March 2021

Welcome to the second edition of Horizons Regional Council’s Oranga Wai Our Freshwater Future e-newsletter. We hope you will find it useful. Please forward it on to anyone you think would be interested and if you haven’t already, sign up to receive future copies at bit.ly/Freshwaterpolicy.  If you have areas you would like us to cover in the next newsletter please email info@ourfreshwaterfuture.co.nz.

A quick acronym guide

NPS-FM - National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (2020)

NES-F – National Environment Standards for Freshwater

IWG – Intensive Winter Grazing

The six principles of Te Mana o Te Wai 

Te Mana o Te Wai is the framework of the NPS-FM and provides a hierarchy of importance for the way fresh water is managed. This means that we must first consider the health of the water, then the health of the people, and finally the social and economic aspects – now and in the future. 

Alongside this are six principles that outline the roles of tangata whenua and our communities in providing for Te Mana o te Wai: 

1. Mana whakahaere: the power, authority, and obligations of tangata whenua to make decisions that maintain, protect, and sustain the health and well-being of, and their relationship with, freshwater
2. Kaitiatanga: the obligation of tangata whenua to preserve, restore, enhance, and sustainably use freshwater for the benefit of present and future generations 
3. Manaakitanga: the process by which tangata whenua show respect, generosity, and care for freshwater and for others
4. Governance: the responsibility of those with authority for making decisions about freshwater to do so in a way that prioritises the health and well-being of freshwater now and into the future 
5. Stewardship: the obligation of all New Zealanders to manage freshwater in a way that ensures it sustains present and future generations 
6. Care and respect: the responsibility of all New Zealanders to care for freshwater in providing for the health of the nation   

Follow the link to MfE’s Te Mana o Te Wai introductory video www.bit.ly/TMOYintro 

Freshwater - what's important to you?

Horizons is asking the community to identify what’s important to them when it comes to fresh water. 

The NPS-FM provides us with a clear and real opportunity to work in partnership with tangata whenua and collaborate with communities to shape the way we manage and protect our fresh water. It also requires Horizons Regional Council to revise aspects of the One Plan that relate to freshwater and publicly notify those changes by December 2024. 

Following a presence at Te Oranga o Te Awa – Manawatū River Improvement Festival in Foxton last weekend, Horizons will be at Rural Games in Palmerston North this weekend and Central Districts Field Days next week, collecting your thoughts on fresh water. It could be that fresh water is integral to your health and wellbeing, your business, interests, or maybe you want to protect the area you collect kai from. 

This is the start of our conversation with our communities and your chance to get involved with shaping future fresh water policy. Your feedback will help us understand how you connect with freshwater environments in our region, and what you see as important. We have also embarked on early discussions with tangata whenua to ensure Te Ao Māori (the Māori world view) is included within this policy and that a thriving partnership can be secured as we apply an integrated ki uta ki tai (mountains to sea) approach.

                            Enjoying the Te Oranga o Te Awa – Manawatū River                                                         Improvement Festival in Foxton 27 February 2021 

Key dates

12 – 14 March 2021 Rural Games are being held in The Square,          Palmerston North

18 – 20 March 2021Central District Field Days are being held at           Manfeild, Feilding

8 April 2021 from 10.30am – 2.30pm Seeing, Understanding, Believing Field Day, the woolshed, 267 Millricks Line, Linton. For further information on this KapAg* event email Terry Parminter: terry.parminter@kapag.nz. 

*KapAg are a Kapiti-based agricultural and farming systems consultancy group. The field day is mainly for landowners with an interest in the Nguturoa Stream catchment near Linton however it is open to anyone who would like to attend. The field day is a chance to see and discuss results of project work being carried out in this catchment, with farmers, industry groups, scientists and policy agencies. 

River Scheme Meetings from 16 March to 15 April 2021 River Management are also holding 29 scheme meetings in March and April 2021 looking at work undertaken over the past year and looking ahead to future work. The calendar of these meetings can be accessed at: www.bit.ly/3ex6q7U 

25 March 2021 from 4pm Federated Farmers and Whanganui and Partners, Whanganui Vet Club. This evening will include a presentation by Horizons staff on the Freshwater Reforms.

If you don’t catch up with us at one of these events you can still complete our survey using the QR code below. To scan the QR code just use the camera on your mobile phone, which will then ask you to open an online form.

Regional engagement with iwi continues

On 25 February 2021, a hui was held in Marton with several of our region’s iwi representatives and Horizons staff to continue the conversation around the government’s new Essential Freshwater package. Together we explored different aspects of the package including the NPS-FM, NES-F, and Stock Exclusion regulations as well as discussing a way forward for tangata whenua and Council to give effect to the NPS-FM. 

Staff have found these early discussions with iwi/hapū valuable, guiding our approach to implementation, helping improve communications, and enabling participation and engagement.

Following feedback from iwi, these hui are now scheduled to be held every six weeks alternating between Marton and Ohakune. 

National collaboration on interpreting freshwater reforms

NPS-FM and NES-F regulations are such a large and significant change to freshwater management that regional councils have recognised the need to work together to be as consistent as we can in the application and understanding of what they mean, Horizons Group Manager Strategy and Regulation Dr Nic Peet says. 

“For example if we are interpreting what a stock holding area is - it is better if we have a single approach to that.

“In recognition of this we have established a National Freshwater Directors Group composed of representatives from regional councils, Kāhui Wai Māori*,  Ministry for the Environment, and the Ministry for Primary Industries. We meet fortnightly and there are a group of projects that are underway that deal with some of the big issues in the NPS-FM. 

“Currently we are working on mahinga kai values and on how we deal with some of the water quality attributes that we haven’t necessarily had to work on before - such as sediment and sourcing national data on fish numbers and habitats. 

“We have also established national networks of NES-F Special Interest Groups to ensure consistency in definitions, consent application forms and how we implement these consents from a regulatory perspective. 

“Our national project stream on farm plans, involving industry representatives, Kāhui Wai Māori and regional councils, is again about trying to get a common approach. 

“While we are working together to achieve a national consistency in the interpretation and implementation of these regulations it is important to recognise there will be some regional variations due to different policy frameworks and environmental conditions in each region,” says Dr Peet. 

 *Kāhui Wai Māori – the Māori Freshwater Forum works collaboratively with the Cross-government Water Taskforce on the development and analysis of policy options. The forum was established in October 2018.  For more information visit www.mfe.govt. nz/fresh-water/kahui-wai-māori-freshwater-forum

Horizons' Long-term Plan consultation

Horizons Regional Council are currently preparing their 2021-31 Long-term Plan (LTP). Our proposed consultation document and supporting information is currently with audit for assessing. Upon their amendments Council will look to adopt the proposed LTP on 23 March to go out for community consultation on 26 March 2021. One of the major items within this 10 year plan is a proposal to increase our level of service in order to implement central government’s Essential Freshwater package. This proposal includes increasing our debt by $4 million in Year 1 (2021-22) to provide for additional resources to build the capacity of both iwi/hapū and Council. This will strengthen our collective decision making and assist with delivering a revised One Plan by 2024, while improving water quality over the next 25 years. 

The consultation document also highlights areas that we have already committed to, including three Jobs for Nature projects. These projects are accelerating Horizons’ riparian planting and stream fencing programme, remediating fish passages to enhance indigenous fish populations, and producing water quality interventions at Lake Horowhenua. In addition to creating approximately 185 jobs, these projects will help progress the objectives of the national freshwater policy reforms.  

As part of our consultation process we will be seeking feedback from our partners, interested industries, and communities. You’ll be able to have your say through a submission process available at https://haveyoursay.horizons.govt.nz between 26 March and 23 April, as well as an opportunity to speak at our hearings between 11 – 13 May 2021 should you wish to do so. Keep an eye out for this icon included with further information in your letterbox, local newspapers and on Horizons’ website and social media accounts over the next few weeks. 

Mock consenting process for Intensive Winter Grazing

During November and December 2020 Horizons hosted a mock consenting trial for the proposed intensive winter grazing (IWG) consenting application.

Horizons Senior Rural Advisor Ian McNab says the workshop was a culmination of consent process work undertaken over five weeks by landowners, Horizons, and industry groups. It was held to gather feedback from all involved. 

“The purpose of the mock consenting process was to increase the chances that in 2021 when consents will be required, Horizons has the information needed to create a realistic consenting process,” says Mr McNab. 

The IWG Regulations come into effect in May 2021 and consent applications, if required, will need to be lodged before 31 October 2021, if the crops are no bigger, or more intensive, than they had been in previous years.

Sheep and beef, dairy, and deer farms were used for the mock consenting process and multiple industry groups and Regional Councils were present at the workshop. These included DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Open Country Dairy, Deer NZ, Fish & Game, Ag First, MfE, Beef + Lamb NZ, Ravensdown, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Otago Regional Council, and Southland Regional Council. Read more at www.bit.ly/mockconsent.

Paddock risk assessment tool 

During the mock consenting process, a hand held paddock risk assessment tool, developed by Horizons Rural Advice Team, helped identify the inherent risks within the cropped area of a paddock. The tool classified the paddock as low, medium or high risk for IWG, depending on the presence of critical source areas, waterways, slope, erosion susceptibility, drainage characteristics and stock class. 

Following the success of this initial trial the tool is now being further developed. We will update you when it becomes available. 

Southland Intensive Winter Grazing NES-F Advisory Group

As you may be aware, in December 2020, at the request of Ministers David Parker and Damien O'Connor, the Southland IWG Advisory Group recommended the government make several changes to rules under the Government's National Environmental Standards for Freshwater. These included amendments to pugging and resowing dates and an IWG module that would enable farmers to identify the specific risks on their property whilst also identifying the good management practices implemented to mitigate the impacts on freshwater.

Horizons Senior Rural Advisor Ian McNab says we are currently waiting on Government’s decision on these recommendations before we can progress our work on the IWG consenting process

“In the meantime we are in discussions with MfE and MPI on improving the ‘Low Slope’ map for stock exclusion based on our concerns and farmer feedback and further development of freshwater farm plans.

“Horizons joined other regional councils at a low slope map meeting with MfE and MPI on Wednesday 3 March and were encouraged by the engagement process and the options discussed,” says Mr McNab.

Further information

For further information on the new regulations please see the Frequently Asked Questions on our website.

We are also preparing various factsheets to help you interpret the new NES-F regulations. These are being added to our website  as they are produced. Our website also has a number of sections that may be of interest to you, including NPS-FM and details of community engagement underway, and FAQs.

We hope this newsletter has given you a good overview of Horizons’ Oranga Wai Our Freshwater Future programme, as well as clarified some of your questions around the new Essential Freshwater package. If there is a particular area you’d like us to cover in the next newsletter, please email us at info@ourfreshwaterfuture.co.nz.