping of South Island sloughs doesn't get any deeper than 3 feet, making for a wetland-like environment frequented by various waterfowl. The Ngāi Tahu—the principal Māori tribe on the South Island—refer to the lake region as Ōtūwharekai, holding it in high importance as an ancient food-gathering stop on routes between the island's east and west coasts.