YOUR WAIKATO YOUR REGIONAL NEWS UPDATE FROM WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL ISSUE #83 SEPTEMBER 2014 waikatoregion.govt.nz 0800 800 401 Since the first European settlers arrived in Hamilton 150 years ago – and Māori before them – the Waikato River has played a central role in the economic and social wellbeing of our growing community. Today, the water is green and a little murky, but it’s a far cry from the 1940s and 50s, when parts of the Waikato and Waipa rivers ran red with effluent from meat works, and discharges from other industry were obvious too. As a schoolboy rower in Hamilton in the 1960s, Waikato Regional Council’s retiring group manager and chief scientist Dr Tony Petch recalls standing knee-deep in foaming hops. “The old Waikato brewery used to discharge some of its waste into the river around 4 in the afternoon – right around the time we’d be launching our boats. The smell was so distinctive that sometimes I still get a sense of it, even though it’s no longer there.” And that’s not the only distinctive memory Dr Petch has of the river. Hamilton sewage was once stored in holding tanks under Parana Park and released, barely treated, into the river in the early hours of the morning. “So the consequences of our humanity were there for all to see tangled in the willows and branches.” He recalls having to “get the jab” if ever they toppled out of the row boat into the river. Fortunately, the Waikato River’s water quality has improved thanks to a combination of legislation and improvements in the treatment of sewage, stormwater and general run off from industrial areas. “We’ve been extremely influential in improving the water quality over time. The greatest strides were enabled by the Resource Management Act, which was groundbreaking legislation in its time and led us to think sustainably – beyond the short term and into medium and long term horizons.” Civil engineer Scott Fowlds has also seen changes in and along the Waikato. As former manager of the council’s river and catchment services group, a big part of Mr Fowld’s 36 years at the council was to keep people and property safe from flood risks. “Our flood protection work means riverside housing developments aren’t underwater, the state highway network is protected and landowners can farm with confidence. We’ve also worked to get people living in the right places along the river, to reduce their risk of flooding,” says Mr Fowlds. “But protecting communities from flooding isn’t as simple as putting in flood protection structures like stopbanks and pump stations. It’s also really important to make sure the surrounding land is stable and that water is always able to flow freely through the river’s channel. ”To do that we’ve spent the past 20-plus years helping landowners right through the entire Waikato River catchment to plant trees on hills and stream banks, retire erosion-prone land and fence gullies and waterways. “We’ve also put in place stream maintenance programmes to manage nuisance obstructions that create blockages and cause erosion,” Mr Fowlds says. As well as significantly reducing the risk of damage from flooding and erosion, this whole-of-catchment approach through initiatives like Project Watershed has helped improve the river’s water quality, making it safe to swim in the river from Taupō down towards Ngāruawāhia. It’s also helped reduce slip damage to roads, fences, water supplies and buildings, improved habitat for animals and plants and means there are more native birds around to sing in our gardens. Story continues on page 6 The river that runs through
Transcript
YOURWAIKATO
YOUR REGIONAL NEWS UPDATE FROM WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL
ISSUE #83SEPTEMBER 2014
waikatoregion.govt.nz0800 800 401
Since the first European settlers arrived in Hamilton 150 years ago – and Māori before them – the Waikato River has played a central role in the economic and social wellbeing of our growing community.
Today, the water is green and a little murky, but it’s a far cry from the 1940s and 50s, when parts of the Waikato and Waipa rivers ran red with effluent from meat works, and discharges from other industry were obvious too.
As a schoolboy rower in Hamilton in the 1960s, Waikato Regional Council’s retiring group manager and chief scientist Dr Tony Petch recalls standing knee-deep in foaming hops.
“The old Waikato brewery used to discharge some of its waste into the river around 4 in the afternoon – right around the time we’d be launching our boats. The smell was so distinctive that sometimes I still get a sense of it, even though it’s no longer there.”
And that’s not the only distinctive memory Dr Petch has of the river. Hamilton sewage was once stored in holding tanks under Parana Park and released, barely treated, into the river in the early hours of the morning.
“So the consequences of our humanity were there for all to see tangled in the willows and branches.” He recalls having to “get the jab” if ever they toppled out of the row boat into the river.
Fortunately, the Waikato River’s water quality has improved thanks to a combination of legislation and improvements in the treatment of sewage, stormwater and general run off from industrial areas.
“We’ve been extremely influential in improving the water quality over time. The greatest strides were enabled by the Resource Management Act, which was groundbreaking legislation in its time and led us to think sustainably – beyond the short term and into medium and long term horizons.”
Civil engineer Scott Fowlds has also seen changes in and along the Waikato. As former manager of the council’s river and catchment services group, a big part of Mr Fowld’s 36 years at the council was to keep people and property safe from flood risks.
“Our flood protection work means riverside housing developments aren’t underwater, the state highway network is protected and landowners can farm with confidence. We’ve also worked to get people living in
the right places along the river, to reduce their risk of flooding,” says Mr Fowlds.
“But protecting communities from flooding isn’t as simple as putting in flood protection structures like stopbanks and pump stations. It’s also really important to make sure the surrounding land is stable and that water is always able to flow freely through the river’s channel.
”To do that we’ve spent the past 20-plus years helping landowners right through the entire Waikato River catchment to plant trees on hills and stream banks, retire erosion-prone land and fence gullies and waterways.
“We’ve also put in place stream maintenance programmes to manage nuisance obstructions that create blockages and cause erosion,” Mr Fowlds says.
As well as significantly reducing the risk of damage from flooding and erosion, this whole-of-catchment approach through initiatives like Project Watershed has helped improve the river’s water quality, making it safe to swim in the river from Taupō down towards Ngāruawāhia. It’s also helped reduce slip damage to roads, fences, water supplies and buildings, improved habitat for animals and plants and means there are more native birds around to sing in our gardens.
Story continues on page 6
The river that runs through
Your Waikato 2 www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
Unsure how to proceed? Stuck on a question? Call our dedicated farm water team on freephone 0800 800 402.
National award for Waikato biosecurity leader
Council and neighbours disappointed by some spray applicators
Time leaking away
John Simmons found it a nice touch that the trophy for his national pest animal management award was a replica of a kokako.
one of the most satisfying highlights of his work over the years, he says, has been involvement in increasing the population of the endangered forest bird in the king Country from “a few pairs” in the late 1980s to “hundreds” today.
“that increase – which we’ve helped achieve along with the Department of Conservation and the otorohanga Zoological Society
– shows what can be achieved through agencies working together on protecting our threatened, iconic bird species,” says Mr Simmons, the regional council’s former biosecurity group manager.
Mr Simmons accepted the PC Nelson Memorial award, given annually to those who have excelled in animal pest management, just before leaving the council last month. the award is from the Biosecurity institute, a professional body for those working in the biosecurity sector.
Mr Simmons became involved in biosecurity in the late 1980s and helped drive major changes in animal pest control to improve efficiency and reduce costs to ratepayers. He also helped develop national standards for pest control, while helping to drastically reduce the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (tB) in the Waikato through better control of possums.
“this reduction in bovine tB has been really satisfying given the way it helps protect the regional economy and the possum control involved has a range of other environmental benefits at the same time,” says Mr Simmons.
the regional council has begun to receive more complaints about agrichemical spray drift despite issuing a reminder to landowners about the rules earlier this year.
“We’re heading into a popular time of year for spraying, and already we’re getting complaints from people being affected by spray drift who weren’t first notified of the spraying,” says incident response manager, Derek Hartley.
“We are disappointed that we have had to formally warn three people for failing to notify their neighbours in recent weeks. to be a good neighbour and meet the requirements of the rules is not an onerous task – all it takes is a phone call or a knock on the door before commencing spraying.”
Mr Hartley says notification gives neighbouring property owners time to take steps to protect water supplies, plan outdoor events and avoid contact with spray.
under the Waikato regional Plan, people undertaking “widespread” spraying activities are required to have a spray control plan, including measures to avoid drift, and to notify neighbours before spraying. “Widespread” is considered to be anything that is more than the use of low pressure hand-held spray equipment used for spot spraying.
Failure to follow the rules could result in an infringement notice or even prosecution in extreme cases.
Bar crossings consistently show high accident rates in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and the rest of the country. So Waikato regional Council has joined forces with Bay of Plenty regional Council to produce a fantastic series of films featuring Waikato harbourmaster Mat Collicott and Coastguard unit members explaining the must dos of making a safe crossing. the films include the notoriously dangerous raglan, tairua, Bowentown and kaituna bars, as well as a general ‘how to’ film.
over three-quarters of Waikato’s dairy farmers who will need a consent to access their grandparented water rights have now got their application lodged, according to Waikato regional Council estimates.
under the special provisions for dairy shed takes, dairy farmers are effectively ‘grandparented’ the right to the water they were taking prior to 15 october 2008. However, to guarantee the ability to use those rules they must apply for a consent before 1 January 2015.
the last quarter of farmers need to call the council or their milk company, or risk missing out on water essential to their business.
Farmers taking less than 15,000 litres a day or taking water from a rural water supply will probably not need a consent, but should check if they are unsure, says project
manager for the council’s farm water team, amy king.
Dairy farmers who need a consent but don’t apply and continue to take water without any legal authorisation to do so could be subject to enforcement action.
“We know there’s some tricky questions farmers might not have considered before, but with one-on-one help from our team they’ve been able to address them to get their consents in.
“We’ve also been working with milk companies, Dairy NZ and Federated Farmers to ensure support is available for farmers and advice is consistent,” Ms king says.
“the reality is that competition for water resources is increasing, and we will all need to monitor and manage water more closely if we are going to work out ways of using it more efficiently into the future.”
in brief
Bar crossing films aim to save lives
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/barcrossing
Your Waikato 3 www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/firewood
Project kick-starting positive change for harbour
Breathing new life into air quality
Your rates at work Have a go on the buses
John Pouwhare recalls a time when, as a schoolboy in the 1960s, the waters of the oparau river and kawhia Harbour would gleam with spawning fish.
However, numbers began to dwindle as the river’s water quality declined following the clearance of land and intensification of farming on the region’s west coast.
Now, a project on the 830-hectare oparau Station trust sheep and beef farm is kick-starting a positive change, with the help of Waikato regional Council and the Department of Conservation (DoC).
the farmland has high conservation values, with an extensive saltwater marsh system which is great for habitat and biodiversity. it’s a popular stop off point for migrating birds and a spawning ground for fish. But it had never been fenced off and managed, says regional council catchment management officer, adrian Jepson.
Mr Jepson has helped the trust plan its riparian planting and fencing project, which has had about $370,000 funding from Nga Whenua rahui and DoC’s Biodiversity Condition and advice Fund.
already 14km of fencing has been completed, with another 7km still to go, and about 13,000 native plants have been planted. By the time the work has been completed, oparau Station trust will have retired 140 hectares of land.
Stock management on the farm has become easier – good fences in the right places means fewer stock losses from drowning, getting stuck in the wetlands and disease from drinking dirty water, and fertiliser is being spread in the paddocks, not the wetland.
“the great news is that this work is helping to improve kawhia Harbour’s water quality,” says Mr Jepson. “the harbour is a valuable food bowl for the community and any improvements that can be made in water quality are going to benefit everybody.”
Mr Pouwhare has his fingers crossed he’ll see the water alive once again with hundreds of spawning fish, and be able to feast with his grandchildren on the harbour delicacies he once enjoyed.
in brief
if you want to get the next generation interested in air quality issues, you’ll need to pull some strings. Well, that’s one way to get young people’s attention, according to alison Collings, who is using puppets to teach children about the importance of clean air in the Waikato region.
Ms Collings got her start in environmental education a few years back and has added more environmental themes to her work, including an air quality-focused puppet show she’s been taking to schools for Waikato regional Council’s air quality education programme.
Fine particles (or PM10
) are less than the width of a human hair, so they can be easily absorbed by our lungs and make us sick. Children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems are particularly sensitive to the effects of PM
10.
Most of the PM10
in Hamilton, taupō, te kuiti, tokoroa and Putaruru comes from home fires, mainly from burning wet wood in winter. industry and motor vehicle emissions can also contribute to air pollution.
air quality monitoring by the regional council shows that
PM10
levels throughout the Waikato are good or acceptable for most of the year, but in some locations there are a few days in winter when levels exceed the National Environmental Standard as well as regional guidelines. in 2011-13, that happened less than 21 times each year, down from a 10-year peak of 50 in 2004.
Ms Collings is providing a memorable way to take the air quality message to children, their families and friends. With the help of the regional council she’s now also created a book with a song on CD to go with the shows.
“through my work with the council on air quality, i’ve now learned a lot more about why it is important,” says Ms Collings. “i also get a great deal of satisfaction out of performing for children – their enthusiasm and natural curiosity are wages for the soul.”
John Pouwhare leans against 14km of new fencing on the Oparau Station Trust farm overlooking Kawhia Harbour.
Due to the success of last year’s ‘have a go day’ in Hamilton, another one is being held on Wednesday 3 December. the event is timed to coincide with the international Day of Persons with Disabilities. this is a great chance for people who are sight impaired or have restricted movement, use walking frames or in wheelchairs to ask questions and have a go at getting on and off a bus. the regional council’s BuSit team will be in Caro Street from 10.30am-12.30pm. an urban bus and an orbiter will be parked in the street for people to board.
it’s been another busy and successful year for the regional council. Check out what we’ve achieved in the past financial year when we release our annual report at the start of october. the report for 2013/14 gives an overview of our finances and our service performance. our focus has been on controlling and reducing costs over this year, with improvements to our efficiency and effectiveness reflected in our positive year end budget results.
FLOOD TSUNAMI VOLCANIC ERUPTION EARTHQUAKE LANDSLIDE STORMWHAT WOULD YOU DO?
What would you do with no power for 3 days?
Be prepared.... make a plan
GET READY WEEK21-27 SEPTEMBER 2014
WWW.GETTHRU.GOVT.NZ
mm of rain in hrs
1000+ digger hours
13streams
and tributariescleared
Waikato Regional Council’s work to clear and re-channel storm-hit streams on the north-western side of the Coromandel Peninsula still continues.
The very powerful storm that lashed much of the North Island in June dumped around 300 millimetres of rain in just three hours on the peninsula between Waiaro Bay and Port Jackson.
“The volume of water was so intense it hurled boulders the size of small cars and significant quantities of other debris around the area, leaving devastation in its path,” says Emily O’Donnell, Coromandel area manager.
“Our river works team were on the ground and in contact with landowners the day after the storm struck, and we very quickly got four diggers into the area, including a much welcome 30 tonne digger.
“These diggers have racked up over 1000 machine hours between them to clear 13 streams and tributaries between Colville and Port Jackson. The combined length of the clearance work is around 9 kilometres.”
At the same time, landowners have been trying to deal with the timber and rocks that are strewn everywhere, broken and blown out crossings, and large lengths of fencing that are down, she says.
Since the storm hit, this community has also endured another two heavy rainfall events, resulting in another month of works, the bulk of which finally came to an end last month.
“This has really tested the resilience of these landowners whose first priority has been to get their boundary fences reinstated, especially the roadside ones. The second priority has been to reinstate tracks to important buildings and also paddocks they need to graze,” says Ms O’Donnell.
“The thick blanket of silt that’s covering their paddocks means their pasture isn’t in good condition. Silt does have plenty of minerals in it, so grass will grow through it eventually, but at the moment it’s affecting the amount of feed they’ve got available. As a result, lots of farmers have had to sell stock to reduce the pressure on grazing as well as to help pay for digger and bobcat hire.”
The works are organised and funded through the regional council’s Peninsula Project programme, and to date in excess of $187,000 has been spent to put streams back in their original channels.
However, the work is still not over. Council staff are continuing to work with landowners to look at how they collectively maintain the streams, decrease erosion and protect these valued stream systems together. The clean up for landowners is far from over, with fencing, access ways, pasture and infrastructure works still to be done.
“Through talks with Thames-Coromandel District Council and other interested parties we are now looking at further ways we can help. It’s important that we continue to support and work with the landowners here,” says Ms O’ Donnell.
PESTS
The 10 year pest management plan adopted by Waikato Regional Council last month sets out why and how more than 150 plant and animal pests will be controlled in the region.
Pest management is one of the council’s largest expenditure areas, with about $7 million to be spent on prioritised work in this year.
The work directly benefits many ratepayers, with effective management of these pests in the Waikato helping to preserve our native species and protect tourism, agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture.
Much of the plan is the same as previous years because the underlying pest issues have not changed and still need to be managed. However, there are changes to the plan on the Canada goose, red-eared slider turtle and tutsan that reflect their growth as an actual or potential pest.
Wild red-eared slider turtles are now a pest in the Waikato region. The new rule for this popular children’s pet has been introduced because it poses a threat to New Zealand’s native freshwater life.
The new rule doesn’t prevent people from owning a turtle, but it does give the council the ability to control red-eared slider turtles in the wild.
It is now also an offence for people to release a red-eared slider turtle into the wild, but the real purpose of the new rule is to make people aware that these pets can easily turn into pests.
“People often don’t realise when they buy a turtle that they can live for as many as 40 years in captivity. If released into the wild, these turtles will eat native species such as eels and fish, as well as introduced trout, so we want to ensure they don’t become established in our waterways,” says biosecurity officer, Brett Bailey.
The next few months leading up to Christmas are the time to be spraying the highly invasive tutsan, which is now classified as a ‘total control’ pest plant.
“Land in many parts of our region is free of tutsan and so its spread has the potential to badly affect industry. If left unchecked it can take over 40 per cent of pasture, mainly in hill country,” explains pest plant officer, Darion Embling.
The new rule means landowners must destroy all tutsan on their properties. However, council staff will be actively working to help landowners understand the threat posed by tutsan and how best to control it.
Tutsan is difficult to kill and herbicide timing is very important, Mr Embling says. Control is best carried out in spring, because after Christmas a waxy coat forms on its leaves making it difficult for herbicides to penetrate.
Landowners who think they might have infestations of tutsan can talk to the council’s pest plant officers for advice on control methods.
Getting Canada goose
numbers downCanada goose numbers are on the rise in the Waikato, fouling pastures and waterways and eating newly-sown crops. Research shows that five of these geese can consume the same amount of grass as one sheep.
Geese are also becoming more common in harbours and lakes, but their overall ecological impact is unclear.
Legislation passed by the Government in 2011 means Fish & Game no longer manage the Canada goose as a hunting resource. Landowners can hunt geese on their properties, but effective, long term control is hard to achieve without collective action among multiple landowners.
Due to rising concern amongst some landowners about the affects of this bird, in the new regional pest management plan the Canada goose has been identified as an environmental and production threat. While not declared a pest, that plan does allow the council to work collaboratively with landowners, hunters and other agencies to control them in certain circumstances.
The regional council’s biosecurity team has the knowledge and skills to help landowners experiencing high numbers of Canada goose to manage them effectively.
to
Freephone 0800 BIOSEC for advice
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/rpmp
WILDTURTLES a pest
New rule for invasive tutsan
YOUR WAIKATO www.waikatoregion.govt.nz5
PESTSNew rules for managing animal and plant pests in the Waikato are now operative and aim to protect our environment and economy.
PROTECT REGION FROMPLAN HELPS
YOUR WAIKATO www.waikatoregion.govt.nz6
The river that runs through continued from page 1
Go car free
for a week
Ride the bus to be in the draw to win a $50 BUSIT
card. 10 up for grabs.
22-26 September 2014
Bus, walk, cycle or carpool to
work
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/carfree
TOWNHOUSES AND CONDOS FOR NATIVE FISH
In a Coromandel stream, hay-filled netting is providing an artificial home for spawning whitebait.
The Waikato Regional Council ecology trial kicked off in April in Whangarahi Stream to mitigate the effects of works to protect land from erosion and flooding.
The fish would normally lay their eggs amongst dense, moist vegetation; however, the works have included removing sediment
and gravel build-up from the stream and placing large rocks along the stream’s banks to prevent erosion.
The artificial fish habitats have been placed by the council on the banks above the stream’s normal water level as a place for whitebait species to lay their eggs on spring tides.
Re-vegetation planting is ongoing in this area but takes time to establish, so in the meantime the hay-filled netting has been providing a home for spawning fish and in particular inanga.
Monitoring of the site is underway, and we will know by the end of the year how successful the trial has been.
Creating the right conditions for whitebait
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
In Hamilton, the river is already being enjoyed by the city’s people in ways they couldn’t have in the past, with river walkways opening up access to the mighty waterway. Hamilton City Council is looking at further development opportunities for the river over the next 30 years, and we’re an active partner in the river plan process, says Mr Fowlds. “A key part of the river plan is getting the people of Hamilton engaged with the river. Our challenge is then to get people to understand how this section connects with the wider river system.”
Dr Petch and Mr Fowlds believe partnerships have been and will continue to be the key to the river’s improving water quality. The passing of the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Act, which rightly enabled river iwi to become involved in river management, is one of the greatest wins for the Waikato River. Another is the unique collaborative approach the council is taking to its regional plan change process, known as Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai.
What’s great to see is that the people of Hamilton – its industry too – have continued to reduce their discharges to the river and make a positive difference to the river’s water quality, says Dr Petch. The challenge ahead is to maintain that and to extend similar gains into the rural catchments that drain to the Waikato.
Draft policy to be adopted for public comment
A draft Significance and Engagement policy which helps Waikato Regional Council determine what the really important issues are to the community, and how and when we will involve the community in making those decisions, is due to be adopted at the end of this month. It is intended we will seek your feedback on the draft policy between 29 September and 10 October. Keep an eye on our website for the details on how to have your say.
A ‘kokopu condo’ in the Mangakotukutuku Stream in Hamilton’s Sandford Park has had a frequent stayer over the last 12 months – a large longfin eel.
The condo is one of the innovative artificial structures Waikato Regional Council ecologist Dr Bruno David designed to reinstate fish habitat that has been lost from many urban streams.
“Hamilton actually has a reasonably diverse range of species in its streams, but the numbers are not as high as they could be because the woody cover they love to live in has been removed,” Dr David says.
“All the hard work volunteers are doing to plant native trees and shrubs along stream banks will improve this situation, but it’s going to take decades. In the meantime, we hope fish will continue to use the artificial habitats.”
Dubbed ‘kokopu condos’ and ‘tuna townhouses’, the structures have been installed and are being trialled in the Mangakotukutuku Stream in Melville’s Sandford Park as well as Gibbons Creek at Parana Park.
The condos vary in design but the simplest ones are made from two cinder blocks end-on-end joined by a plastic pipe that creates a u-shape, providing an
entrance and backdoor escape route from potential predators. Three-tiered plastic pipes have been used for the townhouses.
While it’s too early to say what effect the artificial habitats have had, Waikato Regional Council is monitoring who’s occupying the structures and at what times. So far, many of the structures have been occupied by a number of different fish with some individuals occupying them for extended periods.
The project has been in part funded through the Waikato River Authority in collaboration with the Mangakotukutuku Stream Care Group, Tonkin & Taylor, Hamilton City Council and the Department of Conservation.
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/wpi
Back in the cycle of lifeThe amount of physical activity people are
doing in the Waikato region may not have
changed much between 2007 and 2013. But
try telling that to keen mountain biker, Luke
Healey, who’s changed his approach to exercise
in a big way over the last couple of years.
In 2013, most people surveyed throughout
the Waikato region said they exercise
at least once per week for 30 minutes
or more. That’s great news, because
participation in sport and active leisure has
positive health, social and safety benefits,
as well as contributing to community life.
It also keeps down the costs of physical
inactivity to our region’s economy, which can
reach an estimated $106 million every year.
Luke was an active cyclist in his school days,
but found that over time, work and family
life took away his focus on keeping active.
In 2012, he decided to sort his health
out and get back into regular exercise. “I
chose mountain biking over road cycling,
as it offers much more variety and exciting
choices for riding, as well as being a really
good physical workout. At the moment, it’s
my main form of physical activity,” he says.
As a lifetime asthmatic,
Luke says he noticed
a big improvement
in his wellbeing and
health once he got
active again. “I ride
fairly hard and push the
limits of my ability and endurance, which
provides a major boost for my self-esteem
and confidence. Exercise is a great anti-
depressant too!”
Marae show the ‘waste to go’An innovative waste reduction
programme involving marae
throughout the Waikato region is
reaping benefits for the environment
and bringing communities together.
The three original marae involved in
the ‘Para Kore’ programme since 2009
have been joined by 32 others in the
region, all focused on cutting the waste
they produce each year by up to 80 per
cent. Other marae around New Zealand
are also taking part.
The amount of waste ending up in
landfills in the Waikato region hasn’t
changed much between 2006 and
2012. But it’s still a significant amount,
with an estimated 226,887 tonnes
dumped into landfills each year – and
this continues to increase.
Established by Xtreme Zero Waste in
Raglan with support from the regional
council, Para Kore provides a mentoring
and waste minimisation education
programme. Crates, wheelie bins
and signage are provided to ensure
the systems are easy to use. Marae
interested in composting are shown
techniques such as bokashi, worm
farming and hot composting. They are
also supported to
develop policies to
reduce the amount of
rubbish brought onto
the marae.
The impressive
progress made by
everyone involved so
far indicates that Para
Kore is well on track
towards its goal of having all marae
in the Waikato region working on
achieving zero waste by 2020.
Luke says he noticed a big improvement in his wellbeing
An estimated 226,887 tonnes is dumped into landfills each year
GDP is only half the storyRobin Ratcliffe is very aware of how his
firm fits into and contributes to the Waikato
region’s economy – but it’s not just about
the dollars for him.
There’s been moderate growth in real gross
domestic product (GDP) in the Waikato
region between 2007 and 2013 and firms
like Robin’s are contributing to that increase.
He and his family have developed their
Hamilton-based heavy transport and trailer
manufacturing firm, Modern Transport
Engineers (MTE), over many years of
dedication. The company’s operations
extend into Brisbane, Australia. Nine family
members work within the Modern Group,
and their commitment to the company is
echoed in their connection to living and
working within the Waikato region.
“We’re descendants of the first settler
child born in New Zealand in 1841, so
our family’s been in this region for a long
time! Why? Because it’s a good place to
bring up family – we have two sons and six
grandchildren. Hamilton is also central to
the east and west coasts, the mountains,
large lakes and harbours – everything is just
a drive away. Plus we feel it’s a pretty safe
place to live and the weather’s pretty good
most of the time.”
From a business
perspective, Robin
says links across
global, national and
regional economies
mean MTE can import
parts from other
countries, saving on labour costs. It
also means the company has a better
chance of competing on the national
and international business stage, while
contributing directly to this region’s
economy.
“It’s a good place to bring up family – we have two sons and six grandchildren.”
Photo: Waikato Tim
es
To help us do that, we’ve just completed a study which gives a picture of how well we are living, how healthy our enviroment is and how well our regional economy is tracking.
The information will help us make decisions to protect our environment, grow the economy and support communities so that everyone can benefit from the quality of life most of us enjoy now. Some information can also be used
to track how we’re doing against New Zealand overall, as well as some select regions.
Known as the Waikato Progress Indicators – Tupuranga Waikato, the study tracks trends from 2001 to 2013/14, with a particular focus on the period since 2006/07. The region’s ‘scorecard’ shows a mix of improving and worsening trends across 32 indicators. In some cases, there’s been no change.
There are a number of complex issues the Waikato is facing – there is increased pressure on land and water resources, Auckland’s growth will have spillover effects for the region, and the population has stopped growing in some parts of the Waikato as people migrate to urban centres. Our council is also grappling with the issue of an ageing population with a decreasing ability to afford rates increases.
That’s why we are supporting the implementation of an economic development strategy for the region and the development of a spatial plan through the Waikato Mayoral Forum. The strategy and plan will provide a comprehensive and effective long-term approach to improve the region’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing – which is what the regional council is all about.
Waikato Regional Council wants to improve the quality of life for all people living in our region.
YOUR WAIKATO www.waikatoregion.govt.nz6
The river that runs through continued from page 1
Go car free
for a week
Ride the bus to be in the draw to win a $50 BUSIT
card. 10 up for grabs.
22-26 September 2014
Bus, walk, cycle or carpool to
work
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/carfree
TOWNHOUSES AND CONDOS FOR NATIVE FISH
In a Coromandel stream, hay-filled netting is providing an artificial home for spawning whitebait.
The Waikato Regional Council ecology trial kicked off in April in Whangarahi Stream to mitigate the effects of works to protect land from erosion and flooding.
The fish would normally lay their eggs amongst dense, moist vegetation; however, the works have included removing sediment
and gravel build-up from the stream and placing large rocks along the stream’s banks to prevent erosion.
The artificial fish habitats have been placed by the council on the banks above the stream’s normal water level as a place for whitebait species to lay their eggs on spring tides.
Re-vegetation planting is ongoing in this area but takes time to establish, so in the meantime the hay-filled netting has been providing a home for spawning fish and in particular inanga.
Monitoring of the site is underway, and we will know by the end of the year how successful the trial has been.
Creating the right conditions for whitebait
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
In Hamilton, the river is already being enjoyed by the city’s people in ways they couldn’t have in the past, with river walkways opening up access to the mighty waterway. Hamilton City Council is looking at further development opportunities for the river over the next 30 years, and we’re an active partner in the river plan process, says Mr Fowlds. “A key part of the river plan is getting the people of Hamilton engaged with the river. Our challenge is then to get people to understand how this section connects with the wider river system.”
Dr Petch and Mr Fowlds believe partnerships have been and will continue to be the key to the river’s improving water quality. The passing of the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Act, which rightly enabled river iwi to become involved in river management, is one of the greatest wins for the Waikato River. Another is the unique collaborative approach the council is taking to its regional plan change process, known as Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai.
What’s great to see is that the people of Hamilton – its industry too – have continued to reduce their discharges to the river and make a positive difference to the river’s water quality, says Dr Petch. The challenge ahead is to maintain that and to extend similar gains into the rural catchments that drain to the Waikato.
Draft policy to be adopted for public comment
A draft Significance and Engagement policy which helps Waikato Regional Council determine what the really important issues are to the community, and how and when we will involve the community in making those decisions, is due to be adopted at the end of this month. It is intended we will seek your feedback on the draft policy between 29 September and 10 October. Keep an eye on our website for the details on how to have your say.
A ‘kokopu condo’ in the Mangakotukutuku Stream in Hamilton’s Sandford Park has had a frequent stayer over the last 12 months – a large longfin eel.
The condo is one of the innovative artificial structures Waikato Regional Council ecologist Dr Bruno David designed to reinstate fish habitat that has been lost from many urban streams.
“Hamilton actually has a reasonably diverse range of species in its streams, but the numbers are not as high as they could be because the woody cover they love to live in has been removed,” Dr David says.
“All the hard work volunteers are doing to plant native trees and shrubs along stream banks will improve this situation, but it’s going to take decades. In the meantime, we hope fish will continue to use the artificial habitats.”
Dubbed ‘kokopu condos’ and ‘tuna townhouses’, the structures have been installed and are being trialled in the Mangakotukutuku Stream in Melville’s Sandford Park as well as Gibbons Creek at Parana Park.
The condos vary in design but the simplest ones are made from two cinder blocks end-on-end joined by a plastic pipe that creates a u-shape, providing an
entrance and backdoor escape route from potential predators. Three-tiered plastic pipes have been used for the townhouses.
While it’s too early to say what effect the artificial habitats have had, Waikato Regional Council is monitoring who’s occupying the structures and at what times. So far, many of the structures have been occupied by a number of different fish with some individuals occupying them for extended periods.
The project has been in part funded through the Waikato River Authority in collaboration with the Mangakotukutuku Stream Care Group, Tonkin & Taylor, Hamilton City Council and the Department of Conservation.
Your Waikato 8 www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
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Telling the Waikato Storythe Waikato region is an agricultural powerhouse and a key contributor to New Zealand’s dairy industry. it has strengths in manufacturing, and is supported by strong science and research capabilities and a thriving professional services sector. Significantly, it’s in a prime position in the upper central North island and well positioned for future growth and development.
But, according to research, when it comes to trumpeting our strengths and successes, we are somewhat muted and not always in rhythm. and that’s holding back economic growth.
“it seems we locals all know Waikato has a great story to tell, but we aren’t all telling the Waikato story in the same way – if we’re even telling our story at all,” says John Luxton, independent chair of the Waikato Economic Development Strategy governance group, a workstream of the Waikato Mayoral Forum.
“a region’s image and identity plays a key part in retaining and attracting skilled employees, businesses, investment and visitors, yet we’re not telling a consistent story about what’s great about Waikato.
“We know local businesses and residents on the whole have a positive image of the region, yet reports indicate Waikato
has difficulty consistently projecting this positive image and identity nationally and internationally.”
the governance group – comprising representatives of the private sector, Māori business, tourism, education and councils – is considering an implementation plan for the Waikato Economic Development Strategy called ‘Waikato Means Business’.
one of five key priorities is to tell the ‘Waikato Story’. the aim is to get everyone to agree on the Waikato region’s unique
attributes and then develop a toolkit of pictures and stories that helps people tell a powerful and consistent story about our region that will attract visitors, students, workers, business and investment.
Governance group member Don Scarlet, who sits on the Hamilton and Waikato tourism board, will lead the Waikato Story project.
“the Waikato Story, of course, fits within the New Zealand Story, the recently released brand story that describes New Zealand’s unique attributes to the world,” he said.
The story is told in three chapters:• Open Spaces – the stunning environment
the world knows us for• Open Hearts – our warm, honest,
welcoming people • Open Minds – our resourcefulness,
innovative and fresh outward way of thinking.
“our priority is to tell our Waikato Story within this framework in an exciting and compelling way so that we can maintain, grow and promote our region’s spectacular natural assets, cultural and heritage assets
and identity, Māoritanga and Māori enterprise, education offering, business successes, strong events calendar and good infrastructure,” said Mr Scarlet.
Waikato businesses were introduced to the New Zealand Story at a Waikato Chamber of Commerce event hosted by the Waikato regional Council mid-July.
“We intend to continue the conversation focusing on the Waikato Story over the coming months.”
a project team including representatives of Hamilton and Waikato tourism, New Zealand trade and Enterprise, Smart Waikato, university of Waikato, Wintec, Waikato District Health Board and local government is scoping this project.
“When it comes to trumpeting
our strengths and successes, we are
somewhat muted.” - John Luxton
“Our priority is to tell our Waikato Story in an exciting and compelling way.”
- Don Scarlet
Photos: Waikato regional Council, The new Zealand Story, Chris Williams, Joseph Kelly
