Record of Kakanui Community Catchment Steering Group meeting: Oamaru 20 November 2013.
Present: Phil Keene, NZ Landcare Trust; Bob Cooper, Tai Perspectives; Robyn Wells and Jodi Leckie, North Otago Irrigation Company; John Laing, Kakanui Ratepayers and Riverwatch; Lyndon Strang, North Otago Federated Farmers; Jane Smith and Jason Hayman, North Otago Sustainable Land Management Group (NOSLAM), Dylan Robertson, Otago Regional Council; James White, Waitaki District Council.
Apologies: Peter Mitchell (NOSLAM); Richard Strowger, North Otago Federated Farmers; Gail Tipa on behalf of Te Runanga o Moeraki (who are in the process of nominating their representative to the group).
Introductions:Following introductions Phil traced the development of the project from the initial meeting in Enfield in March 2012 through to the application, project plan, Deed of Funding stage and now at last project initiation.
Phil then covered and provided an explanation of the project objectives and benefits, and milestones for year 1 - focussing on the ecological monitoring system, the baseline survey and focus on behavioural information review, and flowing from the results of the baseline survey the group would be able to develop more detail and deliverables for the second and third years of the project including content for best practice and increased community collaboration. Longer term the hope would be for an on going self sustaining catchment group that would continue the work after the formal end of the project. Towards the end of year 1 the NZLT would bring a 'master class' in community catchment management to the region. (See
Phil would be the project manager through the initiation stage and the Trust would look to a dedicated resource as soon as feasible.
Feedback provided from the meeting covered the possibility of re prioritising or re defining project outcomes based upon the baseline survey results, say for a shift in focus from riparian planting per se to work on wetland benefits as well as understanding the range of groups and other initiatives the project could support and collaborate with. A range of past and present studies could provide information to the project and the proposed monitoring system. These could include the Holcim studies, DOC work over a range of fields including the long jawed galaxid, tenure review studies, estuarine work in the brackish waters, work undertaken with Kakanui School, the Hill Country SFF project, DairyNZ Pasture 21 initiative, wetlands work by NIWA, ecology work undertaken by Wildlands consultants, as well as the ARGOS project being undertaken at Otago University.
The steering group saw the project as being able to provide a window in to this range of work and provide a repository orauthoritative link to it.
Bob spoke to his draft paper on the ecological monitoring system, outlining other examples of work in conjunction with Fonterra and Beef and Lamb NZ. The focus was to be on sustainable production, healthy water resulting in healthy farms and land and the need to establish a network on sites ideally top to bottom of the catchment through on and focus farms, on reserves and riparian margins etc. Champions through landowners, school and community group involvement would be required and to build a database that provides the tools and repository for monitoring data; understanding what was available from ORC and WDC through their statutory and non statutory processes would prove valuable.
Performance indicators and indicator species would be required in lowlands, short and long tussock environments as well as corridors for pollination would be necessary. An understanding of engineering perspectives in the Waiareka re erosion would require a whole of river understanding. Discussion on these aspects covered the options and availability of sites and the need for a group 'tour' of the catchment to assess options. It should not be taken as a given that e.g. upper catchment environment was all rosy. Also a 'planting plan' for the catchment would be beneficial for landowners so that what was planted would support and aid a more diverse and richer biodiversity.
ORC has some information and the Riverwatch group has also undertaken some work.
In addition to the primary schools in the catchment possible links could be developed with the high schools in Oamaru.
James outlined the Waitaki Biodiversity Strategy that was currently undergoing public consultation and the implementation of this could be aided and supported by the project, as well as providing a lead for the project.
Steering Group Terms of Reference
Phil outlined the function and content of this draft document and feedback was received and encapsulated in the latest draft attached, which is to be ratified at the next project meeting. Changes include aspects of administration and guidelines for advance notice of meetings etc.
Phil and Bob would seek to visit ahead of the next steering group meeting so as to assess more of the on the ground requirements for the monitoring system.
Postscript to meeting
Subsequent to the meeting Phil and Bob met in Dunedin with DOC representatives (and information provided), Claire Grant, ORC land monitoring and GIS staff and ORC Chief Executive to explain the project. In addition Phil has provided updated information to Ravensdown and Beef+LambNZ funding providers.
Since the trip further contact has been made with schools in the catchment, DOC Canterbury re invertebrates and Bob Cooper has worked to develop an operational context for the community monitoring project and related best practices work. The result will be a discussion paper for the next Steering Group meeting. This will allow a discussion focused on the value of monitoring, how it could be done and best practice that could be introduced to improve environmental sustainability. The communities capacity and willingness to be involved in community monitoring in partnership with local agencies could also be evaluated.
Bob has had several 'preliminary' conversations with people/organisations that might be able to contribute to the Project. These include: DOC staff (Peter Ravenscroft – fish and river health, Warren Chinn - iconic Otago animals); NIWA who may consider an Otago site for a Citizen Science water quality project; Beef and Lamb NZ who could potentially run their Land Environment Plan in the catchment during the three years of the Kakanui Project.