Your Waikato March 2016

ISSUE #89

march 2016

waikatoregion.govt.nz 0800 800 401

R U O Y

O T A K I A W

COUNCIL L A N O I G E R WAIKATO M O R F E T A D NEWS UP L A N IO G E R R YOU

Be part of the plan for the Waikato Me whai wāhi koe ki te mahere ā-rohe o Waikato Your Waikato Regional Council rates help to fund a better quality of life for everyone.

Some rates money is used by our council to run flood control schemes to protect people, property and productive farmland, and keep roads open. And like some local councils in the region, your regional council rates support surf life saving, Coastguard and rescue helicopter services too, but we're now looking for a more equitable and effective way to do this.

As this issue of Your Waikato went to press, the council was due to adopt the 2016/17 Annual Plan consultation document, with three proposals we really want public feedback on.

1 We’re proposing to establish a regional services fund and want to know if you support us collecting a rate so we can make grants to surf life saving, Coastguard and rescue helicopter services in the region.

2 We’re asking for feedback on proposed changes to the cost and funding policy for flood protection works we’re planning to carry out at Tauhei, just north of Morrinsville.

3 We’re proposing a change to the way we charge fresh water take consent holders for the state of the environment monitoring we undertake.

Turn to page 4 to read a snapshot of these proposals and to find out where to go for more information.

While we’ve been fine tuning the work programme for 2016/17 and confirming the budget for the year ahead, we’ve been conscious of keeping a tight focus on costs.

We’re proposing to collect about $80.5 million in rates revenue in the next financial year – this equates to a

reduction in rates revenue from existing ratepayers of about 1.3 per cent. The decrease is driven by lower inflation, more rateable properties due to regional growth, and the removal of Lake Taupō protection and TBfree rates.

However, not all ratepayers will see a decrease in their rates bill. In fact for some, their invoices will rise as a result of increased property valuations in the past year in some city and district council areas.

We value the views of our residents and ratepayers and look forward to hearing your feedback on our 2016/17 Annual Plan proposals. You have until 4pm on Monday, 11 April 2016 to make a submission. waikatoregion.govt.nz/annualplan

Orbiter bus improvements rolled out Kua oti te ratonga-pahi Orbiter te whakapai ake A new Orbiter timetable rolled out at the end of February has been designed to improve the reliability of Hamilton’s busiest bus route.

How we’ve improved the service

The changes have been introduced following a survey of Orbiter passengers last year to find out what was working well, and what could be improved.

“Passengers told us we needed to improve the reliability of the service, and they also wanted more buses at peak times,” says public transport operations manager, Andrew Wilson.

• Buses every 15 minutes in the morning peaks Monday to Friday • Extra buses in the afternoon school times

“It’s really important to us that people feel confident we will get them to their destination on time, so we’ve listened to the feedback and, with bus company Pavlovich Transport Solutions, have implemented some improvements,” Mr Wilson says.

Times have changed throughout the day, so check the new timetable before travelling.

“The changes include buses every 15 minutes in the weekday morning peaks and putting on extra Orbiters after school to increase capacity and improve service reliability.

“We are also working closely with key schools on the routes to ensure faster and more effective boarding and departure of the buses.”

Mr Wilson says while the improvements have only just rolled out, the council’s public transport operations team will be closely monitoring passenger numbers, reliability and customer feedback to assess the effectiveness of the changes.

Orbiter buses run every day of the year, circling Hamilton’s suburbs in both directions. More than 800,000 people travelled on the Orbiter last year, making it the most popular public bus route in the Waikato.

busit.co.nz

Look out Waikato’s west coast at for us... low risk of tsunami: study Hei te Rangahau: He iti te pānga ka tai āniwhaniwhatia ‘taiopenga o te taihauāuru Waikato’ tātou tutaki ai!

If you’re heading to next month’s Waikato Show at the Claudelands Events Centre keep an eye out for our biodiversity, biosecurity and BUSIT teams.

Step into our site in the EnviroExpo for a chance to find out how you can make your backyard a safe haven for native birds and long-tailed bats (pekapeka).

Protecting our native forests from the deadly kauri dieback disease is also really important to our council. So, we’ll have lots of information for you about the disease, and the things you can do to protect stands of mighty kauri growing in our region.

For the show we’re also bringing buses to the community, with two vehicles parked up outside for people to hop on and off. If you’ve never travelled by bus, this is a great opportunity to see what it’s like and to get help planning your journey. We’ll have lots of information, as well as some giveaways.

See you there!

Waikato Show 8-10 April 2016 Claudelands Events Centre

A study has found that Port Waikato, Raglan Harbour and Aotea Harbour are at a low-risk of inundation from a tsunami, but waves could cause strong surges and currents.

The findings are the result of a study, funded

by Waikato District Council, Waikato Regional Council and WEL Networks, carried out by Jose Borrero of Raglan-based eCoast.

The study found that wave heights will be relatively small, but inundation may affect low-lying areas. It also concluded that tsunami may produce strong surges and currents, particularly at the entrance to the harbours, making it dangerous to be on or in the water.

The information will be used by local civil defence staff in working with communities to develop their emergency response plans for all hazards, not just tsunami.

Extensive modelling of a number of scenarios was carried out, but the study focused primarily on ‘near source’ tsunami generated by very large earthquakes on known fault systems in and around the Tasman Sea and South West Pacific.

This included tsunami generated by earthquakes in the Solomon Islands, along the New Hebrides trench directly north of New Zealand, along the Tonga-Kermadec trench to the east of the North Island and waikatoregion.govt.nz/tsunami

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along the Puysegur Trench south and west of the South Island.

The study also considered ‘distant source’ tsunami generated along the west coast of South America, focusing on the largest known historical events of 1868 and 1960 in northern and southern Chile respectively – each with earthquake magnitudes greater than 9.

Despite the relatively small tsunami heights, all of the scenarios produced potentially dangerous currents, particularly at the entrance to each harbour. In each case, these dangerous currents persisted for many hours after the arrival of the largest waves.

What the study found for Waikato’s west coast • Tsunami wave heights from all sources modelled are relatively small.

• Inundation of low lying areas may occur if the tsunami occur during a high tide.

• Tsunami arrival times from a ‘near source’ is between 3 and 6 hours, but with the peak tsunami activity occurring several hours after the first arrival.

• Tsunami arrival times from a ‘distant source’ is between 15 and 17 hours.

New online tool shows impact of sea level rise Ko tā tētehi taputapu ā-ipurangi hou he whakaatu i ngā pānga o te pupuketanga ake o te moana A groundbreaking online tool has been launched by Waikato Regional Council to help people visualise the impact sea level rise will have on their coastline.

Besides climate change-induced sea level rise, the coastal inundation tool will let people assess storm effects. Information on tsunami inundation for selected areas will also be available on the tool.

“Sea level rise is projected in our coastal communities over coming decades and our online tool will be valuable in helping local councils, communities and individual property owners manage the risk involved.

It will also help them make judgments about the risks posed by storm surges and tsunami,” says senior regional hazards advisor, Rick Liefting.

“There’s been high demand from local councils and the public for this type of information and our new tool is in part a response to that. It’s also our regional hazards programme’s general role to provide information to the community about hazards and help people to manage risk.”

Current guidance from NIWA and the Ministry for the Environment is that projected sea level rise in New Zealand will be half a metre over the next 50 years and a metre over the next century.

How it works The online tool will allow people to selfselect how different levels of sea level rise may generally affect their coastal areas and individual properties.

It won’t, however, make predictions about when such sea rise levels may happen.

People can choose for themselves what the most likely water levels will be over what time frame and make their own judgment, based on advice from a range of agencies, on whether those scenarios might actually occur.

The tool is not intended to provide specific information for defining actual coastal inundation hazards on individual properties. The tool is intended to start the conversation on possible affects of projected sea level rise.

waikatoregion.govt.nz/coastal-inundation-tool

Talking about our region’s big issues The inundation tool was launched this month at the first of three fora this year to discuss environmental and economic issues in our region, and options for addressing them.

The Sustainable Waikato: issues and actions forum on Wednesday, 2 March also started the conversation with stakeholders and the public on possible actions for the best use of water into the future, as well as how more people can connect with nature to make the Waikato an even better place.

It was the first in a series of fora open to stakeholders and the public, with a further

two events to be held later this year – the next in July and then again in November.

Council chief executive officer Vaughan Payne says the fora aim to bring together knowledgeable people to share information about environmental, economic, social and cultural issues impacting on each of the council’s key priority areas.

“It’s really important to us that people are able to engage with the council and

participate in informed conversations that support resilient and sustainable communities. So, we’re creating a relatively informal forum where people feel welcome and comfortable to share these views in public,” Mr Payne says.

“These fora will provide a range of perspectives and information, including mātauranga Māori, citizen science, and research by Waikato Regional Council and other agencies.”

waikatoregion.govt.nz/SW-forum

Wise words on water A key part of the first forum held this month involved starting the conversation with stakeholders and the public on possible actions for the best use and management of Waikato’s fresh water into the future. The “Let’s Talk Water – Me Korero E Tatou Mo Te Wai” paper was released.

The council feels water quality and allocation over the next 50-100 years will remain the region’s top issue, and collectively we need to think broadly and creatively about the wise and efficient use of water in the long term.

In an opening address to the forum, Sir Tumu Te Heuheu, the paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, said initiating

such sustainability discussions was vital to attain “authentic and credible long term management of our natural and human environment, especially the water resource”.

He said that “for all of us water is a vital and fundamental necessity in our lives”, adding that “for iwi water is a taonga of the highest importance”.

Land and water forum chairman Alastair Bisley outlined collaborative arrangements occurring nationally on fresh water management, saying the times were changing on how things were done. “I am optimistic that the tanker is turning. The tanker is us all.”

That was a view supported

by Kate Alcock from the Sustainable Business Council (pictured on stage), who told those gathered and watching online that businesses want to quantify how much water they use so they are able to better manage it.

Rounding out the water discussion was Waikato-Tainui chief executive Parekawhia McLean, who said every individual in New Zealand has an influence on how we manage water, and we need to collectively take action.

Our council’s natural heritage team leader Alan Saunders spoke passionately about

how conservation is essentially a social activity and the good news is that there’s a growing number of groups making exciting progress. That’s important in a country where habitat loss has been rapid and dramatic, making it difficult to conserve indigenous biodiversity.

Your Waikato

letstalkwater.nz

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It’s your Waikato, have your say E te hunga e noho nei i te rohe, tukuna mai ō whakaaro

This annual plan consultation is unlike any we’ve undertaken before. That’s because Local Government Act changes in 2014 now mean we only consult on any significant changes we make to our 10 year plans. This is also the time when we confirm the budget for the work we have planned for the year ahead.

So, there are only three new proposals for 2016/17 on which we are seeking your feedback.

PROPOSAL 1

PROPOSAL 2

Regional rate for life-saving voluntary emergency services

Tauhei flood protection project update

We’re proposing to collect a rate to establish a regional services fund to support surf life saving, Coastguard and rescue helicopter services in the Waikato.

A number of councils in the region have already been funding these services, but recently the Waikato Mayoral Forum has agreed that a regional rate will streamline the collection and distribution process and enable local government funds to be delivered appropriately.

Councils have also told us a regional rate will ensure the cost of services available to everyone in the region is spread across Waikato ratepayers.

As a result of additional work over the past year to refine the Tauhei flood protection upgrade, we are seeking agreement on the cost of works and how they’ll be funded.

During the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan (LTP), we responded to landowners who wanted more extensive flood mitigation works in the area. At the time the initial project cost was estimated to be $3.25 million based on standard construction methods.

Since the 2015-2025 LTP was adopted, the cost of the project covering all investigation, design, consents, community consultation, procurement of contractors and contract management, construction and environmental improvements has increased to an estimated $4.28 million.

This is due in part to the project being enlarged to include the Mangatea tributary, as well as an improved understanding of on-site conditions and construction requirements.

We have also revised the funding policy, consistent with the Project Watershed Funding Policy. The direct benefit share of funding is assessed to be 50 per cent of the total cost, with the remaining 50 per cent funded by indirect beneficiary and contributor (zone, catchment and region) rates.

We’ve worked with the Waikato Mayoral Forum – comprising the mayors and regional council chair – to develop three options which propose a per property rate of between $2.07 and $3.74 (including GST).

If we don’t get support for establishing the fund, the regional council will continue to provide its current level of funding to Coastguard, Surf Life Saving Northern Region, and the Philips Search and Rescue Trust.

However, if we do establish a regional services fund, this will replace funding your local council may already have been providing.

PROPOSAL 3

Tell us what you think

Water take consent fees review

He pēwhea rā ōu whakaaro?

We’re proposing a change to the way we charge fresh water take consent holders for state of the environment monitoring we undertake.

Visit waikaoregion.govt.nz/annualplan to read more about these proposals and to make a submission.

The need to actively manage fresh water is especially important now due to the increased demand for it.

The charge helps the council recover part of the cost of its monitoring of groundwater and rivers to determine allocable fresh water; and investigations into the value of the water bodies to be managed, including existing water takes, fish, invertebrates, biodiversity and water quality.

The way we apply our state of the environment monitoring charges changed last year following consultation on our 2015-2025 Long Term Plan (LTP). We have since received feedback from a small number of consent holders concerned about the increase in costs to them and have taken another look at how the charges are applied.

As a result, we are asking for feedback on three options. One maintains the current method of applying charges, while the other two options, also based on the current graduated charge method, propose the addition of a minimum fee of $65 or $100.

The consultation document is available: • Online at waikatoregion. govt.nz/annualplan.

• I n libraries and Waikato Regional Council offices.

• B y calling freephone 0800 800 401 to request a copy.

ANNUAL PLAN 2016 /

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MAHERE Ā-T AU 2016/17

CONSULTAT ION DOCUMENT

Consultation closes at 4pm on Monday, 11 April 2016.

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Your Waikato

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Community celebrates 10 years of top team work Kei te whakamānawatia ngā ringa raupā o Wharekawa The Wharekawa community on the Coromandel’s east coast is toasting their combined efforts to protect their beautiful harbour after a decade of top work.

The Wharekawa Catchment Care Group formed after community concerns about the general decline in the health of the harbour, in particular water quality and sedimentation.

The group’s excellent work is continually evolving and today the group focuses its efforts on restoring key ecological sites around the harbour. Currently the care group is controlling saltwater paspalum, an invasive weed at Wahitapu Stream. It’s the first project of its kind and has influenced a wider regional consent. And as part of phase one of

Stock had access to streams, wetlands and coastal margins; nuisance willow clogged the river; large quantities of soil entered the harbour whenever it rained; and shellfish beds were in decline. It didn’t paint a pretty picture.

Fast forward to today and the water is exceptionally clear, the Wharekawa River navigable, and seagrass beds are lush and thriving.

The council’s Emily O’Donnell has been there from the start. “My relationship with the Wharekawa/Opoutere community started in 2004 and is one I hold in high regard,” she says.

“Joining the community to celebrate their 10 year anniversary was like catching up with old friends. They have influenced the way our team works and provided a mandate around community partnerships and the success that can be achieved in working towards protecting key values around water quality, biodiversity and community ownership.”

She says the council has supported the group’s work by attending planting and mangrove seedling removal days; funding fencing, planting and wetland work, as well as weed control and a shade house at the school for growing plants; and carrying out river management works.

restoration works on the Kapakapa wetland, the group has planted 2000 trees and flaxes.

“It’s a real privilege to work with effective community groups like this one,” says the council’s Hauraki-Coromandel manager Graeme Osborne.

“And our work with them is a great example of the results that can be achieved when organisations and the community work together.”

People of all ages turned out for the Kapakapa wetland planting day last September.

Through this group more than 80 per cent of stream margins are retired in the catchment, but their influence goes beyond their own area. It was this group’s approach that influenced the council’s decision to set up a harbour and catchment management programme for the Coromandel, as well as the development of a programme for restoring coastal habitats.

Location of pest parakeets sought Kei whea ngā kākā kīrearea nei?

Wanted: Information on the whereabouts of wild Indian ring neck parakeets.

A pest population of up to 15 parakeets was recently reported in Hikutaia near Paeroa and our council is working with the Ministry for Primary Industries to prevent their spread.

The Indian ring neck parakeet can severely damage crops and introduce diseases among native birds, such as the endangered kaka.

The ministry is so concerned the parakeet was last year declared an unwanted organism, which prevents their release into the wild. Breeding or exhibiting the parakeets in captivity or selling them to be held in captivity is permitted.

So, what can you do if you own these birds?

Please do all you can to prevent escapes,

and clip the wings of your parakeets regularly. Unwanted birds should not be released into the wild, there are aviaries which will take them.

What do they look like?

Both sexes are usually a distinctive green or yellow, but they can also be blue or grey. The adult male sports a red or black neck ring and the hen and immature birds of both sexes either show no neck rings, or display shadow-like pale to dark grey neck rings.

Ring neck parakeets – also known as roseringed parakeets – measure on average 40cm in length, with a large portion of that the tail feathers. Their average single-wing length is about 15-17.5cm.

In the wild, this is a noisy species with an unmistakable squawking call.

If you see Indian ring neck parakeets...

Note the location, time, quantity and direction they were heading, then call the Ministry for Primary Industries on 0800 80 99 66.

Your Waikato

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PASSIONATE PEOPLE CONTRIBUTE IN A POSITIVE WAY Every year Waikato Regional Council spends about $34 million on work to protect people and property from flooding and soil erosion, and to combat plant and animal pests.

To help us tailor our integrated catchment management programmes to local needs, we’ve divided the region into eight management zones.

Ina te hua o ngākaunui rāua ko ihu oneone!

Each zone has its own catchment committee – comprising Waikato regional councillors, staff from key agencies with an interest in the zone, community representatives, iwi and property owners – who help to ensure money is spent well in areas most needed.

These people are wellconnected and have a real passion for making a positive contribution to the wellbeing of the zone in which they live. Here’s some examples of work they’ve been involved in.

waikatoregion.govt.nz/CLS

COROMANDEL

Improving Coromandel harbour and catchments: Having played an instrumental role in the development of the Wharekawa Harbour and Catchment Management Plan, the catchment committee continues to be involved in the improvement of the Wharekawa area. With their support this programme now extends beyond Wharekawa to Tairua, Whangamata and Whangapoua catchments and provides direction to the zone catchment, biodiversity and river management programmes.

North stopbank LOWER WAIKATO Huntly upgrade: This stopbank

is located immediately north of Huntly along SH1 and was designed to protect part of the township, adjacent farmland, SH1 and the railway from flooding in an up to 100-year event. The stopbank has settled since it was constructed and needs to be upgraded to deliver the level of protection it was designed for. The work includes bulk earthworks, compaction, fencing and other elements. This $400,000 project is part of the stopbank renewal programme in the lower Waikato. The physical works are scheduled to start in March and be completed by the end of April 2016.

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WAIPĀ

Improvement of the Mangapū River: We’ve been working with local landowners on the Mangapū River at Opārure to undertake an awa fencing and native planting programme to improve the water quality of the awa and surrounding riparian areas.

With support from Maniapoto Māori Trust Board, the Waikato River Authority, Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust, local marae and public, 5.6km of awa has been fenced and planted with 12,500 native plants.

This coming autumn it is intended to continue this work covering an additional 2.2km and 4800 native plants.

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Stitchbury’s pump station: Renewal works to replace the deteriorated original wooden beams, which were part of the pump station’s foundation, to extend its life. An operations team from our council removed the remains of the existing beams and replaced them with newly designed concrete beams. The project consisted of a pump overhaul, new retaining walls, new walkway, steps and new landing for the crane. The project was successfully completed and is now used as an example for similar future renewal works.

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Hill Country erosion project: The catchment committee played an instrumental role in securing funding for the erosion control programme. This programme centres around soil conservation and sustainable land management within the western hill country of Waikato, in particular the Awakino, Mangaotaki and lower Mokau catchments. Soil conservation works, such as riparian fencing and planting, pole planting and bush retirement, can attract grants of up to 70 per cent and 100 per cent for farm plans.

Taupō

CENTRAL

Karapiro Stream Habitat Enhancement Project: This project aims to enhance water quality and biodiversity in the Karapiro stream, near the confluence with the Waikato River in Cambridge. It’s a multiagency initiative between the regional council, Waipa District Council, Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust and the Waikato River Authority to remove willows, stabilise stream banks and revegetate stream banks with native plants.

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LAKE TAUPŌ

Defining key priority areas in upper Waikato: The upper Waikato stretches from the control gates on Lake Taupō to the Karapiro Dam, covering a total of 436,000ha. Existing works carried out with landowners in this area over many years include 1562km of soil conservation fencing, conservation planting of nearly 60,000 plants over 3354ha, and retirement of 6103ha of land. The catchment committee is seeking to build on this good work to maintain catchment health and is involved in a project to help define key priorities in this huge zone, to ensure resources are focused on areas that will benefit most. Identifying these priorities is a collaborative effort with other stakeholders in the area.

Lake Taupō zone catchment schemes: The Lake Taupō zone is 349,000ha in size, houses the largest lake in New Zealand – with 40 rivers feeding into it – and has catchment works in place dating back to 1976. The catchment committee supports the sustainable management of the catchment by ensuring these works continue to achieve the soil conservation objectives they were initially designed for and, along with other initiatives, to help protect Lake Taupō. The committee is also involved in flood protection and river management which includes managing assets worth of over $7 million. The assets have to be well maintained to ensure communities are protected. A current example is the Tongariro River flood control scheme and work being undertaken to complete Turangi’s Te Herekiekie Street revetment.

Staged approach considered to achieve vision for Waikato and Waipā rivers Turuki, turuki, paneke, paneke – e ea ai ngā wawata mō ngā awa o Waipā, o Waikato A group working on ways to improve the health of the Waikato and Waipā rivers is considering a staged approach over 80 years.

The specially-formed 24-member Collaborative Stakeholder Group (CSG) is developing changes to the Waikato Regional Plan so the rivers will be fishable and swimmable along their entire lengths, as required by the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River/Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato.

The CSG is part of the Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai project. Over time, the plan change will help to reduce sediment, bacteria and nutrients entering water bodies in the 1.1 million hectare Waikato and Waipā river catchments.

The ideas CSG members have taken to their sectors include: • excluding stock from waterways • resource consents for certain types of major land use change • property plans for intensive land users who are part of a certified industry scheme • resource consents and property plans for intensive land users in low risk areas who cannot meet certain conditions, such as good management practice, and for intensive land users in high risk areas (the ‘risk’ refers to the likelihood of not being able to achieve water quality targets due to the gap between current water quality and desired water quality for that site).

CSG chair Bill Wasley says: “The CSG is progressing well, and members are checking in with their sectors as they consider a range of ideas going forward.

Under the approach the CSG is currently considering, the first stage, from 2016 to 2026, would prepare everyone for a future allocation framework, while starting to make reductions.

“Most importantly, CSG members who represent sectors that will need to take action on the ground under the plan change are discussing the practicalities of some of the group’s ideas to date with them,” he says.

Mr Wasley says: “Sector perspectives are important, but to set the bar high in terms of outcomes, the CSG also needs to ensure their thinking is elevated beyond any one individual sector.”

Timeline November 2015 to February 2016: CSG uses community and sector feedback to help form their recommended solutions (policy options).

22 March 2016: CSG recommends policy mix to Healthy Rivers Wai Ora committee.

9 May 2016: CSG confirms their recommendation on the proposed plan change to be notified.

17 June 2016: Healthy Rivers Wai Ora committee receives CSG’s recommendation on proposed plan change, for recommendation to Waikato Regional Council.

waikatoregion.govt.nz/healthyrivers

Making Waikato roads safer

30 June 2016: Waikato Regional Council receives Healthy Rivers Wai Ora committee’s recommendation to publicly notify proposed plan change.

July 2016 onwards: Anyone can make a submission on the proposed plan change, supporting, opposing or taking a neutral stance on its various parts. Submitters can indicate if they wish to speak at a hearing.

Hei whakahaumaru ake i ngā rori o Waikato Did you know more people die on Waikato roads than in any other part of the country?

speed management which makes sense to the public.

In the Waikato travelling too fast for the conditions is a factor in around 25 per cent of crashes where people die or are seriously injured. This is why this year the Regional Transport Committee is focusing on a new approach to how speed is managed.

The project is in two parts – demonstrating a new national draft Speed Management Guide, and developing a Waikato-wide consistent long term regional speed management framework for use by councils and the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Waikato has a wide variety of roads, many of which leave no room for error. In some cases we are driving too fast on roads which may have maximum speed limits higher than the safe speed they were built for. Speed plays a critical role in determining how severe injuries are if we do crash and is just as dangerous as drink driving.

The project aims to develop a regionally consistent and more effective approach to

The new guide will be tested at a handful of sites around the Waikato during this year. Changes will include signage, road markings, modification of roadside hazards, changing speed limits, and road safety campaigns.

Your views and support are important, so please keep an eye out over the coming weeks for your chance to help improve the safety of all people who travel on Waikato roads.

waikatoregion.govt.nz/speed-management Your Waikato

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Spotlight shone on good work of Te Pahu volunteers Nei rā te mihi ki te ohu ringa kino o Te Pahu

How the environment is looked after has changed a lot over the past 13 years in the Te Pahu district, west of Hamilton.

That’s largely due to the hard work of a dedicated group of farmers, local environmentalists and other community members who make up the Te Pahu Landcare Group.

Set up in 2002 by the late Tony Fraser, the small group of volunteers has been working to improve the district’s water quality, protect its native forests and increase biodiversity.

A focused effort Their focus has primarily been on the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve (pictured) and Nikau Walkway – and they’ve made significant progress, with more than 20,000 native plants being planted on both sides of the stream to protect the banks from erosion, help absorb nutrients and enhance habitat.

They haven’t done the work alone. The group has worked with a number of organisations, such as Waikato Regional Council, Department of Conservation (DOC), Waipa District Council and other community groups including Whaingaroa Harbour Care.

Nardene Berry is the group’s chairperson and says their success comes from a focused

effort each year on planting achievable sections of the stream.

more about the issues affecting the area and what’s being done to mitigate them.

“The bulk of the 3.5km Nikau Walkway from the reserve car park to the bushline on DOC land has now been planted. That took us 10 years. We’ve moved to the other side of the stream now, which has meant working with private landowners to plant from the bushline to the reserve.”

During the field day there’ll be a morning of discussion about work underway in the Waipā catchment, ahead of visiting Kaniwhaniwha Reserve and the Karamu walkway.

“We’re a very small group and do tend to have really great support for our annual planting days, but we would always welcome more helping hands,” she says.

That has included getting young people in the area enthused about conservation. “Last year we took some years 7 and 8 students from the local school to the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve to collect seeds and sow them. The seedlings have since been re-potted and are almost ready for planting, which is exciting.”

See what they’ve been doing Our council holds networking field days every year to showcase the work of a particular landcare group. This year, the spotlight will be on Te Pahu Landcare Group at a field day on Wednesday 6 April.

Landcare networking field day

Wednesday, 6 April 9.30am-3.30pm Morning Te Pahu Community Hall Afternoon Kaniwhaniwha Stream Contact Bala Tikkisetty on 0800 800 401

tepahu.co.nz/landcare

What are landcare groups?

Landcare groups are made up of people who join together formally or informally to work on local land and environmental issues.

Commonly they undertake planting, pest animal and plant control, and fencing for livestock exclusion, while also encouraging the legal protection of habitat There are 47 landcare groups in the Waikato through covenants. region, comprising a mix of farmers, Groups also meet to talk about complex environmentalists and conservationists from the local communities. issues they face, such as nutrient losses, peat, soil and lake management, and farm Care groups work across a full range of management practices that impact on the habitat types including forest, riparian, wetland and lake sites. resources they care about.

It’s a great opportunity for members of other community groups, as well as people interested in our environment, to find out

waikatoregion.govt.nz/landcare

Name

Constituency

Phone

Email

Name

Constituency

Phone

Email

Jane Hennebry

Hamilton

021 229 8591

jane.hennebry@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Hugh Vercoe

Waihou

027 490 4406

hugh.vercoe@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Lois Livingston

Hamilton

021 704 293

lois.livingston@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Kathy White

Taupō

021 676 947

kathy.white@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Bob Simcock

Hamilton

021 673 940

bob.simcock@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Clyde Graf

Thames-Coromandel

021 919 504

clyde.graf@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Paula Southgate

Hamilton

021 589 957

paula.southgate@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Stu Kneebone

Waipa-King Country

(07) 827 3079 or 021 943 055

stuart.kneebone@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Peter Buckley

Waikato

021 227 3436

peter.buckley@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Alan Livingston

Waipa-King Country

021 670 511

alan.livingston@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Theresa Stark

Waikato

021 941 314

theresa.stark@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Tipa Mahuta

Ngā Hau e Whā

021 919 398

tipa.mahuta@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Stuart Husband

Waihou

027 233 0030

stuart.husband@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Timoti Bramley

Ngā Tai ki Uta

021 675 703

timoti.bramley@waikatoregion.govt.nz

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Your Waikato

8 www.waikatoregion.govt.nz