Ted Talks - May 2024
Hear from Kaikōura Water Zone Committee chair Ted Howard about the latest in Kaikōura's water management.
Kia ora koutou. It’s been a busy few months for the Kaikōura Water Zone Committee. We held another Weedy Workshop about identifying invasive species, supported exciting events during Seaweek, started a new partnership with the Wai Connection, ran a stormwater education campaign, and committed support to the Waiau Toa Weed Management Strategy Implementation Project.
We also had the special honour of celebrating the life of our late Commissioner David Bedford.
Honouring our late Commissioner David Bedford
David was one of the commissioners appointed by the government to run Environment Canterbury in March 2010. He was with us as a committee member from our first meeting right up until the Kaikōura earthquake in November 2016. When phone service was restored after the quake, the first message on my phone was from David, asking how we all were, and what assistance we needed. He was passionate about making a difference, in one special case, he put some of his own wine up as an added incentive to ensure Kaikōura dairy farmers were the first to complete all riparian fencing.
Ted Howard, Kaikōura Water Zone Committee chair
In memory of David, the committee arranged a memorial seat at the mouth of the Waikoau/Lyell Creek. A small unveiling service was held, attended by family, committee members, councillors and staff. The seat was hand-made by Councillor Tony Blunt from native timbers and will feature a plaque describing David and the mahi he was involved in.
Tackling weeds
Another Weedy Workshop was held in February as part of the Zone Committee’s support for the Hāpuku Catchment Collective. The event was well attended by the local Hāpuku community.
The main goal was to educate people about a new biosecurity threat to the area — Cathedral Bells. Our biodiversity and biosecurity staff shared their knowledge about how to identify and eradicate this weed, trying to stop its spread in Hapuku and beyond.
Getting stuck in at the Weedy Workshop
We have also recommended additional funding for this financial year for the Waiau Toa Weed Management Strategy Implementation. This will support on-the-ground action in the Waiau Toa catchment. This is important because the Waiau Toa is the last major river that is essentially undeveloped, and maintaining natural character requires ongoing work to keep invasive weeds at low numbers.
The Wai Connection
The Zone Committee is excited to begin a new partnership with the Wai Connection Project - a central government funded initiative to work with water catchment groups to build capability and capacity in New Zealand's freshwater management. In Kaikōura, the project will partner with our committee to help achieve our freshwater goals outlined in our action plan, and to bring freshwater education programmes into local schools.
The project will also provide a focus catchment map series that will help the committee talk to the community about water quality, key challenges, and trends in their local waterways.
Seaweek
If you live in our area, you would have seen a lot of events happening during Seaweek in March to celebrate protecting our precious marine creatures. From sea-themed movie nights and quizzes — through to kayaking trips and a 'blue fish' treasure hunt, there was something for everyone to get involved in.
It was particularly heartening to see the community come out in force to support the Lyell Creek and Beach Clean-up where ute loads of rubbish were removed from these special spots.
Some of the items collected at the Lyell Creek and Beach Clean-up
Protecting stormwater
Making the most of the momentum of Seaweek, the Zone Committee saw an opportunity to collaborate with Kaikōura District Council to promote some educational messages about protecting stormwater and protecting our marine and freshwater creatures from stormwater pollution.
Everything that flows down Kaikōura’s stormwater networks ultimately ends up unfiltered in our rivers, streams, and ocean. This can cause serious threats to eco-systems and aquatic life.
Our stormwater campaign focussed on the connection between our stormwater grates and the waterways they run into. It pointed out the specific actions people can take to prevent contamination.
Radio and Facebook advertising reminded people to:
- wash their paint brushes in the laundry sink – not the drain outside
- wash cars on the grass – not in the driveway where chemicals can wash into stormwater drains
- make sure piles of dirt and green waste are disposed of correctly and not allowed to flow into drains
- pick up litter wherever they see it to stop it polluting the habitats of our aquatic creatures.
Blue Fish Treasure Hunt winner Billy Dewhirst
Games promoting education about stormwater
Some of the student artwork created as part of Seaweek
Looking ahead
Heading into winter, our committee will focus on giving input into the zone committee review on freshwater leadership requirements and undertaking Te Tiriti/Treaty training.
We’ll also continue to work on tackling weeds and building up our new partnership with the Wai Connection as they look to facilitate new freshwater education opportunities in our local schools.
Finally, I would like to farewell local Senior Biodiversity Advisor Heath Melville and thank him for the many years of support, expertise, passion and commitment he provided to our committee and our community as a whole.
The next meeting for our committee will be on Friday May 31st. You are welcome to come along and join us.