Media release

23 October 2015

Kaikōura Zone Committee focuses on local biodiversity and water management planning

The Kaikōura Zone Committee will meet for its regular monthly meeting onWednesday, 28 October to discuss local water management issues.

The meeting will begin with an opportunity for community members to contribute, before it goes on to receive updates from its Nutrient Management and Water Efficiency, Clarence/Waiau-toa, and Love the Lyell / Waikōau working groups.

The community has a vision for the Lyell of crystal clear water with fully fenced and planted riparian margins which provide for mahinga kai gathering, recreation and enhanced biodiversity. Last month the committee hosted a community planting and clean-up day.

At the meeting the committee will also receive an update from the Biodiversity and Ecosystems Working Group on the sustainable management of longfin eel in Canterbury. The group has hosted a series of workshops with key stakeholders on the state of longfin eel in the region, the drivers of its decline, and how this could be reversed.

Next, the committee will consider new projects for Immediate Steps funding, which aims to protect ecosystems and habitats to conserve indigenous freshwater diversity. Zone committees decide the priorities for each zone and distribute the funding, which also requires a third party contribution.

There is still plenty of funding available to allocate to local biodiversity projects so if you think you have a project that could benefit from funding search Immediate Steps at www.ecan.govt.nz .

The committee will finish the meeting by receiving a report on the strategic water study being undertaken in the zone to identify water storage opportunities and determine areas where future demand may exceed supply in the zone. The committee will also be briefed on the current understanding of the groundwater system in Kaikōura following a well testing programme earlier in the year.

The Kaikōura Zone Water Committee was launched in mid-2011 to address local water issues and deliver the goals of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS). The committee is currently seeking new community members to join the committee as part of a region-wide process to ensure new perspectives are reflected. See www.ecan.govt.nz/canterbury water for more.

Committee meeting details

Kaikōura Zone Committee meeting

12:30pm, Wednesday 28 October

Takahanga Marae, Takahanga Terrace, Kaikōura.

For an agenda see the Kaikōura Zone Committee page at www.ecan.govt.nz/canterburywater.

© Scoop Media