WELCOME TO THE CONSERVATION BOARDS' NEWSLETTER 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Keep up to date with the activities of Conservation Boards around Aotearoa New Zealand. In this issue discover highlights from Waikato, Tongariro/Taupo, Taranaki/Whanganui, Chatham Islands, West Coast Tai Poutini, and Otago Conservation Boards. 

Issue 29 : June 2023

Hon Willow-Jean Prime, Minister of Conservation, at the Tongariro Kiwi Release | Photo courtesy of DOC 

A MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER

Tēnā koutou katoa,

Following my experience with the historic return of Western brown kiwi into Tongariro Forest earlier this year, I was also really excited to be able see a kiwi in the wild while visiting Kapiti Island this month. 

After ticking off this cool milestone as Minister of Conservation, I was pleased to see that the Department of Conservation has recently released the Fiordland Kiwi Diaries mini series, which will help for us all to learn even more about our special national bird.

The three 10 minute videos document the enormous efforts needed to save the Fiordland tokoeka in the rugged Shy Lake area.

It follows DOC rangers as they undertake predator control work targeting stoats and the subsequent monitoring of kiwi chicks. It is riveting and shows what we are up against in trying to achieve New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goals.

Another way to see and learn more about the important work we are doing across the motu is the Endangered Species Aotearoa programme with WWF on TVNZ. Fronted by comedian Pax Assadi and Conservationist Nicola Toki, the series showcases our incredible landscapes and the work being done to protect the country’s most threatened wildlife.

This work is being done by a range of passionate people including DOC staff as well as volunteers.

Ngā mihi nui,

Hon Willow-Jean Prime
Minister of Conservation | Minita mō Te Papa Atawhai

UPDATES AND HIGHLIGHTS

WAIKATO

The Waikato Conservation Board has farewelled their long-standing Chairperson and Statutory Manager, and have welcomed in new support staff for the upcoming reporting year.  

Coromandel Forest Park, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, New Zealand | Photo by Alan Cressler

Over the past six months the Board has seen significant changes to its support staff, as past Statutory Manager for the Hauraki-Waikato-Thames (HWT) district, Michelle Lewis, takes on a new management role within the Department. In turn the Board has welcomed Ritesh Chandra as their new Statutory Manager and Tanya Hadfield their new Board Support Officer. 

The Board met twice over the past months, the first of which was in early December at the Department's Hamilton Office where the business of the day was followed by an early Christmas lunch. A key item discussed at the meeting was the ongoing work regarding Oceania Gold's underground mining application located beneath the Coromandel Forest Park. To date a number of Board members from both the Bay of Plenty and Waikato have visited the site and been guided around the propose site by the applicant.

March of this year, saw the Board hold the meeting adjacent to the Waitomo Caves and included a very informative guided visit to one of the Ruakuri Caves by the local Department staff at place. Board members enjoyed an over night stay in Te Kūiti and held their formal meeting the next day.

Ruakuri Cave Interior | Photo by Michael Greenhill

Alan Cockle, the current Board Chairperson and long-serving member, is retiring from the Board after 9-years of service and has reflected on his time being involved with conservation within the Waikato rohe. Alan highlighted that whilst on the Board he has met a number of incredible people and visited serval stunning areas that many others can’t get to or even know exist. One of which was a trip out to Repunga (Curvier) Island to release Tuatara back into the wild, then spend the evening listening to Kiwi calls, which Alan described as "unforgettable". In closing, Alan remarked that - "It has been an incredible privilege to serve on the Waikato Conservation Board, with such a wonderful team of both Board and DOC staff".

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

TONGARIRO/TAUPO

The Tongariro Taupō Conservation Board have made it their focus to work with local mana whenua in progressing their Conservation Management Strategy review.

Cam Speedy (SIKA Foundation) updating Board members on the area being investigated
on their February field trip | Photo by Karen Rainbow 

The Board have been working hard and are now in a good position to build a new Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) based on the values and issues identified by mana whenua, who are represented around their board table. This has been a key work priority for the Board as they focus on developing more comprehensive conservation management documents for their region. 

Additionally, the Board have brought to the attention of the Minister of Conservation, conservation projects that require ongoing support. This includes Jobs for Nature projects in their region and work that the SIKA Foundation are currently carrying out in keeping deer numbers down in the Kaimanawa Forest Park, as well as the concern of beech die-back currently progressing in the Kaimanawa Forest Park. 

In February, Board members took a field trip to the Kaimanawa Forest Park hosted by the Sika Foundation. The purpose of the field trip was to view first-hand the impacts of high deer numbers and beech die-back concerns in the backcountry, to allow the Board to better understand the situation and how they can assist with advocacy in this area.

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

TARANAKI WHANGANUI

The Taranaki Whanganui Conservation Board have celebrated along with iwi the initialling of the Collective Redress Deed for Taranaki Maunga.

Mount Taranaki, Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki | Photo courtesy of DOC

On Friday 31 March 2023, Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown initialled a Collective Redress Deed (Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo) for Taranaki Maunga. Ngā Iwi o Taranaki is the collective name for the eight iwi of Taranaki: Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga, Taranaki Iwi, Ngāti Maru, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Ruanui, and Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi, with an estimated population of approximately 60,000 encompassing the Taranaki region.

Through Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo, Egmont National Park will be renamed Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki, meaning ‘the highly regarded and treasured lands of Taranaki’. The National Park including Taranaki Maunga and the surrounding peaks will be vested in a legal person, named ‘Te Kāhui Tupua’ and will continue to be managed by the Department of Conservation. The National Parks Act 1980 will continue to apply, and the existence of the legal person and a set of values agreed by iwi and the Crown will form the foundation for the ongoing governance and management of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki.

Taranaki Whanganui Conservation Board Members attended the ceremony at Aotearoa Marae, Okaiawa, South Taranaki to celebrate this important milestone for Ngā Iwi o Taranaki. The Board is collectively engaged to support the on-going implementation mahi for Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki moving forward into the next few months.

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

CHATHAM ISLANDS

The Chatham Islands Conservation Board has been focusing one a number of priorities including; Threatened Species Management, Research Permits, and the Moriori Deed of Settlement.

Chatham Islands Shag on Shag Rock, Chatham Islands | Photo by Peter J. de Lange

From February to April this year, the Board has been focused on two key issues, permits and wild pig control. Permits, especially for research activities are of major concern to the Chatham Islands community. Notably, Islanders want to know what researchers are doing, and what the outcomes of their research are? The Board has been working closely with the Department of Conservation to ensure greater transparency, that researchers report their findings back to the community, and that Islander concerns are recognised.

The second major focus is the wild pig population on the main islands which is getting out of control. Board members have raised their concerns with the Department noting the severe damage, habitat degradation, and loss of endemic and/or threatened species. The issue is wider than the Department, and the recommendation was made that the Department facilitate discussion with all interested parties, Chatham Islands Council, and Environment Canterbury.

Hamish Tuanui- Chisholm and University of Otago students setting fish traps on Lake Rangatapu
in the  Southern Tablelands | Photo by Peter J. de Lange

Beyond these topics, the Board has been involved a wide range of conservation matters from updates of Predator Free work taking place on the Islands to discussions on Lake380, a collaboration between international and New Zealand universities, Cawthorn Institute, Geology & Nuclear Sciences, and iwi, to study and monitor the health of lakes on the Islands. In addition, Erin Patterson, DOC Senior Ranger Biodiversity for the Chatham Islands, informed the Board about outcomes of the karure / kakaruia / black robin transfers to Maung’re / Mangere Island. The initial objective, bolstering that islands ailing population appears to have been achieved. The wider issue of translocation of birds to other sites on the main islands was also outlined. Erin noted that a team of researchers had investigated a range of habitats on Rēkohu / Wharekauri / Chatham Island, and that some sites investigated look very promising.

Read the latest media releases to find out more about conservation activities on the Chatham Islands:

•  Uncommon crustose lichen rediscovered on the Chatham Islands - April 2023
• Chatham Islands Conservation Board Meeting – April 2023
• Chatham Islands Conservation Board Meeting – February 2023
• Why is Lake Huro red this summer? – January 2023 

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

WEST COAST TAI POUTINI

The West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board have so far this year progressed their work priorities, met with neighbouring Boards, and got into all corners of their region. 

Board members receiving guided tour on their fieldtrip to the Stockton Mine | Photo courtesy of the Board

The Board has held three meetings this year so far: one each in Hokitika, Westport, and Blackball. All three meetings had a strong focus on developing their Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) review. The Chair and the Board have worked closely over the last six months with the Department’s planners to develop a comprehensively structured approach to the CMS. In addition, a close working relationship relating to co-governance and co-design of the CMS with the Poutini Ngāi Tahu Papatipu Rūnanga of the Tai Poutini West Coast has been developed.

In December, a CMS workshop to identify priority topics was held in Hokitika with the Board led by the Department’s planners Laurien Heijs and Charlie Parker. An evolving analysis of the current CMS was included. In addition, the Board was briefed on: the bull kelp die-off on the West Coast, the region’s biodiversity reports, and heritage and visitor updates. Various community activities around the region were also discussed.

Board members out on a fieldtrip to Stockton Mine | Photo courtesy of the Board

In February, the Board held a two-day joint meeting with the Canterbury Aoraki and Nelson Marlborough Conservation Boards in Kaikoura. This provided an excellent opportunity to brief both neighbouring Boards on the CMS review, and to give an update on the West Coast Stewardship Land review. It was agreed to continue joint Board contact as well as learnings first-hand of other Boards' activities.

The Board is grateful for several presentations it has received over the last six months primarily by Department staff, relating to regional developments and initiatives, and other regional issues. Further acknowledgment goes out to the close working relationship with both the West Coast Department of Conservation staff and the Poutini Ngāi Tahu Papatipu Rūnanga for sharing knowledge, expertise, and guidance with the Board, and to the local democracy reporter attends all the Board meetings and reports in the local media.

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

OTAGO

The Otago Conservation Board are looking to the future and the development of new forms of tourism and conservation tools to benefits the environment.

Wetlands, Upper Tairei River, Central Otago | Photo by C. C, Ogle

The Board is pleased to see the progress in conservation efforts regarding the Taieri Scroll Plain. In particular the collaboration between the Department, mana whenua, local farmers, and community groups. Discussions are also underway with Port Otago around the opportunity to provide shore power infrastructure for commercial ships to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while in port.

All regional tourism organisations in the Otago region have now completed their destination management plans, to better align with their operations within the industry to the interests of  community wellbeing, culture, te taiao, conservation, biodiversity, and climate change, in addition to the economic benefits tourism brings to the region. There are some very bold and ambitious initiatives already underway including community funding platforms to support volunteer conservation organisations and projects to reduce and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, with airports rapidly developing plans for infrastructure to support zero carbon aviation technology.

The Board is aware of recent plans announced by the Department to upgrade three bridges in the Otago region that are extremely popular walking tracks. This has raised a number of concerns with concessionaires and locals, due to the very short notice given by the Department and the significant effects it will have on businesses. Work is currently underway with concessionaires to identify other options that may be available to them them.

The Board is also very excited and interested in the technological advancements  of valuable conservation tools such as geo-biomass mapping, automatic re-setting of traps, and the digital monitoring and recording of bird song where species and volume of birds can be automatically measured. There is significant potential in these tools as they may be the key to unlocking the huge challenge of te taiao ora and the wellbeing of species.

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

CONSULTATIONS OPEN FOR YOUR COMMENT

Notice of intention to revoke part of Aorangi Forest Park: Have your say on a proposal to revoke part of Aorangi Forest Park. Submissions close 12 September 2023.

New assessment of the conservation status of amphibians in Aotearoa New Zealand: 
Have your say on any changes in status of amphibians in Aotearoa New Zealand. Submissions close on 29 September 2023.

Biodiversity credits: An incentive to support conservation efforts:  Have your say on whether a biodiversity credit system could help protect and restore native wildlife. Submissions close on 3 November 2023.

Keep up to date with more public consultations here.

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Next time in the Conservation Board Newsletter, we hear from Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, East Coast Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson Marlborough, Canterbry Aoraki, and Southland Conservation Boards!