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6-monthly report shows work progressing well on Porirua Harbour Strategy

Work to restore and protect Porirua Harbour is on track, according to the first sixmonthly report on implementation of the Porirua Harbour Strategy and Action Plan.

Work so far has included infrastructure upgrades, the establishment of special-interest groups and plans for estuary restoration and catchment planting.

"There's a lot going on, big and small, that will have a big impact on the harbour. It's going to take time to see the full results, but it will progressively have a huge benefit," says Porirua City Council Harbour Strategy Co-ordinator Keith Calder.

The joint officers' first 6-monthly progress report was presented to Council today (NB: Thursday November 8).

The Porirua Harbour Strategy and Action Plan is a partnership between Porirua City Council, Te Runanga O Toa Rangatira, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Its development was prompted by community calls to clean-up the harbour and the strategy and action plan were officially released in April this year. Among the highlights of the first six months have been:

• The start of targeted sewer and stormwater infrastructure upgrades by PCC, • Establishment of a dedicated Porirua Harbour Community Project Team within in Greater Wellington, • Convening of an agency and community harbour education group and development of an education framework to help better coordinate future environmental education in the catchment, • Completion of a preliminary 'source-to-sink model' of the catchment/estuary to aid identification of priority erosion prone areas, • Completion of a seagrass restoration assessment report, • Preparation of an estuary restoration plan, • Preparation of a whole-of-catchment planting plan.

"One of the keys to the success has been Porirua City Council's on going commitment to funding a dedicated, full-time Porirua Harbour Strategy Co-ordinator, to coordinate the strategy implementation," says Mr Calder.

Many of the actions in the strategy are agreed joint ones between the three councils and co-ordination of council activities around the harbour has significantly improved, says Mr Calder.

As well, an internal group of key Porirua City Council managers now meets regularly to coordinate and review Council's s implementation of the Strategy. "This programme is a long-term investment in securing a healthy future for our harbour."

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