October 21, 2014

MEDIA RELEASE

Rūnanga sets example in waterway restoration

The project manager for a Banks Peninsula rūnanga is encouraging people in central Canterbury to apply for funding dedicated to restoring waterways and native ecosystems.

Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata and neighbouring farmer Tim Coop are fencing and planting land alongside Koukourarata Stream at Port Levy with help from a $22,400 Immediate Steps grant. The funds were awarded by the Banks Peninsula Zone Committee, which includes members from Christchurch City Council, rūnanga, Environment Canterbury and the local community.

Three thousand native seedlings have been planted, many grown from cuttings and seedlings collected in the area.

The money comes from the $6.24 million Immediate Steps fund, which is being allocated over five years on projects protecting and restoring freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Koukourarata project manager Peter Ramsden said school and CPIT students who attended a youth hui at Koukourarata in March joined rūnanga whanau at the planting. There will be follow-up weed and pest control in coming months.

“We are combining conservation tools of old and funding tools of today,” said Mr Ramsden. “Healthy land leads to healthy water and healthy people.”

The rūnanga is also protecting the 87-hectare Kakanui Reserve in partnership with Environment Canterbury, the Department of Conservation, Christchurch City Council, Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust and the community.

“We’re planning to apply for further funding to finish fencing this reserve,” Mr Ramsden said. “A big cost for our rūnanga last winter was replacing over 900 metres of flood-damaged fencing.”

Banks Peninsula Zone Committee chairman Richard Simpson said it was satisfying to work with the rūnanga and a neighbouring farmer towards shared conservation goals. Immediate Steps is covering about two-thirds of the cost of this project.

“There are still protection opportunities on Banks Peninsula and people may not be aware of help available through Environment Canterbury,” Mr Simpson said.

Environment Canterbury biodiversity team leader Jo Abbott said more than $200,000 remains available in both the Banks Peninsula and Christchurch-West Melton zones through Immediate Steps. In the much larger Waimakariri and Selwyn-Waihora zones, close to $150,000 is unallocated.

The Canterbury Biodiversity Fund is another source of funding, prioritising projects where values are already high such as native bush and braided rivers. The Honda TreeFund supports community plantings of native plants.

Together, these three funds have so far awarded close to $5 million to over 400 projects protecting Canterbury’s biodiversity and ecosystems. This includes 57 projects protecting lowland streams, 70 protecting hill country catchments and 15 protecting inter-montane streams.

“All are contributing towards the Ki uta ki tai - From the mountains to the sea vision of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy,” Dr Abbott said.

For more information go to ecan.govt.nz/biodiversity or contact the Environment Canterbury biodiversity team via 0800 324 636.

Immediate Steps:

• Is a $10-million Canterbury Water Management Strategy programme in its fifth and final year, with a second phase being considered

• Is 70 per cent subscribed across Canterbury with over $3.6 million committed to over 200 projects

• Is up to two-thirds funded by ratepayers across Canterbury and at least one-third by recipients, mostly landowners, agencies and community conservation groups

• Provides $500,000 in each of 10 Environment Canterbury water management zones plus $1.2 million towards regionally important water issues including flagship projects around braided rivers, Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere and the Wainono Lagoon, near Timaru

• Supports Canterbury Water Management Strategy targets including promoting ecosystem health and biodiversity, recreational opportunities and kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of water.

Immediate Steps projects, Central Canterbury

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