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Mangroves are home to New Zealand's most endangered bird, the fairy tern or tara iti, and now, its habitat has been given legal protection.
The High Court has ruled mangroves are to fall under Freshwater Standards, like other natural wetlands.
That ruling quashes an earlier Environment Court decision, which prompted an appeal by a number of parties including Forest and Bird and the Conservation Minister.
Forest and Bird's Auckland and Waikato Conservation Manager, Lissy Fehnker-Heather, spoke to Corin Dann.