WELCOME TO THE CONSERVATION BOARDS' NEWSLETTER 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Keep up to date with the activities of Conservation Boards around Aotearoa. In this issue discover highlights from Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, East Coast Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson Marlborough, Canterbury Aoraki, and Southland Conservation Boards. 

Issue 22: October 2021

                                                                                                                    Scenic Ocean View of Karikari  | Photo by DOC

A MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER

Tēnā koutou katoa

As you will no doubt be aware there’s been a few changes in the conservation space over the last few months.

So I just wanted to say a big thank you to the Board members who are departing and a warm welcome to those taking up the reins. And then there’s Director-General Lou Sanson, who has stepped down after eight years leading the team. What can I say about Lou that hasn’t already been said? It has been an honour working alongside him for the past 11 months.

Replacing him is Penny Nelson, who brings with her a wealth of experience in the environment, biodiversity and science sectors. The very able Bruce Parkes is keeping the seat warm until she starts on 1 November.

Finally, despite all the limitations Covid has brought with it we have managed to deliver several more big announcements in the Jobs for Nature space, providing fantastic opportunities for communities to work together on some really important environmental projects as part of our social and economic recovery.

The projects include the restoration of whitebait habitats, support for the work the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust is doing to protect these special birds, the establishment of two native plant nurseries, and several landscape-scale pest management initiatives.

It’s been gratifying to be part of the team getting these initiatives off the ground and the contribution of conservation boards is never taken for granted, so thank you all once again for ensuring the magic of what we have here continues to be a focus.

Nāku noa, nā

Hon Kiri Allan

Minister of Conservation

UPDATES AND HIGHLIGHTS

NORTHLAND

Manawa ora o te taiao – hope for the natural world continues to be the Board’s vision. These kupu sum up the approach, commitment and passion of the 2021 Board members.

Hokianga Harbour Meeting | Photo by Tania McInnes (NCB)

The Board’s meeting and fieldtrip in April involved hearing from a number of community members about concerns for the health of the Hokianga Harbour, an incredibly important taonga and one we should all be rallying to protect. The Board continued to Tane Mahuta, where the people of Te Roroa shared their mahi and approach to protecting the ngahere.  Kauri dieback, myrtle rust and possums are still the three key challenges in this space.

Urupukapuka Planting with Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Taumarere | Photo by Kayla Rains (NCB) 

June also saw the release of Wētāpunga / Giant wētā onto the pest free islands of Ipipiri Urupukapuka, Moturua and Motuarohia. 80 wētāpunga were re-homed under the stewardship of the staff from the Auckland Zoo and media coverage from TV 3 “The Project”. Click here to learn more.

The wētāpunga were part of a three-year Project by the Auckland Zoo who raised them through to this very special day. They have released over 6000 on the Hauraki Gulf in recent years. The Board feels privileged to be part of this special day.

" You may think you've seen a big wētā... but you've not seen anything like these wētāpunga. After they disappeared from Northland nearly two hundred years ago, they're back! "

To mark the occasion, the Board ran a competition for Wētāpunga facts. Three lucky entrants won a Wētāpunga stuffed toy.

Wētāpunga Competition Prize | Photo by Lydia Draper (NCB)

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming Northland Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST – the Board is currently expressions of interest from talented individuals, skilled in community consultation processes. Find out more here.

AUCKLAND

The Board has been focused on a variety of statutory work, including engaging on Conservation General Policy and continuing its RMA submission work. The Board also had a memorable visit to Aotea/Great Barrier.

Members of the Auckland Conservation Board and Aotea Conservation Park Advisory Committee with DOC staff, following a joint workshop at Okiwi, Aotea/Great Barrier, May 2021 | Photo by Laura Chartres (DOC)

The Board's May meeting included a fieldtrip to Aotea/Great Barrier Island, involving a presentation from ecologist John Ogden, about the challenges and opportunities for the restoration of the pest free island Rakitū; consulting with DOC staff regarding the Clean Hull Project Plan, an inter-agency biosecurity initiative to reduce the spread of marine pests; and, discussing the progress of a Conservation Management Plan for the Hauraki Gulf Inner Islands (Motu Plan).

The Board and Aotea Conservation Park Advisory Committee representatives held a workshop about the proposed Tū Mai Taonga project on Aotea to explore options to support the project through advocacy and communications. The project seeks to restore biodiversity in northern Aotea through targeted pest control of feral cats and rats.

Outside of its meeting, the Board visited several sites of interest. Members walked the Kaitoke Hot Springs track through one of the region's largest native freshwater wetlands which provides habitat for threatened species such as pāteke/brown teal and matuku hūrepo/bittern. The springs are significant geothermal features in the area and remain popular with visitors. The Board stayed at Glenfern Sanctuary and took a tour of the pest-free bush. The Board also met with pupils at Okiwi School to learn about their numerous conservation activities including pest control, native planting, and beach clean ups.

The August meeting was held via video conference due to lockdown for COVID-19; the shift to an online hui was successful,  even at short notice. The Board's revised agenda held the intention of directing the Board’s focus towards strategic discussions rather than operational updates. The meeting theme was terrestrial biodiversity and the Board received a presentation about biodiversity management and work prioritisation from DOC.

In the same month Board members, DOC staff and representatives from the Options Development Group (ODG), met for the Partial Review of Conservation General Policy, where they gave recommendations and supplied feedback the the ODG

The Board was disappointed to learn of the decision to approve resource consent for a regional landfill at Dome Valley, just outside Warkworth. The Board had submitted in opposition to the consent in 2020 and in July, gave notice to the Environment Court to be a party to the appeal proceedings that have been undertaken by various groups against the decision, including DOC, Forest & Bird, and multiple iwi across Tāmaki.

In July, Nicola MacDonald and Kate Waterhouse met with DOC Policy staff to provide feedback on the Department’s Statutory Management Planning system review, including advice about engaging with local government and mana whenua.

The Board has made a number of submissions in past months, including comments on the Climate Change Commission’s draft advice to Government; Auckland Council’s Whangapāraoa Coastal Management Plan; and the proposed Te Pēwhairangi / Bay of Islands Marine Mammal Sanctuary. All these submissions can be viewed from the Board’s webpage.

John Galilee, DOC Statutory Manager, talking to Auckland Conservation Board members about the Kaitoke wetlands and Hirakimata (Mt Hobson) on Aotea/Great Barrier, May 2021 | Photo by Laura Chartres (DOC)

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming Auckland Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

BAY OF PLENTY

The Bay of Plenty Conservation Board has focused on their core priorities of Stewardship Land, the Marine and Coastal Environment, the Conservation Management Plan, and the growing priority of Wallaby control around the Bay of Plenty.

Viewing Opotiki Harbour Development Site with Opotiki District Council and the Harbour Development Team | Photo by Karen Rainbow (DOC)

The Board held meetings in Whakatane, Rotorua and Tauranga over recent months. With the Bay of Plenty’s unique position of having over 50 iwi entities in the region, staying informed and up to date on the various iwi, hapū and whānau  aspirations remains essential to the Board’s work and also dedicating time each to meeting for updates.

During the February hui in Whakatane, Ora Barlow from Te Whānau ā Apanui presented to Board Members on the Raukūmara Pae Restoration Project.  The board found the presentation and discussion extremely insightful and beneficial in gaining understanding of the challenges around the project.  The video presented was impacting and sobering for the Board members to see the complete forest collapse as a consequence of animal pests.  The Board will be following the progress of this more innovative project.

The April hui in Rotorua, saw Mayor Steve Chadwick present to the Board an overview of the Rotorua Tourism Landscape in a Covid-19 world, including updates on the Tourism Futures Taskforce, with the 4 pillars of sustainability being the core focus. Wallaby Control within the BOP rohe is becoming an increasing issue and the Board will be including this as a Priority focus going forward

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming Bay of Plenty Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

EAST COAST HAWKE'S BAY

The East Coast Hawkes Bay Conservation Board have farewelled two long serving members, and saw the resignations of two more. This meant that four new members were welcomed to the Board in July!

ECHBCB members, Pōrangahau locals and Ngāti Kere in front of Te Poho o Kahungunu, Rongomaraeroa, Pōrangahau | Photo by Rena Kohere (ECHBCB)

The Board's February meeting was the first for the year and hosted at Rongomaraeroa marae, Pōrangahau.  The first half of the day was spent in meeting at the Pōrangahau Country Club, overlooking beautiful Te Paerahi Beach, during which time Rena Kohere was welcomed as a co-opted member.  By mid-afternoon, the Board was at the marae for a pōwhiri.  DOC Operations Manager, Jenny Nelson-Smith, provided the karanga manuwhiri and Board deputy-chair, Apenti Tamanui-Fransen made the whaikōrero reply.  The Board were in good voice for Tūtira mai ngā Iwi.  Following the kai, people began to assemble for the public forum.

After the forum the Board departed Rongomaraeroa, heading towards Te Angiangi Marine Reserve where we were welcomed by tangata kaitiaki and kaumātua at Blackhead Beach.  A further korero followed during the field trip along the beach to Aramoana, at the northern end of the reserve, where the Aramoana Environmental & Education Charitable Trust provided lunch at historic Aramoana woolshed, which is their headquarters.  David Tipene-Leach gave a talk on the 700-year history of Maori interaction with the area that is now the marine reserve, and Ngāti Kere’s aspirations for the reserve.

The fieldtrip with the NZCA began with a visit to Lake Opouahi Scenic Reserve which is a predator-fenced reserve near Tūtira, that hosts the Opouahi / Panpac Kiwi Crèche.  Here, kiwi chicks are raised to sufficient weight to be released back into the wild.  Next stop was Roro o Kuri, a pā site on a former island in the  original Te Whanganui a Oroto lagoon.  Hans Rook described the pre-1931 earthquake landscape, and talked about migratory birds that use the estuary, efforts to increase a small kautuku / bittern population, and the devastating effects of newly-established tube worm colonies.  At Ahuriri Estuary, members of the Ahuriri Estuary Protection Society spoke of pressures on the estuary and their on-going battles with officials to uphold the mauri of the estuary in decision-making.

Finally, Chad Tareha guided the group around Ōtātara Pā Historic Reserve.  Ōtātara Pā, together with Hikurangi Pā, was one of the most extensive pā sites in the country, covering 58 hectares and hosting an estimated 12,000 inhabitants for whom Te Whanganui a Oroto was their highway, garden and fishery.

ECHBCB members and Tairāwhiti DOC officers at the ‘hugging trees’, Gray’s Bush Scenic Reserve, Gisborne | Photo by Sara Robinson (DOC)

In June the Board visited Tarere marae at Makauri, where they were welcomed onto the marae by the Te Ao Tipu team who are employed through Te Rea (Tairawhiti Agroecology Recovery Programme) and funded by Mahi mō te Taiao / Jobs For Nature.  Tairāwhiti was one of the first regions to get Mahi mō te Taiao / Jobs For Nature underway and projects have completed planning and training phases, and are now well into their mahi.  It was heart-warming to see the young Te Ao Tipu team displaying confidence, enthusiasm and knowledge as they demonstrated pest trapping, water monitoring, and riparian planting.  It was particularly fascinating seeing the intersection of mātauranga and digital technology in everyday use. 

After a farewell to the team at Tarere marae, the Board travelled a short distance to Gray’s Bush Scenic Reserve.  This coastal plain forest remnant is unusual in comprising predominantly kahikatea / white pine and pūriri / NZ teak.  A bonus was a chance meeting with two local Forest & Bird volunteers who were checking trap lines.

June also consisted of a public forum held in Gisborne which was well attended.  Lois Easton gave a talk on conservation at Waikererū / Longbush Ecosanctuary and the Waimatā River Restoration Project.  Soraya Pohatu spoke on behalf of the Rongowhakaata Taiao Group about the Rākaukākā Scenic Reserve and Te Wherowhero Lagoon.

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming East Coast Hawke's Bay Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

WELLINGTON

The Wellington Conservation Board welcomed four new members. Read on to find out more and discover the Boards activities at its March, May, and July meetings, including a trip to Mana Island!

View from Mana Island over to the Mainland | Photo by Sara Robinson (DOC)

In March the Board held their meeting at the Masterton DOC Office.  The meeting started with an all of office morning tea with the DOC staff, this was successful and will be repeated when meetings take place at DOC offices in the region.  Dr Jill Heatherington presented to the Board on Community Agreements, giving clarity to the Board on the two Standard Operating Procedures. The meeting also included a visit to Rewa Bush, where a few members of the public had expressed their concerns that access to the Bush was not easy. 

May saw the Board hold a meeting on Saturday, the day after a field trip to Mana Island, where Esther Dijkstra was elected as Chairperson and Nicole McCrossin as Deputy Chair.  An update was provided on the Conservation Board Improvement Project by Ngaire Best. The meeting was accompanied by a fieldtrip to Mana Island along with a number of DOC staff, and Ngati Toa.

The Board held a farewell for its four departing members; Barry Wards, Annie Page, Raewyn Moss and Jenny Rowan.  All had worked hard at getting the Wellington Conservation Management Strategy across the line back in 2019.  The Board also saw the resignation of Reuben Saathof, as he is moving to Auckland.  In July, four new members were appointed to the Board; Manaaki Barrett of Otaki, Nina Mercer of Palmerston North, Te Rangimārie Williams of Rotorua and Toni Love of Wellington.

July was the first meeting of the new financial year and was attended by the new Board members.  Jenny Nelson-Smith (Pou Tairangahau for DOC Lower North Island) attended and gave a presentation on iwi relationships.

Wellington Conservation Board and DOC staff, stop for a break and some lunch on their walk around Mana Island | Photo by Sara Robinson (DOC)

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming Wellington Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

NELSON MARLBOROUGH

The Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board has a strong focus on Te Ao Māori at meetings.  Interactions with community conservation groups help the Board understand the wider conservation context in the region. 

Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board members at Thorp Bush, Motueka, April 2021 | Photo by Kath Inwood (DOC) 

The April meeting was held in Motueka at Te Awhina Marae.  Board members stayed overnight at the marae and the field trip the following day focused on important cultural sites near Motueka.  This was a great opportunity for members to learn about the Whakapapa of the iwi of Te Tau Ihu and iwi organisations.  Pou Tairangahou Barney Thomas led the field trip.  Members learned about Te Maatu, an extensive garden and lowland podocarp-hardwood forest covering the Motueka Plain, and a rich food source for the Māori living there.  Thorp Bush, just off the High Street in Motueka, is a small remnant of this forest which has important conservation values. 

The Board’s June meeting, held in Nelson, was poignant as members farewelled long-standing Board member and Chair, Gina Solomon.  Gina was on the Board for 15 years as a Ngāi Tahu appointee and has been Board Chair since 2017.  Previous Board members attended the farewell.  Gina spoke warmly about her time on the Board and she and her whānau gifted to the Board and department staff a taonga – a Korowai.  In Gina’s words “I wanted to reflect what is important to our whānau, to all of us – that is our place, our whenua, our moana and all its living creatures in the colours I chose, and the tāniko brings in the rivers with its flounder design.  I am thankful I whakapapa to all the iwi in our conservancy area and therefore they are all included in the mauri of this korowai.” 

The Board was very proud of Gina becoming a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to conservation and governance in June. The photograph shows Gina wearing the Korowai with the newly elected Board leaders Murray Poulter and Aneika Young. 

Gina Solomon wearing the Korowai at her farewell from the Board in June 2021, with newly elected Board leaders Murray Poulter and Aneika Young | Photo by Kath Inwood (DOC) 

The August meeting was also held in Nelson and new members Clint McConchie from Kaikōura (a Ngāi Tahu appointee) and Anna-Kate Goodall from Motueka were welcomed.

The Board has a keen interest in community conservation in the region and over the last three meetings has received presentations on the work of two key initiatives:

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

CANTERBURY AORAKI

The Canterbury (Waitaha) Conservation Management Strategy and National Park Management Plans continues to be a priority for the Board.  The Board is also focused on grazing concessions/licences/leases on public conservation lands, and continues to support improvement and further development in the partnership between Te Papa Atawhai, iwi and Papatipu rūnaka in Canterbury/Waitaha.

Winding Creek, Flock Hill Station | Photo by Marie-Louise Grandiek (DOC)

In February the Board held their meeting in Christchurch where key issues included the Board’s drafting of a submission on the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill, commercial eel fishing in the Mackenzie Basin, the draft Governance Manual for Conservation Boards and the long-term outlook for ski fields in Canterbury/Waitaha.

The Board also received a presentation on Pastoral leases from Land Information New Zealand, an update on the statutory planning review from the Department, and a presentation from the NZ Deer Stalkers Association on Palmer Lodge, Lewis Pass, and vehicle access to Lake Sumner

Accompanying the meeting, was a fieldtrip to Waimakariri Basin / Arthur’s Pass to increase the Boards understanding of the Department’s work in relation to CMS policies for the High-Country Basins Place.  The Board visited a number of sites during the day, starting with Kura Tāwhiti, a site concerned with high visitor interest, then proceeded onto Mt Cheeseman ski-field, where the Board engaged with representatives from the Mt Cheeseman Ski Area and discussed the challenges ski-fields faced going forward.

The Board learnt more of high-country farming challenges, conservation opportunities, and stakeholder partnerships at Flock Hill. The trip concluded at the Arthur’s Pass National Park Visitor Centre, where information was provided on management of the National Park and the impact of reduced tourism.

Discussed in June was the Board’s 2021 Conservation Awards, grazing authorisations on public conservation lands in Canterbury, management of the inland South Island eel fishery, and progress on the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park Management Plan Review.

The Board focussed on its Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park Management Plan in workshops in February and April. The Board recapped the process to date and the role of the Board within the process, sought to better understand implementation of section 4, and confirmed the vision for the National Park and next steps. The key areas of consideration from the submissions received on the draft were:  Plan Vision, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Cultural and Heritage Value.

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

SOUTHLAND

The increasing deer numbers and associated negative effects on our region’s ecosystems are of major concern of our Board.

Aerial view of Stewart Island at sunrise, part of the NZCA and DOC trip to Stewart Island, June 2010 | Photo by ElenaSedouch (DOC) 

In April the Board hosted a successful Climate Change Forum with the Otago Conservation Board in Invercargill, where the two Boards looked at ways we could influence climate change mitigation. The Boards then held individual Board meetings the following day.

The June meeting was a shortened meeting due to winter driving conditions. The main issues were, progressing the proposed Southern Rakiura Wilderness Area, an update on the progress of the Milford Opportunities Project and an update on the General Policies Review and the Statutory Planning review (held in committee)

In August the Board welcomed two new members. The main issues discussed were:

• Milford Opportunities Project and how it may require legislative change to implement.
• Milford Aerodrome landing concessions and how to move forward.
• Increasing Deer numbers on Rakiura and the lack of robust monitoring to determine trends in the population. This led to a discussion on the Tier 1 & 2 monitoring system and its perceived failure to pick up local trends in ecosystem health.

GET INVOLVED - attend a meeting, details of upcoming Southland Conservation Board meetings can be found on the website.

CONSULTATIONS OPEN FOR YOUR COMMENT

Have your say on changes in status of New Zealand wētā and grasshoppers (Orthoptera): This is a call for advice about any changes in status of wētā and Orthoptera to inform a revision of the assessments for this group in the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). Consultation closes on 4 October 2021.

Conservation General Policy and General Policy for National Parks partial reviews: DOC is undertaking partial reviews of these general policies focusing on considerations associated with section 4 of the Conservation Act 1987.

Keep up to date with more public consultations here.

THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING TO OUR NEWSLETTER 

Next time in the Conservation Board Newsletter, we hear from Te Hiku o Te Ika, Waikato, Taranaki/ Whanganui,  Tongaririo/Taupo, Chatham Islands, West Coast Tai Poutini, and Otago Conservation Boards!