Tasman District Council - Te Kaunihera o te tai o Aorere

How does the dam help our aquifers? This summer will see the first official season of operation for the Waimea Community Dam since its commissioning requirements were met in September. The Dam was constructed as a river augmentation scheme with a single purpose, to maintain and support the flow of water in the rivers that ultimately support the Waimea Plains. The Lee and Wairoa Rivers feed into what becomes the Waimea River. This supplies the aquifers that provide water to everyone on the Plains. River augmentation via the dam has been occurring since 2 March 2024. Data taken between 8 March and 3 April this year, when the Wai-Iti River in particular was at an extremely low level, provided a good example of how the release of water from the dam has already helped during periods of dry weather. A graph showing river flow changes at three locations downstream from the Dam indicated how losses to groundwater (aquifers) resulted in a noticeable flow rate reduction between the Wairoa Gorge and Appleby. The difference already takes into account water takes from the Waimea East Irrigation Scheme. The data and models we have collected and gathered have been peer-reviewed and tested, with many available to view on our website. Visit https://lnkd.in/gism8MFX to find the most up-to-date data regarding our water resources. We certainly hope to see more rain across the District than last summer, but in any case, we will be ready to supplement the river flows when needed. We will also continue to monitor and provide data to show how it is working to keep the Waimea River and its water supply in a healthy state.

You’re likely to see many of our staff out and about across Tasman for a variety of reasons – all of which are doing their bit to keep our District going strong. Our Community Partnerships team is one of the more visible teams that are out there, collaborating with community groups, schools and neighbourhoods to support projects, coordinate events and seminars, or provide grants, opportunities and advice. Whether it’s making new arrivals to our region feel welcome, engaging with our youth or extolling the benefits of composting through environmental education programmes, whanaungatanga/relationships and manaakitanga/caring are at the heart of what they do. The team is committed to supporting projects that improve social infrastructure. This includes working alongside our Youth Councils and putting on exciting Youth Week events, the ever-popular Positive Ageing Expo, and projects such as the Chorus Cabinet Art programme. This year’s Matariki celebration in Motueka was just one example of how well the team’s events are received. We are proud of what we’ve achieved with our sustainability awareness efforts, from the outcomes of the EnviroSchools programme, our compost awareness workshops and the support of the Mohua Repair Café. The team administers grants specifically for youth leadership, to support young people growing their leadership skills. We also provide Community Grants, which help groups fund initiatives in the Tasman District. Thanks to funding from Immigration New Zealand, there has also been some great work carried out around our Welcoming Communities initiative to help newcomers feel at home in Tasman.

A new Navigation Safety Bylaw has docked! We have approved the new Tasman District Council Navigation Safety Bylaw 2024, and it comes into force from 1 December. The bylaw helps ensure that the many inland and coastal water environments across Tasman can be safely used and shared by everyone. Some of the new requirements in the bylaw include: • Clear rules for wearing a life jacket. • Easily identifying a vessel, and its owner or skipper. • The visibility of small, lone watercraft, such as kayaks. • Communication requirements for all vessels. Earlier this year, we sought feedback from the community around the key provisions of the draft bylaw. We were pleased to receive and consider 256 submissions, which provided a great launching pad for discussion during the hearings and deliberations in September. We are excited to have the bylaw in place in time for summer – this allows us to keep everyone safe and mindful of their responsibilities in and around our waters. Our Harbourmaster team will also be a visible presence in our bays and lakes – with more staff on deck and an additional vessel covering the coastline. Look out for them at one of the many shows and events on shore too. You can see a copy of the new bylaw at https://lnkd.in/grZ9HqMb.

Motueka pool plans progress! Over the next few months, you’ll be seeing and hearing more about the planned Motueka community pool. We’re testing the water and want to get a feel for what people would like to see as we develop our plans. The concept of a pool has been eagerly advocated by Motueka community members for more than 25 years, and the project was significantly advanced with the purchase of land for the future pool site earlier this year. The community is moving forward with its fundraising, aiming to gather around $4.4 million, while funds for the rest of the project have been allocated in our 10-Year Plan, for construction potentially beginning in 2027. We’re looking at a total budget of around $20 million, including the community-funded amount, but there’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge before the first spade goes into the ground. Early plans and feasibility concepts for the pool are for it to have a lane pool, a learn-to-swim and a toddler’s pool, and a strong desire for a hydrotherapy pool and spa to also be included. We’ve created a web page where you can see what other places around the country have done with similar budgets. There’s information about what we can and can’t afford, and there’s a space where you can leave your thoughts and ideas. Find out more and share your thoughts at https://lnkd.in/gNd2tSXE. 📸: Wanaka Pool includes a 25-metre six-lane lap pool, a learners’ pool, a shallow pool for young children, and a spa – and was done with a similar budget.

We recently had some great coverage regarding our efforts to address the ecological threat of Taiwan cherry in our region, thanks to TVNZ’s Seven Sharp programme. We’ve had some great feedback since and hopefully we’ve educated a few more people about why the species is deemed a pest and warrants our time to seek them out. It’s important to say that we appreciate everyone who has helped us get rid of them so far. Thanks to your support, we are at a stage where there are no Taiwan cherry trees that we know of south of Kohatu – which is a testament to the work we’ve carried out so far. However, we are not looking to scale back our efforts. The Nelson-Tasman Regional Pest Management Plan aims to eradicate it, and local communities are crucial in this effort. Residents are encouraged to report sightings and assist in removal. We appreciate that spring has brought out the blossoming of the tree’s attractive pink flowers, but it shouldn’t detract from the fact that the Taiwan cherry remains a significant ecological problem in New Zealand. Its seed, which is spread by birds and animals, has high germination rates, allowing it to quickly dominate and outcompete native species. The tree’s ability to thrive in low light makes it especially problematic. Seedlings develop deep roots and are difficult to remove manually, while mature trees require chemical treatments to prevent regrowth. For more information or to report sightings, contact our Biosecurity Team at 03 543 8400 or biosecurity@tasman.govt.nz. If we have to remove a planted Taiwan cherry tree from your property, we will reimburse you up to $75 for a replacement tree – providing it’s not another Taiwan cherry!

Our building and demolition waste recycling and reuse programme is gaining momentum. The three-month phase of our construction and demolition diversion trial at the Richmond Resource Recovery Centre began in July and use of this facility is steadily trending higher. A large proportion of our nation’s total waste in landfills comes from the construction and demolition industry, and yet much of it is recyclable or reusable. During the first 60 days of operation, we received 174 loads, yielding a material diversion of 16.7 tonnes. Of this, around 65% was reusable and 35% recyclable. Timber makes up the largest percentage of the recovered products followed by non-wood panels and sheets, flooring and insulation products, and then joinery. Anyone can use the service if their load can be safely sorted into the recycling and reuse bins by hand. The process is straightforward, and we continue to work on streamlining the operation. After assessment of your ute or trailer load by facility staff, you will be able to unload the accepted materials into the appropriate bin or area. Most people take only a few minutes to unload materials otherwise destined for landfill, at no cost. After that, you can go to the weighbridge to drop off any remaining landfill material in the usual way. The success of the trial means we’ve pushed it out beyond the original planned three-month date and will now keep going until the end of March next year. Our construction and demolition diversion operation runs from Wednesday to Sunday.

Tasman is poised for significant growth and development. A landowner and homeowners’ information campaign has been launched in Richmond, Wakefield, Brightwater, Motueka, Moutere, Tapawera, St Arnaud, Tophouse, Murchison, Tākaka and Golden Bay. Before formal engagement in February 2025, we are working to ensure our landowners and residents in these areas, have both the time and information to think about the options proposed by Plan Change 81 to the Tasman Resource Management Plan and the accompanying Regional Policy Statement Change. Informed by the Future Development Strategy 2022 – 2052, the changes aim to provide for residential and business growth, while creating high-quality living environments, and offering a diverse range of housing options. Information booklets are being delivered to landowners and households in the Plan Change areas. We cannot underestimate the importance of urban growth and development to meet the needs of a growing population. This requires the careful consideration of land use and rezoning to balance development with environmental protection, the necessity of infrastructure improvements to support growth, and the commitment to sustainable resource management. The changes focus on rezoning land to provide for housing intensification, papakāinga, greenfield housing, mixed business, commercial and light industrial uses, and providing for infrastructure development and sustainability. Keeping our community informed is a principal part of the planning process that supports a resilient and thriving future for all. Want to find out more? Visit https://lnkd.in/gNxAtYdM.

The 2024 winter planting programme for Kingsland Forest is complete. Between June and the end of August, we planted over 44,000 native trees in the ground, mostly in areas harvested in 2023 and within the Lodestone and Jimmy Lee Creek catchments/gullies. This is on top of last year’s mega effort of planting 51,000 trees as well as the plentiful native regeneration that is occurring. These trees are small at the moment, but in time they will grow to become integral parts of this new phase of life for the reserve. In the meantime, the spring conditions will do their bit to help grow the new and existing trees a little more. A lot of weed and pest control will be ongoing in the coming months. There has been a lot going on to improve the Kingsland hillside and its surrounds this year. We’ve installed three new park benches at the Fowler, Henry and Heaton Road Skid sites – with the help of Keep Richmond Beautiful – as well as plans to put in a toilet facility in time for summer. We have also installed 10 new way-finding signs at the main entranceways and strategic locations as well as rebuilt two mountain bike tracks. Big thanks must go to our volunteers and planting contractors who have tackled the difficult terrain with a professional approach and dedication which has contributed to a good result. We’re also grateful to the nursery that supplied the large number of high-quality plants, and the contribution of the Government’s Better Off Funding in enabling this work to move ahead.

Two Tasman projects have been included among the 149 projects released last week for inclusion in the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Consideration has been given to the construction of the Hope Bypass – a new highway to bypass Richmond and Hope to reduce congestion. Also included in the list is the Māpua Development project – a mixed-density residential and community development near Seaton Valley. The land associated with the Māpua Development project was identified for residential development during early engagement on options for the Māpua Masterplan. It was also identified for residential development in the Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy 2022 – 2032. We were aware of the landowner’s intention to apply through the fast-track legislation – however we were not part of the application as we did not want to prejudice or predetermine the outcome of the Māpua Masterplan process. However, the plans have presented no surprises and were largely consistent with the early Masterplan engagement. The Māpua Masterplan draft document is being considered for approval by the Council on 24 October, after which it is expected to go out for public consultation from 1 November. The Māpua Masterplan process will be finished by mid-2025 which means it can be used to guide our input into the process, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and carried out by an external expert consenting panel. The Fast-track Approvals Bill is currently before the Environment Select Committee which will report back to Parliament before its second reading in November. The Bill is expected to be passed into law before the end of the year. Projects included in the fast-track legislation will have to apply to the EPA once the legislation is passed.

We are pleased to say there’s been a very warm response to our community firewood event held at Moturoa/Rabbit Island over the weekend. This event enables us to responsibly deal with waste forestry wood, by making it available to members of our community in need of firewood. We tried a slightly different approach this year to ensure things ran smoothly and the wood went where it was needed the most, with a registration and ticketing system implemented with help from Fifeshire Foundation. We loaded 142 trailers or utes with firewood over the two days, raising $3,550 for the Fifeshire Foundation's winter grants in the process. This couldn’t have been achieved without the many volunteer hours put in by staff from Tasman District Council, PF Olsen, Downer, Fifeshire Foundation, and Steve Thompson Ltd. We’ve had an amazing response from attendees who were friendly, positive about the event, and grateful for the opportunity to access quality firewood with funds all going to a good cause. The impact that this event has had, not only on those who were able to attend, but also on those who will be able to apply for Fifeshire's winter grants for firewood or to help with power costs next winter, is huge. The scope of people within our community who benefited from the event was broad, which goes to show the many reasons that define need in Tasman. We had attendees who were single parents, older people, people on low incomes, parents navigating loss of employment, recovering from serious injuries, and many other really challenging situations. It's a small thing to be able to provide a load of firewood, but hopefully something that will make next winter a bit more comfortable for many.