New Trust to Drive Practical Changes for Porirua Harbour

A new community trust, being launched this Friday, will drive practical steps toward restoring Porirua Harbour.

Founding members of the Porirua Harbour and Catchment Community Trust (PHACCT) will gather at 4.30pm beside the waka shelter on the Porirua Harbour waterfront this Friday 11 March to sign the Trust Deed.

The Porirua Harbour system (the Onepoto Arm, Pauatahanui Inlet and the outer harbour) was once one of the most productive ecosystems on New Zealand's west coast. It supported abundant fish, shell fish and bird life and was a nursery for fish species. It had lush wetlands and was surrounded by bush clad hills.

"The harbour can never be restored to its original condition but it can be significantly improved from its current state. Our plan is to make improvements happen faster and to target things that make the biggest difference," says PHACCT interim Chairperson Grant Baker.

One aim for the Trust is sustainable management of the harbour.

"We want to make practical changes happen, especially to existing practices that can make the biggest difference. These range from planting more trees and native plants in the upper catchment to slowing and treating stormwater through the use of wetlands or water gardens so sediment and contamination can be reduced.

"People would be surprised to know that the wildlife refuge at the head of the Pauatahanui Inlet was once an informal dump site. Its status as a valuable wildlife reserve shows what community organizations can do when they work together."

The Trust also wants to stimulate community education and awareness through newspaper articles, seminars and programmes to help clean up the harbour.

"A simple example of community awareness is letting people know that they can do their bit by not putting rubbish and waste into drains."

The Trust is also keen to tap into the ideas and experiences of those who live around or play on the harbour and they want to help target agency and community effort so that activities undertaken for the harbour and catchment are coordinated for the greatest gains.

Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett will thank the founding trustees and acknowledge the various agencies and community groups whose work has helped toward the establishment of the PHACCT.

"The commitment of Greater Wellington, Porirua and Wellington City Councils, Ngati Toa Rangatira, and the calibre of the founding members, bodes extremely well for the future of our harbour."

He will be joined by Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and Greater Wellington Environment Committee Chairperson Barbara Donaldson along with other councillors, officers and members of the community to witness and support this significant occasion.

Founding Trustees are Grant Baker (Deputy Director-General, Business Services Group at DoC), Lindsay Gow (Former Deputy Chief Executive of MfE), John Morrison (Retired Engineer), Dr John Wells (Professor Biological Science, VUW) Wiremu Wineera (Ngati Toa), Clr Liz Kelly (Porirua City Council), Clr Ngaire Best (Wellington City Council), Clr Jenny Brash (Greater Wellington Regional Council).

The Trust can appoint up to six further trustees to ensure it has appropriate community representation and expertise. It can also co-opt occasional expertise as advisors.

"We will be looking for additional representation from the community including recreational user groups and additional expertise to help the Trust", says Mr Baker.

One of the early tasks of the Trust will be to provide input to the Porirua Harbour Strategy currently being developed by the joint councils and other agencies and to ensure that this strategy receives the appropriate funding for the work required to restore the harbour.

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