Canterbury Environmental Leaders List Their Priorities

Friday, 4 April 2025, 8:14 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

North Canterbury’s zone committee leaders are calling on their replacements to continue their work across flood risks, protecting biodiversity and supporting environmental projects.

The Canterbury Mayoral Forum is set to disband water zone committees - a partnership between Environment Canterbury, local councils and local rūnanga - in May.

The Kaikōura and Waimakariri Zone Committees have been reflecting on their work over nearly 15 years.

Kaikōura Zone Committee chairperson Ted Howard said there needed to be a focus on the risks posed by flooding in the Kowhai and Hāpuku Rivers.

The town was devastated by a Kowhai River flood in 1993, while the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016 dislodged a considerable amount of gravel at the head of the rivers which could be unleashed in a major event.

‘‘It is definitely something they need to be conscious of,’’ Mr Howard said.

‘‘We saw what happened in ’93 and the potential for damage to infrastructure now is so much worse.’’

The exact structure to replace zone committees is still to be finalised.

New local freshwater leadership groups are likely to be established as a partnership between ECan, local councils and rūnanga, but what input the wider community will have will be up to each local leadership group.

The Kaikōura Zone Committee has prepared a list of priorities to be shared with its replacement.

These included supporting weed and pest control work in the Waiau Toa Clarence River, the Hāpuku River and the Waikōau Lyell Creek, youth involvement, protecting biodiversity, and education and advocacy.

Waimakariri Zone Committee chairperson Carolyne Latham said she would like to see a fund, similar to the zone action plan fund, made available to support local environmental projects.

The zone action plan fund was $50,000 this year, but was $75,000 for the 2023/24 financial year, and replaced the immediate steps fund.

‘‘It is really cool that it has been administered by a community-based committee to support local projects,’’ Ms Latham said.

‘‘It would be good to see that fund continue and hopefully it will be larger, and I hope they will structure it in a way that involves the community in making those decisions.’’

The Waimakariri Zone Committee established the Waimakariri environmental awards two years ago thanks to the funding.

It has also supported the development of local catchment groups, the Waimakariri Biodiversity Trust and the Waimakariri Landcare Trust.

The Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee was the first to be established in 2010 with the purpose of writing local freshwater rules under the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

It was a partnership between ECan, the Hurunui District Council, Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga.

The Kaikōura Zone Committee is a partnership between the ECan, the Kaikōura District Council and Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura, while Waimakariri brings together ECan, the Waimakariri District Council and Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga.

While the Kaikōura and Waimakariri committees have continued to be active, the Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee was disbanded five years ago.

It has since been replaced by a land and water committee under the Hurunui District Council.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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