30 April 2013

Canterbury Water Kaikoura Zone Committee Meeting

The Kaikoura Zone Committee will meet on Wednesday, 1 May, for its monthly water management public meeting.

The meeting will begin with an update from the Regional Committee, which covers region-wide environmental restoration and repair; land use impacts on water quality; as well as water storage, distribution and efficiency options.

The committee’s main focus for the meeting will be on hearing from three of its working groups, which have developed project plans to restore values to the local waterways.

The Waikoau Lyell Creek Working Group has developed a project plan which outlines the steps required to achieve the committee’s vision for the creek. The committee wants pristine water quality with fully fenced and planted riparian margins, which will provide for mahinga kai gathering, recreation and enhanced biodiversity.

The Lake Rotorua Working Group will then present its project plan to the full committee. The focus for this group has been on gathering information on what the natural state of the lake once was. This will enable it to make informed decisions to be made on what management actions need to be taken in the future.

Next, the committee will be asked to agree on the project plan for the Waiau Toa Clarence River. The Clarence is a very unique river system and the committee wishes for it to stay that way with water that you can drink along its entire length, as well as good recreation and mahinga kai opportunities.

The committee will finish the meeting by considering a local project for Immediate Steps biodiversity funding. The project involves fencing, planting, and weed management to enhance biodiversity values of a local lowland stream.

The Immediate Steps programme is a key component of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS). The programme aims for the protection of ecosystems and habitats to conserve indigenous freshwater diversity. Zone committees decide the priorities for each zone and distribute the funding, which also requires a third party contribution.

There is still significant funding available for local biodiversity projects. Application forms can be found by searching ‘Immediate Steps’ at www.ecan.govt.nz.

The Kaikoura zone committee was launched in mid-2011 as a joint committee of the Kaikoura District Council and Environment Canterbury. Monthly zone committee meetings are open to the public to attend, and have a chance to contribute to the meeting, if they wish.

Kaikoura Zone Committee meeting
9am, Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Memorial Hall Supper Room, Esplanade, Kaikoura
For an agenda visit: http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/Council/kzwc-meeting-01513.pdf

ENDS

© Scoop Media