Enduring environmental restoration in areas around Hawke's Bay
The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has funded and supported significant environmental restoration projects in Ahuriri Estuary, Lake Tūtira, Lake Whakakī, and Lake Whatumā over the past five years.
These projects - which have resulted in the planting of 116,500 native plants, and fencing of 31 kilometres of wetlands and waterways - were highlighted at an Environment and Integrated Catchment Committee meeting yesterday at the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council in Waipawa.
Regional Council Chair Rick Barker says the projects shows the strong and positive partnership between the Council, landowners, iwi and community groups.
“In 2017, we developed a work and funding programme to accelerate on the ground action in high priority environmental spots – Ahuriri Estuary, Lake Tūtira, Lake Whakakī, Lake Whatumā and our marine environment.
Before and after shot of the Regional Council's native planting programme on a farm in the Ahuriri Estuary. Photo/Supplied.
"As this three year term comes to a close, these enduring projects are living statements of Council’s work, they restore our environment and enhance our community.
"I'm sure Council will in the next and succeeding terms continue this good work, like the growth rings on a tree - layers of restoration and enhancement."
At Lake Whatumā in Central Hawke’s Bay, the Council partnered with landowners and the local Jobs for Nature, Mauri Oho team to remove one hectare of willows and get 5,000 native plants in the ground.
The Council is supporting the Whatumā Management Group on a wider plan to restore the environment.
The Council have worked with rural landowners in the Ahuriri Estuary to reduce the high sediment and nutrient loads entering the estuary and to boost indigenous plantings and habitat.
Thanks to this partnership between Council and landowners, 69,000 native plants are in the ground and 18.4 km of fencing is protecting the estuary’s waterways and wetlands.
The Council’s partnership with Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust has resulted in the planting of over 33,000 native plants and 6.3 km of fencing to protect vulnerable waterways at Lake Tūtira. Sediment ponds, and fish passages have been installed on the tributaries to the lake.
The Council, in partnership with the Whakakī Lake Trust, has held multiple community planting days with 8,000 plants going in around Whakakī Lake.
The Council has also supported mapping on board the NIWA research vessel Ikatere of the habitat areas in subtidal Hawke’s Bay.
