September 2023

Kia ora readers, welcome to the September 2023 edition of Oranga Wai e-news. Kōanga (Spring) is here and plenty is happening in the freshwater space.

This edition of Oranga Wai e-news features updates on upcoming targets engagement, current Long-term Plan pre-engagement, draft objectives for freshwater management, how you can access funding to improve waterways, and where things are at in the National Environmental Standards (NES) space. 

We hope you find this e-news informative and helpful. Please forward it to anyone you think would appreciate reading it and (if you haven’t already) sign up to receive future copies here.  If you have areas you would like us to cover our newsletters, or any questions about the content, please email info@ourfreshwaterfuture.co.nz.

Have your say

Long-term Plan 2024-34 pre-engagement

We have started putting together the next Long-term Plan (LTP), Horizons' guiding document for the next decade. We’re developing a plan for Horizons’ areas of business, including how to ensure sustainable use of our region’s natural resources – and how we propose to rate for it.

Usually, we would only ask for your thoughts once we have drafted the LTP. But this time, we're asking for your input earlier. We specifically want your thoughts on three priority areas councillors have identified:

• building resilience to the impacts of climate change.
• taking a holistic approach to natural resources from mountains to sea.
• strengthening relationships with tangata whenua.

We want to know what you think of these areas, and to rank some activities which could help us achieve them. You can also share any other thoughts you have around priorities we should focus on.

Head to haveyoursay.horizons.govt.nz to learn more and take part in the survey. You have until 17 September to have your say. 

Freshwater targets

The Oranga Wai journey so far has involved identifying visions, values and environmental outcomes. This has guided us towards the next round of engagement about target attribute states (also known as 'water quality targets') for the 'big four' contaminants (nitrogen, phosphorus, E.coli and sediment) in each Freshwater Management Unit.

While this engagement is scheduled to begin later this year, we want to make you aware of it now. We anticipate there will be a lot of interest in this engagement, as it is the opportunity for people to say what water quality state they want and set the target needed to achieve it. It will also require talking about what change is needed to meet certain targets, what timeframe people expect those targets to be met in, and the potential consequences these actions may have on the community. Keep an eye on the Oranga Wai website for more information.

Grant funding open now

Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI)

SLUI, Horizons' extremely successful program to protect hill country, has funding available for a range of work. We are keen to add to the more than 29 million trees planted as part of SLUI to help mitigate the impact of erosion on the environment. There have also been more than 900 Whole Farm Plans created, which identify how land can be best utilised to maximise sustainability and production, and a range of other projects undertaken.

SLUI is carried out by engaging with farmers to reduce erosion on their land to help build resilience against storm events, improve water quality and reduce pressure on flood protection infrastructure downstream.

SLUI recently secured its fifth four-year contract and has plenty of funding available for stream fencing, pole planting, installing sediment traps, fencing exisiting bush remnants and reverting pasture to native cover. The targets for this contract are focused on getting physical works done, so landowners should get in touch with Horizons' Land Management team - either by following this link or calling free phone 0508 800 800 - to discuss options for their farms.

Riparian planting and stream fencing funding

If you are wanting to fence off a waterway to exclude stock, did you know Horizons may be able to help fund this project? Our freshwater team may also be able to assist with native planting within retired riparian margins and help with some logistics such as sourcing of plants.

While some stock exclusion regulations came into effect from 1 June 2023, the rest will be implemented from 1 June 2025. So now is a good time to get on to this, while there is still funding available. 

Funding levels range from 30-50% of the total cost depending on what catchment your property is in, the values of the catchment, and alignment with the funding criteria.

Fencing off waterways to exclude stock reduces E.coli entering the water and makes our region’s rivers more swimmable – especially at those swim spots you and your friends and whānau love visiting during the summer months.

Other benefits from stream fencing and riparian planting include increasing habitat complexity for aquatic life, food supply for native fish, and decreasing erosion of stream banks. 

If your property is in the Kai Iwi or Waiopehu Freshwater Management Units (FMUs) we would especially like to hear from you. To find out more about funding available for stream fencing and riparian planting, get in touch with our Freshwater Team on free phone 0508 800 800.

Freshwater management objectives

Learn more about our draft objectives

The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) requires Horizons to identify a number of objectives the One Plan – our guide to managing natural resources in our region – will seek to achieve. So far, we have developed:

• A draft objective which describes how the management of freshwater in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region will implement Te Mana o te Wai.
• Draft long-term visions for freshwater for each of our freshwater management units (FMU).
• Draft freshwater values.
• Draft environmental outcomes for each freshwater value.

You read those draft objectives here. While our formal engagement on the drafts has closed, we are still interesting in hearing what you think. Use the feedback form on the Oranga Wai website to share your thoughts on the drafts or anything else about the freshwater reform process.

National Environmental Standards for Freshwater

Intensive Winter Grazing

Ever since new rules for Intensive Winter Grazing (IWG) were announced, we have worked alongside industry bodies to ensure those undertaking IWG were prepared.

A regular message has been a desire for a video guiding those needing a resource consent for IWG through the process. We are happy to say we have that video ready! You can find the video here, and all other information you need about IWG consents and the new rules here. 

Freshwater farm plans

Freshwater farm plans are how farmers and growers can identify practical on-farm ways to improve the condition of local waterways, putting whenua (land) and wai (water) at the centre of on-farm decision-making.

Freshwater farm plans have started being implemented in other parts of the country. However, they will not start rolling out in the Horizons Region until April 2024. That does not mean you cannot start getting ready though, as many farmers would have done similar planning with things like Whole Farm Plans as part of SLUI. 

We have initial information about freshwater farm plans on the Horizons website, including a confirmed rollout schedule. We are working with other regional councils to make sure future updates and further information about the plans are as clear and helpful as possible.