Biodiversity and biosecurity

Result: The National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPS-IB) came into force in August 2023, which allowed work to commence on understanding and implementing the NPS-IB. This culminated with a discovery session with partners and stakeholders on 10 April 2024. Subsequently, on 5 June 2024, staff presented a paper to the Biodiversity and Biosecurity Committee outlining indicative next steps and timings for the revitalisation.

Result: The delay in the release of the NPS-IB impacted our ability to progress this work the previous year (2022/23). The NPS-IB contains mandatory direction on how regional councils should work with tangata whenua as partners, to the extent they wish to be involved in the management of indigenous biodiversity, including through regional biodiversity strategies.

This work has developed through the year and in April staff, supported by the Chair of the Biodiversity and Biosecurity Committee, sought initial views and gauged the interest in this mahi for each ngā Papatipu Rūnanga at a meeting of Te Paiherenga*. It was noted that the opportunity for involvement was open to Rūnanga throughout the revitalisation process.

* Te Paiherenga is a technical working group, with representatives from ngā Papatipu Rūnanga and Council staff and provides advice and feedback on policies, proposals and projects, and an opportunity for information sharing.

Result: The Mayoral Forum was updated on the progress of the development of the regional biodiversity monitoring framework on 25 August 2023. Staff then presented the results of the scoping work and held discussions on the regional biodiversity framework with Council. A second update to the Mayoral Forum was provided on 31 May 2024.

Result: In 2023/34 we have been gathering spatial data, numbers and density information on various species. We also commissioned an assessment of the potential distribution of Canterbury Regional Pest Management Plan pests and other invasive species (860 in total) and undertook climate forecasting to assess changes in potential future occurrence.

Result: The operational component of the Check Clean Dry pathway management engagement programme, to stop freshwater pests, was carried out in the summer months of 2023/24 in partnership with the Ministry of Primary Industries. This programme has been completed for the year and the final report was submitted in May 2024.

Result: The operational component of the Check Clean Dry pathway management engagement programme, to stop freshwater pests, was carried out in the summer months of 2023/24 in partnership with the Ministry of Primary Industries. This programme has been completed for the year and the final report was submitted in May 2024.

Result: In 2023/24 we undertook approximately 81 community activities. These included attending fêtes, fairs, A&P shows and the sustainable festival in Timaru. We facilitated multiple community meetings to discuss the public concerns of feral ungulates and occurrence and spread of the succulent pest known as ‘pig's ear’ on Banks Peninsula. We also facilitated a round of meetings with the four Biosecurity Advisory Groups.

Result: Funding was allocated across multiple biodiversity projects in 2023/24. Work was either completed or is ongoing in several multi-year projects. The majority of the investment is in wetlands and braided river ecosystems. Projects are spread throughout the Canterbury region. These projects were reported via the annual Biodiversity Snapshot Report.

Result: Over 20 completed projects were evaluated using the effectiveness criteria and are reported in the annual Biodiversity Snapshot Report.

Result: Wetland management plans have been developed for all new and ongoing wetlands projects (four new plans were developed during the year). The plans are a live document, often updated in collaboration with the landowner.

Target 16.1a: Support Braided River Revival/Whakahaumanu Ngā Awa ā Pākihi projects.

Result: In 2023/24 progress was made on various projects, in partnership with others. These included:

• Work to understand how to manage habitat most effectively for threatened birds in the Upper Clarence River/Waiau-Toa
• Work to understand how to improve the protection and management of high-value biodiversity across the region including island enhancement (for bird breeding), predator control, investigations and outcome monitoring
• Landscape weed control in the upper Waimakariri River.

Target 16.1b: Develop and implement ki uta ki tai river revival strategies with partners for priority rivers.

Result: The focus during 2023/24 for the Rakitata Strategy was on targeted community engagement. Feedback from the first round of consultation was incorporated into the strategy and further community consultation is planned. In the Ashley River/Rakahuri, our focus was on weed control and planting. We also started work to review our priorities with Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga.

Result: The three projects on council-owned land were completed in 2023/24:

• Kowhai Bush field monitoring of South Island Robin
• Fencing at Fereday Island to protect indigenous vegetation and habitats, and at Kaitorete to maintain banded dotterel breeding habitat
• Weed control at all Canterbury land reserve sites.

Result: In 2023/24 we ran or were an active collaborator on 17 events including community plantings, family rogaines and a drive-in movie. In addition, we supported a further 16 events across the park network through either reduced or no permit fees/levies. The groups that fell into this category were predominantly school or community groups and these events included a Kaiapoi fun run, salmon anglers’ competition, and charity jet boat rides for those with disabilities.

Result: In 2022/23, the target to complete The Willows development in the Waimakariri Regional Park was achieved.

During 2023/24 work was undertaken to scope a regional parks strategy that connects biodiversity, rivers and forest outputs and is linked to existing strategies. This culminated in a draft Regional Parks Strategy being worked on with Council on 29 May 2024. Guidance from Council on required amendments to the draft have subsequently been implemented, with a view to returning the amended draft to Council in the first half of 2024/25.

Result: Six ecological projects were planned and delivered in the Waiau-Uwha catchment this year. After some delays earlier in the year, these were completed by the end of the year. Delivery of five projects in the Rakaia were also undertaken and completed in 2023/24.

Result: All completed projects have a scheduled programme for monitoring biodiversity outcomes against project objectives. Monitoring regimes vary across projects and include photo points, science staff monitored sites and inclusion in the Environment Canterbury project effectiveness monitoring programme.