Agenda of Environment and Services Committee

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 20 November 2013

SUBJECT: Biosecurity Operational Report and Future Strategy

Reason for Report

1. The Biosecurity Act 1993 requires Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), as management agency for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Strategy, to prepare an annual report on the operational plan and its implementation not later than 5 months after the end of each financial year.

2. This paper highlights key points in the 2012/2013 annual reports covering animal pests, plant pests, and phytosanitary pest management. Key highlights are

2.1. Possum initial control has now been completed over 97% of all rateable land within the region (approximately 1,000,000ha) and low possum numbers are being effectively maintained over this area. This has been achieved three years ahead of a target of 2016 set in 2001.

2.2. Rook numbers have declined rapidly since the current control approach was implemented 10 years ago.

2.3. Bird monitoring shows that tui numbers have increased three fold and bellbird have doubled within the urban pest management operational areas.

3. This papers also seeks endorsement of a trial, with an estimated cost of $65,000, for the use of chew card detection and targeted control of possums, and the integration of control of feral cats, stoats and ferrets on a project called Cape to City.

Comment

4. Copies of the annual report for HBRC’s activities with regard to Pest Plants and Animals is appended to this paper for Committee reference and are available to other parties on request. Highlights of the 2012/2013 financial year are as follows.

Animal Pests

Possums

5. Possum initial control has now been completed over 97% of all rateable land within the region (approximately 1,000,000ha) and low possum numbers are being effectively maintained over this area. This has been achieved three years ahead of a target of 2016 set in 2001.

6. During the 2012/13 year twenty five land occupiers, covering 16,082 hectares, had initial Possum Control Area (PCA) completed on their properties. This initial control was carried out with around a 40% reduction in the cost of control by integrating commercial fur harvesting into the initial control.

7. With the combined Possum Control Area and Tbfree programmes, 97% of the region’s rateable land now receives the economic, animal health and biodiversity benefits of sustained low possum numbers.

8. This excludes the approximately 25,000 ha in the Wairoa area where the 75% land user agreement threshold has not been met to allow PCA programmes to proceed.

9. A total of 28 land occupiers received initial maintenance facilitation visits during 2012/2013. There are now 2,390 land users who have received initial assistance, and are now managed as part of the ongoing maintenance phase.

10. Overall the PCA programme is highly successful with one of the lowest residual trapcatch results of any land user based programme of this kind in New Zealand. However many areas under maintenance have now been in the PCA programme for eight or more years with very low possum numbers over that time. Land user complacency regarding regular maintenance is a potential risk. Given the overall scale and success of the PCA programme land users not undertaking effective control on their land could be “carried” by the efforts of their neighbours.

11. A number of additional initiatives are being implemented by staff to ensure that the extent of the risk is better understood and where appropriate managed so that low possum numbers are maintained throughout the PCA programme in the long term. These include:

11.1. Additional monitoring both in general and specifically targeted to at risk properties.

11.2. The allocation of additional resources to directly contact land users whose control efforts may be insufficient to keep numbers low on their property.

11.3. Initiating and supporting research to assist in the most adaptive and cost effective control options long term.

11.4. Issuing notices of direction with enforcement follow up where required including the potential for default action.

Rooks

12. Rook numbers have declined rapidly since the current control approach was implemented 10 years ago.

13. The region is divided into two areas for rook control.

13.1. The portion of the region north of SH5 is known as the eradication zone. The objective for the area is to eradicate rooks.

13.2. The portion of the region south of SH5 is known as the control zone. The objective for this area is to control rooks.

14. In the 2012/13 year 95 active nests were treated across the eradication zone compared to 90 in the 2011/2012 financial year, and 686 active nests were aerial treated across the control zone compared to 657 in 2011/2012

15. The increase in nests treated in 2012/13 is believed to be as a result of rookeries south of SH5 moving north into the eradication zone and new rookeries being found as a result of increased communications and profile of the rook programme within the rural community. Farmer engagement has been very successful and is a key element in the eventual eradication of rooks from Hawke’s Bay.

Rabbits

16. While RHD continues to circulate within Hawke’s Bay, immunity to RHD is now widespread within rabbit populations. Isolated hot spots of high rabbit numbers are now being seen. Over the next 2-3 years these areas may require localised rabbit control operations. There has been a slight decrease in RHD immunity levels among rabbit populations monitored by blood sampling. Staff are unable to explain why this may have occurred.

17. A 900ha rabbit control operation was carried out within the Cape Sanctuary and some adjacent properties. This was the largest rabbit control operation in the Hawke’s Bay for 15 years. Control targets for this operation were delivered without incident.

Urban Pest Management

18. The urban pest management programme now covers over 10,000 ha and will continue to be progressively rolled out to other urban areas within the Hawke’s Bay region. Bird monitoring shows that tui numbers have increased three fold and bellbird have doubled within the urban pest management operational areas.

19. The programme began in 2008 and continues to be successfully completed over urban and peri-urban areas of Napier, Hastings and Havelock north. Overall public response to the urban pest management programme has been excellent.

20. A significant amount of work has taken place on argentine ants. The extent of known infestations of this pest is now mapped. An appropriate long term management response is being developed.

Plant Pests

21. The urban Privet programme is now delivering a much higher level of productivity through the use of a contractor, with the cost of privet removals from properties reduced from $525 to $260. Rapid progress on the reduction of privet is now being made in the urban environment. Staff are investigating the options to see if it is possible to more effectively link the control of privet directly to privet health related issues through allergy tests.

22. The removal of Pinus contorta on the 90 ha core area on multiple ownership Maori land at Rangitaiki has been completed.

23. Low incidence plants controlled were Climbing spindleberry, Cathedral bells, Blue passion flower, Phragmites and Asiatic knotweed.

Phytosanitary Pest Management Strategy

24. The Regional Phytosanitary Pest Management Strategy was drafted as a separate strategy to the Regional Plant Pest and Animal Pest Management Strategy (RPMS) as it is specific to the Pip Fruit Sector.

25. Hawke’s Bay Fruit Growers advise that this Strategy has been effective in enabling them to influence the effective management of abandoned and derelict orchards. Hawke’s Bay Fruit Growers’ Association have used this process with a number of growers over the past 5 years, with a satisfactory outcome being achieved without Council intervention.

26. Staff have met with representatives of Pipfruit NZ as well as representatives from Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers Association, Hawke’s Bay Grapegrowers’ Association, Hawke’s Bay Vegetable Growers’ Association and Kiwifruit and Berryfruit Growers. These groups are keen to work with HBRC to further develop this strategy to cover threats to their sectors, and to develop a more proactive approach to the early identification of disease and pest risks to their industries. Council staff propose to work with these industry groups to identify the most appropriate way to deliver more effective regional biosecurity risk management for these sectors.

Other

27. Staff continue to lead didymo coordination as a key regional stakeholder in the Hawke’s Bay East Coast regional response group.

Where to from Here

28. Staff are seeking Councillor endorsement of a trail to test a proposal to move land users on Council’s possum control area (PCA) programme to a new lower cost possum control maintenance technique and how this may be integrated with control of other pests such as feral cats, stoats and ferrets.

29. If successful, staff believe that the new technique has the potential to be able to be implemented across the majority of Council’s PCA programme. The new technique may provide the opportunity to reduce land user based possum maintenance control costs by 50-80%. Alternatively it may allow control of other pests such as feral cats, stoats and ferrets to be integrated into land user pest control for additional outcomes but at a similar land user cost to the current programme.

Background

30. In 2000 Hawke’s Bay Regional Council began its possum control area programme. Possums impact on pasture and crops, are vectors for bovine tuberculosis, and eat native flora and fauna. There is now just over 500,000 ha and 2,200 land users on the programme. The programme has been delivered with Council undertaking the initial knock down of possums and land users having a requirement to undertake ongoing maintenance. Annual land user maintenance is either undertaken using a contractor or by doing their own control at around a cost of $2 per hectare per annum. Initial possum control has been completed and monitoring results across the programme show that overall possum numbers are now low.

Discussion

31. The Hawke’s Bay PCA programme is a large programme with significant farming community involvement and land user commitment to annual maintenance. Ongoing land user maintenance has ensured that possum numbers are now very low across the region.

32. Possum populations are traditionally measured by “trap catch”. Under this method possum traps are set according to a strict protocol. One possum caught by 100 traps set for 1 night is referred to as a 1% residual trap catch (rtc). The PCA programme requires land users to maintain possums at below 5% rtc. The average residual trap catch for all monitoring undertaken throughout the 2012/13 was 2.2% rtc.

33. Over the last ten years there have been significant advances in understanding possum biology, monitoring and control. The scale of the PCA programme and the low possum numbers within it now provide the opportunity to benefit from some of these advances in a way which may significantly reduce the cost of possum control maintenance.

34. Advances in possum biology, population recovery, and computer modelling allow a greater understand of how long it takes possum populations to recover after control. Modelling shows it could take 3-6 years for low possum numbers to recover back towards the 5% rtc compliance rule in the Regional Pest Management Plan.

35. Over the last 3-5 years a monitoring technique to detect possums using small cards which are chewed on to show possum presence has been developed and refined. This technique allows for possum presence to be mapped with confidence across a property. Where possum numbers are low possum control then be targeted to where possums have been detected.

36. Costs for this control are estimated to be approx $2-$2.50 per hectare but could be done every three to six years thus reducing the cost by 50-80%. Until now land users have been strongly encouraged to do annual possum control maintenance because there have not been cost effective techniques to confidently map possum presence.

37. Alternatively it may also provide an option for farmers to integrate control of other pests such as feral cats, stoats and ferrets into their pest control for at no more than the current cost.

38. Staff propose to trial the use of chew card detection and targeted control for possums on a project called Cape to City. Cape to City links the highly successful private restoration project Cape Sanctuary funded by Julian Robertson and Andy Lowe, the rural PCA programme and Council’s urban pest management programme. Cape to City will test the operational delivery of chew card maintenance for possum control within the project area. It will verify whether possum control maintenance timeframes can be significantly lengthened with no reduction in the economic, animal health or biodiversity outcomes currently being delivered by the PCA programme.

39. Cape to City will also further develop the concept that predators such as feral cats, stoats and ferrets could be integrated into the possum control programme at no extra cost to deliver additional outcomes for the farming community.

Financial and Resource Implications

40. The Cape to City PCA chew card maintenance trial would be funded from within biosecurity section existing budgets with a delivery cost of approximately $65,000.

Decision Making Process

41. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained in Part 6 Sub Part 1 of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded the following:

41.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.

41.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.

41.3. The decision does not fall within the definition of Council’s policy on significance.

41.4. The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

41.5. Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, Council can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Recommendation

That the Environment and Services Committee:

1. Receives and notes the “Biosecurity Operational” reports for activities undertaken during the 2012/2013 financial year.

The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

2. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted policy on significance and that Council can exercise its discretion under Sections 79(1)(a) and 82(3) of the Local Government Act 2002 and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community and persons likely to be affected by or to have an interest in the decision due to the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided.

3. Endorses a trial, with an estimated cost of $65,000, for the use of chew card detection and targeted control of possums, and the integration of control of feral cats, stoats and ferrets on a project called Cape to City.

Campbell Leckie

Manager Land Services

Mike Adye

Group Manager

Asset Management

Attachment/s

1 View

2012-2013 Combined Plant & Animal Annual Report

2012-2013 Combined Plant & Animal Annual Report

Attachment 1

1.0 Introduction

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is the management agency for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Strategy (RPMS). As the management agency, Council is required to prepare an Operational Plan that sets out how the RPMS is to be implemented. The Operational Plan is reviewed annually and at the end of each financial year, staff will report to Council on the implementation of the operational plan.

This is the combined Plant Pest and Animal Pest Annual Report for the 2012/2013 year relating to the Operational Plan for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Animal Pest and Plant Pest Management Strategy (RPMS).

2.0 Plant Pests

The RPMS lists a total of 23 plant species as pests, which have been divided into three management categories as listed in Table 1 below.

For each of these plant pest categories, the Annual Report provides a brief description of what activities Council undertook in the 2012/2013 year. Information on the budgets for plant pest control is provided in Council’s annual report.

2.1 Total Control plant pests

The RPMS defines a Total Control plant pest as one that is of limited distribution in the region, and the long-term goal is its eventual eradication.

Seventeen plants are listed as Total Control with nine of these Total Control plants being occupier responsibility plant pests.

The RPMS places the onus of control of these plant pests on the land occupier with enforcement being the key management tool. However, the Operational Plan recognises differences in the way some of these plants are managed. Table 2 provides a brief explanation of activities associated with Total Control plants where Biosecurity officers take a more active role in their management.

Table 1: Plant Pests

Total Control Plant Pests

(Occupier Responsibility)

Total Control (Service Delivery)

Containment Control Plant Pests

Apple of sodom, Australian sedge, Chilean needle grass, Cotton thistle, Japanese honeysuckle, Old man’s beard, Pinus contorta, Saffron thistle, Woolly nightshade.

Phragmites, African Feather Grass, Goats Rue, Nassella tussock, Privet, Spiny emex, White edged nightshade, Yellow water lily

Bathurst bur, Blackberry, Gorse, Nodding thistle, Ragwort, and Variegated thistle

There are two types of Total control plants. Some are low incidence, where we feel we can handle without these being in the RPMS, (examples of these are Cathedral bells and Blue passion flower), and some are quite widespread (Saffron thistle and Chilean needle grass).

Table 2: Actively Managed Total Control Plants

PLANT	DAYS	EXPLANATION
Apple of Sodom	10	Main problem areas are several farms in the Seafield Road area but improvements are made each year. Time spent ranging and controlling is getting less each year. Isolated plants are removed by staff.
African feathergrass	5	Majority of control work is done down the Ngaruroro River by the Operations Group. Clearance work on private land done by Plant pest staff.
Australian sedge	15	Only found in Wairoa district. Majority of work subsidised through the incentive scheme and done by contractors.
Chilean needle grass	61	Staff continuously visit known sites and inspect surrounding areas for possible spread. New subdivisions are being closely monitored and all machinery is required to be washed down and inspected prior to leaving contaminated sites. Soil movement, stock movement and contaminated vehicles continue to be a concern. New infested properties are found each year. Taskforce has now been used for two years; results have been encouraging with reasonable landowner uptake. All roadside and river infestations controlled by Plant pest staff.
Cotton thistle	2	Largest area (Landcorp) is subsidised. Staff control all other infestations in conjunction with private landowners. Numbers were very low this year.
Goats rue	1	Staff monitor all roadside areas and Eskdale area. Plants only found in Eskdale area and at one roadside area in Central Hawke’s Bay this year.
Japanese honeysuckle	4	Tutira area administered by Transit and DoC has all been sprayed. Private land surrounding this has been sprayed by landowners. Tutira Country Park infestations have been sprayed by contractors.
Nassella tussock	2	Work on this plant is now all done by contractors. Plant numbers are slowly reducing although there is still a large seed bank. The new site found two years ago in the Tukituki area was sprayed with Taskforce, the numbers are still high but have reduced significantly.
Yellow water lily	1	Spraying has taken place on a dam off Atua Road. Horseshoe Lake is now clear of this Plant Pest.
Old man’s beard	48	Main control areas at present are north of the Napier-Taupo Highway and in areas of high biodiversity value. Work continues in rivers controlled by Council.
Phragmites	6	Infested areas were sprayed by contractors and Plant Pest staff and funded by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) One new site was found and sprayed for the first time in the Puketitiri area.
Pinus contorta	10	Continue to work closely with DoC, a joint operation completed in the Napier/Taihape Road area. Work on four Maori owned blocks in the Waipunga Falls area was carried out by contractors . Staff control isolated plants found on roadsides.
Privet	198	Large numbers were removed, some by field officers but mainly through the contractor. Out of a total of 424 properties where Privet was removed, contractors dealt with 352 of these properties . Of these 352 properties, 41 were in Wairoa. Management programmes continue to be popular with hedges.
Saffron thistle	19	Continuous monitoring during growing season. A lot of resources continue to be put into the Havelock hills area where the infestations have been bad in previous years. Numbers were very low due to a wet summer the previous year.
Spiny emex	5	Staff monitor continuously and remove isolated plants.
White edged nightshade	1	Very few plants found.
Woolly nightshade	40	36 new sites were found this season after an extensive monitoring and publicity programme. The total number of active sites in the urban area is now at 115, which includes 17 in Wairoa.

Table 3 Biodiversity plants

PLANT	DAYS	EXPLANATION
Climbing spindleberry	1		Annually sprayed by contractors. Difficult climber to control especially in river areas.
Cathedral bells	2		All known rural sites are being controlled by contractors or staff. A few sites are clear now.
Darwin’s barberry	7		Two infestations, one at Gwavas and one at Puketitiri, checked. Control work continues on Gwavas and Puketitiri infestation. An extensive surveillance and control programme increased at Puketitiri using student labour. Some of the funding for the Puketitiri infestation has been sourced from the Biodiversity fund.
Other plants	11		This includes Moth plant, Blue passion flower, Banana passionfruit, Purple ragwort plus a whole range of plants that the public are concerned about.
High risk sites	56		This category includes QE11, old homestead sites, picnic areas, river access sites and dump areas.
Biological control	16		Staff continuously monitor release sites and re-release where needed. Two releases of Tradescantia beetles were purchased and released in the Wairoa area. One release of Broom gall mite was distributed in the Puketitiri area.
National plant pest accord.	12		All known plant sales outlets were inspected in Hawke’s Bay. No issues found.

We have taken a pro-active stance on the low incidence plants, in order to gain control before they become high incidence plants. These are being controlled with the property owner’s permission.

2.2 Pinus contorta

Pinus contorta is mainly a problem in areas that are close to conservation land. This tree is extremely invasive and will displace all other plants if allowed to continue uncontrolled.

This is the ninth year of council funded control work on multiple ownership land at Rangitaiki. We have now cleared all of the 90 hectare core area. In both the core area and the satellite area seedlings are constantly sprouting and will need active management in future years.

The Maori trustees of the East Taupo Lands Trust are still considering their options regarding developing the land cleared of contorta into either productive farmland or forestry, with the intention of generating a commercial return for the trust. A significant additional benefit to developing the land as farmland or forestry will mean that council’s ongoing costs for maintenance control on regrowth from the substantial contorta seedbed will be reduced.

A joint surveillance and control programme between HBRC and DOC was carried out over some of the Owhaoka B and D blocks adjacent to Ngamatea station. This operation covered over 4,000 hectares.

This year the areas of Pinus contorta that were controlled in the Rangitaiki area were:

· Four Maori owned blocks, totalling 481ha, around the Waipunga Falls. Trees were controlled by a combination of felling by ground crews and spot spraying from a helicopter. A small wetland area on a Matea Road farm immediately adjacent to SH5

· Properties in the Taharua Road area continued control programmes started in previous years.

2.3 CHILEAN NEEDLE GRASS/NASSELLA TUSSOCK

Chilean needle grass and Nassella tussock are two very difficult grasses to control. Chilean needle grass in particular was at the stage where, with the current control tools available, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council was only able to contain it to the areas it was currently in.

After six years of significant investment in the registration process the Marlborough District Council, in partnership with HBRC and Environment Canterbury, have gained registration of the herbicide Flupropanate for the control of Chilean needle grass and Nassella tussock.

Further efficacy and residue trials are still required by the Environmental Protection Agency to provide more information to retain this registration. These trials have started and will continue over the next three years. Flupropanate gives long term residual control against Chilean needle grass and Nassella tussock.

Environment Canterbury has gained a three year SFF grant for $300,000 to raise landowner awareness of Chilean needle grass. HBRC is involved in this project which will help find new sites in Hawke’s Bay.

3.0 Boundary Control Plants

Enforcement is the key management tool for Boundary Control plants. These plants are identified during the surveillance process but controls are only enforced if their location contravenes the rules of the Regional Plant Pest Strategy (e.g. gorse within 10 metres of a neighbour’s boundary providing that boundary is clear), and only if there is a complaint.

There has been very little action on these plants.

PLANT	Response
Bathurst bur	Responded to queries and advised on control measures.
Blackberry	Complaints dealt with.
Gorse	No complaints received.
Nodding thistle	Biological controls are greatly assisting in the control of this plant. Complaints are now very limited.
Ragwort	Very little chemical applied. Biological control has this plant well controlled in most areas.
Variegated thistle.	Complaints dealt with.

4.0 Surveillance Plants

The plants listed in the RPMS as surveillance plants include a wide range of species. Some of these plants are extremely difficult to control (e.g. all the aquatics) while others pose no significant risk to the environment, economic production or human health (e.g. wild oat). All Surveillance Plants are banned from sale, propagation or distribution.

5.0 Non-Statutory Plants

5.1 Blue passion flower

Work was again undertaken by a contractor and field staff in the Taradale area after complaints from property owners of this plant spreading onto their properties from a drain in the area. Information has been circulated to residents in the area to identify where other areas of infestation may be and to try and make landowners aware of this plant so they can control it . Over 100 urban/lifestyle properties have had this plant controlled on them.

It appears that this was originally dumped in the drain, and has since spread to gardens and also into a small forest area. This plant, while being quite pretty, has no other redeeming qualities. It is inedible and is mainly spread by birds.

5.2 Climbing spindleberry

This plant is found in the Central Hawke’s Bay area along the banks of the Waipawa River. This area has been previously mapped by helicopter to give us an accurate measure of what we are dealing with.

This season all known sites were sprayed by contractors.

5.3 Cathedral bells

This has been found on seven rural sites and is being controlled by contractors or Plant pest staff annually. Another very pretty plant that was introduced into these rural gardens, this plant has since got out of control and is now threatening native bush areas. While this grows in a number of urban gardens, it does not pose the same problem that it does in the rural area.

5.4 Asiatic knotweed

This was reported to us by an ex DoC staff member. It is in the Tuai area and has been sprayed by a contractor. A very invasive plant that will smother native plants especially those lower growing ones. This is the only site that we know of in Hawke’s Bay.

5.5 DIDYMO

A Hawke’s Bay Didymo Stakeholders Group was formed to draw up a Didymo Incursion Response Plan, to raise awareness of the ‘Check Clean Dry’ message with waterway users, and allow an effective response if Didymo is found within Hawke’s Bay waterways.

This group comprising of members from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Department of Conservation, Fish and Game, Iwi, Genesis and other interested groups, meets annually.

A Didymo Response Plan has been written up and responsibilities assigned to each member in the event of an incursion. A student was hired by HBRC, financed by a grant from the Ministry of Primary Industries, over the summer to raise awareness of Didymo and other aquatic plant pests. Contact with all waterway user groups was achieved over this period. Databases of waterway users (which will provide rapid communication in an incursion event), and access points to waterways to give an overall geographical understanding of all waterway entry sites in an incursion event, was updated.

6.0 Surveillance Programme

More focus has been put into Total Control plants and plants of concern such as Phragmites, Woolly nightshade, Old man’s beard and Pinus contorta.

During each property inspection, the officer records plant pests found on individual farm maps. During monitoring staff are using previously gathered information to assess whether or not infestations have spread or contracted. During visits officers take the opportunity to discuss any relevant concerns with the occupier.

Urban work continues to have a high profile, particularly Privet. This season we received a large amount of complaints, mainly due to the public being far more aware of Privet and the effects it has on human health.

Boundary control plants have been actively managed on receiving a valid complaint, or upon receiving a specific request for advice on control. The amount of time now spent in this area is minimal with only 11.5 hours recorded to this.

The surveillance work involves farm visits and providing information on request from ratepayers in both the Urban and Rural sectors. A summary of contacts during the year is as follows:

Biosecurity Officer Visits	Number
Rural visits	1230
Urban and industrial visits	1738
Nurseries and pet shop visits	51

7.0 Annual Monitoring of Previously Identified Infestations

In each year’s monitoring new infestations have been identified, but of the known sites no plant pests have been completely eradicated. Follow-up monitoring of these sites is needed in each succeeding year. Each year all plants are controlled but in the next year new plants germinate requiring continued and intensive monitoring.

7.1 Surveillance of railway Land

Staff have an excellent working relationship with Treescape, the contractors who have responsibility for vegetation control in Hawke’s Bay. Staff submit a plan to the Area Supervisor annually, identifying areas that need control. Treescape then does the work when required. This procedure enables our staff to control plant pests along the railway tracks throughout the region in a systematic manner.

7.2 STATE HIGHWAY AND District Road Monitoring

A good working relationship has been developed between staff and NZ Transport Agency, as well as both Central Hawke’s Bay and Hastings District Councils, for the clearance of roadside weeds. When weeds are cleared from roadsides, staff ensure that the adjacent property owner also clears their side. Both of these District Councils have been very cooperative in setting up no-mow zones when Chilean needle grass is seeding in November/ December.

NZTA provides an additional budget to control plant pests, on their roadsides, such as Old man’s beard, Japanese honeysuckle and Pampas. This budget is managed by HBRC staff which ensures that these plant pests are controlled at the optimum time.

8.0 Nurseries and Pet Shops

All known nurseries in the Hawke’s Bay area have been visited at least once to ensure that no plants banned for sale under the National Plant Pest Accord are being stocked.

9.0 REGULATORY

Three Notices of Direction were issued, with some still current, to Contractors or landowners who are involved with earthmoving on infested properties.

10.0 Education and Publicity

The objective of these activities is to reach a wider community than can be achieved through farm visits. In this the team work with the Environment Education section of the Council. Activities this year have included:

10.1 Plant Pest Display

No displays were done in this financial year.

10.2 News Articles

The following topics have been printed in the media – newspaper, local newspapers:

· Chilean needle grass

· Didymo

· Mothplant

· Woolly nightshade

· Blue passionflower

· Purple ragwort

A pamphlet on Blue passionflower was distributed in the Taradale West and Clive areas and a pamphlet on Purple ragwort was distributed in the Havelock North area.

10.3 Presentations

Didymo presentations were given to several clubs associated with freshwater activities. A talk on plant pests was given at EIT.

11.0 Biological Control

A Biocontrol Strategy is currently being worked on by Regional Councils. This Strategy may lead to more funding for Biocontrol as well as cost savings in the delivery of Biocontrol Programmes.

Landcare Research has moved to annual contracts to provide biological control agents and to provide a specified set of services. Last year Council contracted Landcare Research to:

· Audit the effectiveness of Biological Control

· Develop new Biological Control Projects.

· Plant identification service

· Provide two days of training on advanced biological control.

Landcare Research is continuing to evaluate/import possible biological controls for Aquatic weeds, Japanese honeysuckle, Woolly nightshade, Chinese privet, Field horsetail, Mothplant, Tradescantia, Pampas, Darwin’s barberry, Wild ginger, Old man’s beard, Tutsan and Banana passionfruit.

Two Tradescantia Beetle releases were purchased and released in the Wairoa area. One release of Broom gall mite was sourced from Wellington Regional Council and released in the Puketitiri area.

12.0 Plant Pest Subsidy Scheme

The scheme was set up to provide assistance to landowners in undertaking control programmes.

Type	Number	Amount ($)
Rural		$ 43,488.33
Urban		$ 609.00

The rural applications were mainly for work done on the plants Chilean needle grass and Old man’s beard.

13.0 Conclusion

All the objectives set out in the Operational Plan for the year have been achieved with the exception of completing two displays.

The monitoring system carried out this year has continued to target Total control plants (particularly Old man’s beard, Woolly nightshade and Pinus contorta) and the areas surrounding them, areas of high risk, QE11’s, dump sites, creeks-drains and rivers and areas that are presently being controlled for low incidence plants.

Subdivision activities are monitored by staff to ensure compliance, which has been good this year. The Regional Pest Management Strategy includes some additional measures to help manage the risks created when subdivisions are developed on Total Control plant sites.

14.0 Animal Pests

The RPMS contains two classes of animal pests, Regional Control Animal Pests and Site Specific Animal Pests.

RPMS Classification

Animal Species

Regional control

Animal pests

· Possums

· Rabbits

· Rooks

Site specific control

Animal pests

· Feral goats

· Feral deer (red deer, Sika deer, and fallow deer); Feral pigs

· Mustelids (weasels, ferrets, and stoats)

· Feral cats

· Rats (Norway and ship rats).

For each of these two animal pest classifications, the Annual Report provides a brief description of what activities the Council has undertaken in the 2012/2013 year.

15.0 Possum Control Areas (PCA’s)

The control of possums is the major focus of Council’s animal pest control programme. The strategy objective for possum control is:

Strategy Objective: That by 30 June 2016 possum control measures will be operating over 900,000 hectares of productive land, ensuring that possum density on that land is below 5% trap catch.

To achieve this objective Council forms Possum Control Areas (PCAs) with the support and assistance of land occupiers. Within PCAs, Council arranges for initial possum control to a 3% residual trap catch (rtc) using pest control contractors. Occupiers who have received such control are required to maintain possum numbers at or below a 5% rtc.

15.1 PCA Sign-up

There are no PCA signups for 2012/2013 as initial control has been completed

15.2 2012/2013 PCA Initial Control

Initial control in PCA’s is usually achieved through the use of pest control contractors working under input-based contracts. The 12/13 initial control has been completed very cost effectively through the integration of commercial fur harvesting into the initial control process. The following section of the report details the amount of initial control completed in the 2012/2013 year. A total of 16,082 hectares of initial control was completed in the 2012-2013 financial year.

Table 2: 2012/2013 PCA Initial Control

Possum Control Areas	Hectares	RTC Results 5% Targets
Cross Hills	3,937	2.3%
Eripiti	3,735	5%
Mangaroa	3,620	3%
Pohora	4,790	4.7%
Totals	16,082

The contract specifications for these and subsequent PCA initial control contracts required the contractors to provide council with an assessment of individual properties within a PCA. These assessments record the control methods used, numbers of possums taken, areas of technical difficulty and risk areas that occupiers will need to be aware of as they implement their maintenance programmes.

2012/2013 PCA Advisory program

Once a PCA has received initial control to a 3% rtc, occupiers in the PCA are required to maintain possum numbers at or below a 5% rtc. The Biosecurity Advisory Team assists occupiers in PCA’s in achieving this requirement and encourages them to engage a contractor to undertake maintenance. Table 3 below shows the PCAs that have received their first round of maintenance facilitation by the Biosecurity Advisory Team during the 2012/2013 year.

Table 3: Initial Facilitation 2012/2013

PCA	Occupiers	Hectares	% Of Occupiers Utilizing Maintenance Contractors
Ruakituri	4	4,114	50%
Te Ringa	4	4,008	50%
Mahurangi	10	6,627	80%
Tukemokihi	2	6,374	50%
Anewa	2	1,851	50%
Aramatua	1	1,460	100%
Totals	23	24,434

The Animal Pest Operational Plan refers to three types of PCA monitoring:

Trend Monitoring:	Trend monitoring will be carried out over PCA’s to provide an indication of the success of the programme and to provide an early warning of any possible problem areas.
Education Monitoring:	Monitoring will be undertaken over individual properties to determine the success of individuals control methods. This is used as a tool to determine how effective control is as opposed to compliance monitoring which is used to assess compliance with the strategy rule.
Compliance Monitoring:	Monitoring undertaken to determine compliance with a Notice of Direction.

(a) Trend Monitoring 12/13

Trend monitoring was carried out through the following PCA’s to provide an indication of the success of the programme. The RTC compliance target is 5%.

PCA	Monitoring Type	Hectares	Monitoring Lines	Residual Trap Catch (rtc%)	Monitoring Lines > 5%
Hatuma	Trend	12,099	40	1.0%	4
Aropaoanui	Trend	5,900	21	3.2%	3
Tangoio	Trend	7,446	19	0.4%	0
Flemington	Trend	11,486	40	0.3%	0
Cookstooth	Trend	9,755	40	0.4%	1
Kuru	Trend	3,524	20	0.1%	0
Mangaorapa	Trend	5,726	28	0.1%	0
Ngahape	Trend	6,185	34	1.1%	3
Weber	Trend	12,912	40	0%	0
Te Uri	Trend	5,840	34	0.3%	1
Ohuia	Trend	9,990	40	0.5%	1
Ridgemount	Trend	6,540	29	1.8%	4
Takapau	Trend	6,501	35	0.4%	1
Totals		103,904	420	0.7%	18

(b) Education Monitoring 12/13

Education monitoring was undertaken on the following properties to assess the effectiveness of individual landowners’ possum maintenance program.

PCA	Occupier	Hectares	Monitoring Lines	Residual Trap Catch (rtc%)	Monitoring Lines > 5%
Ongaonga	G Beachen	175	5	0.0%	0
Bayview	J Ferguson	1,321	12	1.3%	1
Te Ranga	A Pask	800	7	2.9%	2
Waimarama A	C Chesterman	1,029	10	1.5%	1
Poukawa	C Baker	42	4	1.7%	0
Poukawa	D Hansen	34	4	1.1%	0
Poukawa	D Hansen	47	4	2.1%	0
Poukawa	D Hansen	52	4	1.7%	1
Mangaraurau	G Wind	518	5	0.0%	0
Mangaraurau	G Wind	846	9	0.0%	0
Mangaraurau	G Wind	448	5	0.0%	0
Mangaraurau	G Knobloch	448		0.0%	0
Mahia	M Watson	524	5	3.3%	1
Porangahau	M Gordon	1,841	9	1.1%	0
Porangahau	M Gordon	868	9	1.0%	0
Porangahau	M Gordon	410	4	0.0%	0
Porangahau	M Henderson	625	6	1.1%	0
Porangahau	J Hobson	372	4	3.3%	0
Porangahau	A Rickey	568	6	0.3%	0
Porangahau	C Russell	450	5	0.0%	0
Ongaonga	S Taylor	94	4	0.0%	0
Te Ranga	B Edwards	1,190	11	3.3%	0
Te Ranga	R Wedd	525	5	0.0%	0
Poukawa	A Field	441	4	1.7%	0
Middle Road	A Field	411	6	0.0%	0
Tikokino South	W Kittow	276	4	5.0%	0
Tikokino South	A Titchmarsh	320	4	1.3%	0
Rangitoto	J Aitken	675	7	0.0%	0
Rangitoto	T Chittick	54	4	0.0%	0
Rangitoto	P Kittow	448	5	0.0%	0
Wanstead	S Twigg	379	4	1.7%	0
Totals		16,231	106	1.1%	6

PCA	Occupier	Hectares	Monitoring Lines	Residual Trap Catch (rtc%)	Monitoring Lines > 5%
Tangoio	HDC	9	2	10.8%	2

PCA	Occupier	Hectares	Monitoring Lines	Residual Trap Catch (rtc%)	Monitoring Lines > 5%
Ridgemount	DOC	80	3	2.2%	0
Tangoio	DOC	9	5	4.3%	2
Aropaoanui	DOC	62	3	7.2%	2
Hatuma	DOC	40	2	8.3%	1
Hatuma	DOC	200	3	1.7%	0
Totals	DOC	391	16	5.8%	5

PCA	Occupier	Hectares	Monitoring Lines	Residual Trap Catch (rtc%)	Monitoring Lines > 5%
Aropaoanui	A Fleming	832	10	5.0%	3
Aropaoanui	A Fleming	495	9	0.0%	0
Tangoio	A Fleming	156	3	4.4%	1
Aropaoanui	S Bell	268	5	5.3%	2
Ridgemount	S Bell	359	5	4.0%	2
Ridgemount	S Bell	201	6	3.1%	2
Tangoio	S Bell	288	6	5.6%	3
Tangoio	S Bell	648	7	3.3%	2
Ohuia	S Bell	555	6	6.1%	3
Ridgemount	R Pocknell	373	3	9.4%	3
Ridgemount	R Kearns		4	6.3%	2
Tangoio	HBRC	223	3	3.3%	1
Tangoio	P Reid	122	4	1.7%	0
Tangoio	P Reid	679	9	7.4%	9
Tangoio	P Reid	375	5	5.3%	3
Tangoio	P Reid	1,155	10	2.0%	3
Weber	P McCarthy	1,111	9	0.7%	1
Weber	P McCarthy	768	6	0.2%	0
Totals	Forestry	8,607	110	4.1%	40

* RPMS requires occupiers to maintain possum numbers below a 5% rtc once they have received initial control.

The Advisory team also follows up with all landowners who’s properties have returned catch trap lines of 5% or greater.

Overall the results of the education monitoring conducted are extremely encouraging. All land occupiers involved have been commended for their efforts.

The Advisory Team have issued 4 Notices of Directions to non-compliant landowners over the 12/13 period.

PCA	Occupier	Hectares	Monitoring Lines	Education Monitoring RTC Results	Compliance RTC Results
Middle Road	A Field	411	6	20%	0.0%

15.3 Incentive Scheme

The subsidy scheme continues to operate well with full support from Farm Lands Trading and Farm Gear Hawke’s Bay. All products subsidised through the subsidy scheme now carry a 50% subsidy weighting. The subsidy scheme is available to all Hawke’s Bay ratepayers and is heavily used and supported by occupiers in the PCA programme.

15.4 Hazardous Substances and New organisms (HSNO) LISCENCING

Council fully subsidises the costs incurred by land users in obtaining a controlled substances licence. This ensures that there are minimal barriers to land users being licensed to use cost effective possum control techniques.

16.0 QEII Covenants in PCA’s

All land occupiers in Possum Control Areas with QE11 covenants are employing maintenance contractors to carry out their possum maintenance over their entire properties. The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is picking up all labour and materials cost associated with QE11’s greater than 20 hectares, and material cost only for QE11’s less than 20 hectares.

The following table outlines the QE11’s that are in the PCA program that are currently receiving assistance by the Regional Council.

16.1 QE11’s Receiving Assistance With In The PCA Program

PCA	Occupier	Hectares	QE11 Hectares
Baker One	P Allport	644	4.3
Baker One	J Hunter	729	42.9
Baker One	H Mclean	535	23
Baker One	J Pharazyn	1,985	?
Baker One	B Ritchie	818	20
Baker Two	C McHardy	1,205	6.7
Baker Two	B Ritchie	471	6.7
Elsthorpe Kairakau	J Greer	1,300	26.1
Elsthorpe Kairakau	E Potter	570	110
Flemington	D Von-Dadelszen	733	14.6
Flemington	Purimu Lake		20
Hautope	G Hart	418	20
Mahia	P Haynes	464	50
Mahia	Onenui Stn	3,200	200
Makarora	C Preston	669	56
Mangamahaki	K Baldwin	464	7.7
Mangamahaki	A Ormond	846	?
Motere	C Dooney	285	16.2
Motere	D Humphries	695	20
Motere	C Wiggins	1,400	33.4
Ongaonga	H Swinburn	551	15.1
Ongaonga	S Talbot	279	279
Ongaonga	N Turnbull	335	70
Porangahau	A Mcklow	371	10
Porangahau	B Ritchie	314	21.6
Pourerere Kairakau	D Harty	867	9.1
Tikokino	T Atken	402	6
Tikokino	T Butler		20
Tikokino	D Holden	1,599	26.5
Tikokino	S McDonald	324	12.4
Tikokino	T Walters	3,927	120
Tikokino	G Williams	924	27.1
Waimarama “B”	L MacGillivary	314	22.5
Waimarama “B”	S Stewart	512	15.5
Wallingford	J Ormond	972	20
Wanstead	P Dearden	931	60.7
Marumaru	Campbell/Snelling	102	102

17.0 River Berm

Council has undertaken a number of possum control operations on Council managed river berm land. This has been done as a good neighbour, to meet Council’s obligations under the Strategy, and to complement the control being carried out by adjacent land users on the PCA programme.

18.0 Rooks

The 2012/2013 financial year saw the implementation of another highly successful large scale aerial and ground rook control programme. Excellent contractors, combining aerial and ground experience and innovation, have provided the basis for this success.

All known rookeries in both the Control and Eradication Zones during 12/13 rook, season where aerially treated utilizing a under slung strop man applying DRC 1339 gel bait directly into nests. A total of 781 nests were treated in this manner. Post control inspections on some of these rookeries indicate that previous control has been successful with greatly reduced activity in treated rookeries.

All 29 rook enquires were responded to during the year with approximately 580 rooks poisoned on bait lines utilizing bread and maze baits.

Map 1: Aerial Rook Control 2012-2013

Graph 1: Rook Nests Trends

19.0 Rabbits

Regional surveillance was continued during 2012/2013 to ensure that Council's current reliance on rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) to continue to control rabbits in the region is appropriate, and to provide an early warning system if RHD becomes less effective as a rabbit control tool across the region.

A total of 27 rabbit enquiries for advice and assistance were received over the last 12 months of which all have been dealt with on an individual basis. Assistance was provided in the form of Environment Topic handouts, verbal advice, and in some cases demonstrations on the use of pindone pellets for rabbit control.

Map 2 RHD Sample Sites and Rabbit Night Count Line Locations.

19.1 Night Counts

Night counting data available from 21 regional night count lines indicate an increase in rabbit densities across the region (Graph 2) from 2.1 rabbits per kilometre to 4.1 rabbits per kilometre.

Graph 2: Rabbit Night Count Trends

19.2 RHD

Blood samples were obtained from rabbits by a contractor who is trained in a MAF approved method. Blood samples were taken from 199 rabbits from 15 sites across the Region.

On recommendation from Landcare Research, samples were gathered during the autumn and an eye sample from each rabbit obtained so each rabbit could be aged. A total of 199 samples were obtained in areas from Mahia to Porangahau which were then analysed by AgResearch in Wallaceville.

Immunity to RHD on a regional basis was detected to a slightly lesser extent in a larger number of areas compared to the previous surveys. This indicates that RHD immunity has decreased in some rabbit populations in the region.

Council has also supported the re importation of RHD Calcivirus suspension from the Manufacturing laboratories in Australia, through the RCV user group.

The virus is also likely to be in some of the other areas not sampled, as feedback from land users suggested they had seen evidence of it.

Graph 3: RHD Yearly Trends

20.0 Biodiversity Projects

The following table outlines the Biodiversity Projects that have received assistance from the Biosecurity animal pest section of Council. These projects form a wide range of initiatives from working with individual land users through to projects with significant local community involvement. Most projects have a strong focus on predator control to restore native birdlife.

Project	Hectares	Location
Whakaki Wet land Trust	577	Wairoa
Guthrie Smith Arboretum	84	Tutira
Campbell / Snelling	102	Wairoa
MacIntosh	20	Tutira
Waipatiki Valley	68	Waipatiki
Blowhard Bush	63	Kaweka
Te Mata	30	Havelock North
Ouepoto Dotterel	12	Aramoana
Karituwhenua Stream Landcare Trust	6	Havelock North
Maungataniwha Forest Trust	6,637	Willowflat
Lake Waikaremoana Hapu Restoration Trust	400	Tuai
Waitangi Wetland	11	Napier
Robinson QE11	40	Takapau
Gallen/Latty QE11	42	Te Pohue
Pekapeka	98	STH 2
Tukituki Ponds	3	Haumoana
ECOED	3200	Kaweka
Westshore Wildlife Reserve (NDC)	20	Westshore
Tutira Country Park	460	Tutira
Muddy Creek	63	Clive
Opoutama Wet Land	68	Mahia
Hartree’s Reserve QE11	213	Puketitiri
Taramoa Stn		Puketitiri

21.0 Education and Advice

The Biosecurity team continue to post regular articles in The Big Picture, concentrating on rabbits, RHD, rooks, PCA updates and the use of maintenance contractors.

Environment Topics have been updated or rewritten. There are now currently 21 assorted topics covering all aspects of animal pest control, and in some cases invertebrate pest control such as wasps, as well as PDF file formats now available on the Councils web site.

22.0 Research initiatives

There was one research project completed:

BRODIFACOUM TRIAL

Science provider: Landcare Research

Funding source: Biosecurity research budget

· Objective – This research project undertook a sampling trial of a range of vertebrates and invertebrates within PCA’s that have had brodifacoum based baitstation control for possums. The trial looked at PCA’s that have been in the programme for varying lengths of time and included control areas that have had no brodifacoum used (organic farms). The initial research results showed that the use of brodifacoum in baitstations within the PCA programme has not created “hotspot” areas of high brodifacoum levels within PCA’s

OUTCOMES MONITORING

Folia Browse Index Monitoring (FBI)

· Work is ongoing to assess the positive benefits for native trees from the Possum Control Area programme. The results to date show excellent levels of vegetation recovery.

Bird count monitoring

· Monitoring has been completed on one urban site (Napier hill) and one rural site (Kuru range) to assess native bird numbers prior to possum control taking place. Follow up monitoring indicated tui have increased threefold and Bellbird have doubled in the urban areas monitored after 24 months.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 20 November 2013

SUBJECT: Future of Ahuriri Estuary Management

Reason for Report

1. Mana Ahuriri is a collective of seven hāpu who are working with the Crown to settle their Treaty claim. The timing of their negotiations has the parties signing an Agreement in Principle in December 2013.

2. Figure 1 shows the Ahuriri Hāpu Area of Interest.

Fig 1: Ahuriri hapu area of interest (Source: Office of Treaty Settlements)

3. It has been agreed with the Hāpu that a key element of the settlement to be included in the Agreement in Principle is a framework for the management of the Ahuriri Estuary.

4. The purpose of this report is to seek commitment from Council to engage in discussions with other interested parties on the establishment of an Ahuriri Estuary Group with a mandate to undertake a range of functions that address the needs of Mana Ahuriri to have a joint management regime for the Ahuriri Estuary.

Background

5. The Ahuriri Estuary is a remnant of a 3,840 hectare area of water which, prior to 1931, Europeans called the Napier Inner Harbour or the Ahuriri Lagoon. The lagoon was separated from the sea by a narrow sand and shingle bank. Two main rivers discharged into the lagoon, the Waiohinganga (Esk) and the Tutaekuri. Periodically, the Ngaruroro and Tukituki Rivers flowed north to join the Tutaekuri.

6. The earthquake of 3 February 1931 lifted the bed of the lagoon between 1.5m and 3.4m and exposed about 1300 ha of the bed of the lagoon. Various reclamations since 1931 have reduced the estuary by a further 1700ha to its present size.

7. The Hāpu have a long-standing cultural connection with Te Whanganui a Orotu (of which Ahuriri Estuary is a part) where they have resided since well before European settlement. Historically this area was a main source of food for the hapu. There are also a large number of wahi tapu in the area.

8. The Hāpu of Mana Ahuriri wish to have their interests in Te Whanganui a Orotu recognised through their Treaty settlement. Key to their reaching a durable settlement will be the recognition of their mana in Te Whanganui a Orotu, and, importantly, the Estuary. They are seeking to have their kaitiaki status over the Estuary effectively recognised, and to ensure that there is a coordinated and comprehensive approach to the Estuary’s management involving all stakeholders with management responsibilities and interests in the Estuary.

9. On 19 September 2013 these stakeholders met with representatives of Mana Ahuriri and the Crown to discuss a Crown proposal for redress over the Ahuriri Estuary as part of the Mana Ahuriri Treaty Settlement. In attendance at the meeting were representatives from the Department of Conservation, Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

Current Statutory Functions, Power and Duties

10. A brief summary of the relevant statutory responsibilities of management agencies is as follows:

Department of Conservation

Resource Management Act: preparation of a New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement

Conservation Act: manage land held under the Act for conservation purposes

Wildlife Act – protect and promote wildlife

Reserves Act: preserving and managing areas for the benefit and enjoyment of the public

Napier City and Hastings District Councils

Resource Management Act: preparation of district plans

Health Act: management of offensive trades

Local Government Act: control, maintenance and repair of drains and watercourses

Harbours Act: NCC responsible for marinas, wharves, jetties, boat ramps and other harbour facilities (outside Napier Port)

Reserves Act: creation of reserves for a range of purposes

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council

Resource Management Act: preparation of regional policy statement, regional coastal plan, regional plans

Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act: prevention of drainage by erosion and the protection of property from damage or floods

Local Government Act: control, maintenance and repair of drains and watercourses

Harbours Act: navigation and safety within harbour limits

Waitangi Tribunal findings (1998)

11. Claim Wai 55, dealing with Te Whanganui-a-Orotu, was lodged with the Tribunal in March 1988 by seven local hapu. It was granted urgency because leasehold sections in the claim area were about to be sold.

12. The claimants sought a finding that Te Whanganui-a-Orotu was their taonga and that they had never knowingly or willingly relinquished their tino rangatiratanga over it. The Tribunal heard the claim between July 1993 and July 1994, and the report was released in July 1995.

13. The Tribunal found that a number of clear breaches of Treaty principles had occurred, beginning with the Crown's inclusion of Te Whanganui-a-Orotu in the Ahuriri purchase in 1851, and it recommended that there be no further alienations of any Crown or State-owned enterprise land within the pre-1851 boundaries of Te Whanganui-a-Orotu. In June 1998, the Tribunal released its report on remedies, which included the following recommendation:

“that a new joint management regime be developed for the Ahuriri Estuary. The claimants, DoC and other authorities with management responsibilities should work together in accordance with the treaty principles of central exchange and partnership.”

14. The proposal now being put to Council for its consideration is based upon this recommendation.

The Draft Proposal

15. In August 2013 Ministers agreed that Crown officials could explore with Mana Ahuriri Hāpu, Councils and the Department of Conservation the development of arrangements for management of the Estuary which could include a stand-alone, multiparty, statutory committee (the “Committee”) being provided for in settlement legislation for Mana Ahuriri.

16. It is envisaged that the Committee could, among other things:

16.1. Promote, advocate, advise, facilitate and coordinate activities relating to the Estuary;

16.2. Provide monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the Estuary; and

16.3. Produce an estuary management plan, which would be lodged with the councils and the Department of Conservation.

17. The weighting of an estuary management plan for councils and DoC needs further discussion. The current proposal is that statutory RMA plans and policy statements would be required to “have regard to” an Estuary Management Plan. Other options under the Resource Management Act include (but are not limited to) regional and district plans “taking into account” or “giving effect to” an estuary management plan.

18. It is proposed that the Committee would not itself undertake work on the estuary, as this would remain the role of the responsible agencies.

Recommended Council Role

19. The Crown and Mana Ahuriri are seeking the support of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to engage in the development of the Ahuriri Estuary Committee and to participate in the committee once it is established. This would have several benefits for the Council:

19.1. Recognition of the mana of the hāpu groups over the Ahuriri Estuary and thei expression of kaitiakitanga

19.2. The continuation of a positive and proactive working relationship with Mana Ahuriri

19.3. An enhanced opportunity to deliver collaboratively the long-term goal of Mana Ahuriri which is for “a healthy estuary”

20. It is recommended that Council commits to engaging with the other parties in the development of the Ahuriri Estuary Committee with a further paper to be brought back to Council seeking an appointment to the committee once it is finalised.

21. The Crown wishes to provide an indication in the Agreement in Principle with Mana Ahuriri of stakeholder support for the establishment of the Ahuriri Estuary Committee. Council needs to advise the Crown of its position of support no later than 4 December. Further details are unlikely to be included in the Agreement in Principle but it is expected that the settlement legislation would include:

21.1. The purpose of the committee

21.2. The functions of the Committee

21.3. Committee membership

21.4. An appointment process – it is anticipated that each party to the Committee would appoint their own representatives.

22. It is recommended that Council authorises the Interim Chief Executive to represent the Council in negotiations on the development of detail on the purpose and functions of the committee, together with membership and appointment criteria and any other matters that may arise during discussions.

Decision Making Process

23. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained in Part 6 Sub Part 1 of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded the following:

23.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.

23.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.

23.3. The decision does not fall within the definition of Council’s policy on significance.

23.4. The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

23.5. Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, Council can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Recommendations

The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted policy on significance and that Council can exercise its discretion under Sections 79(1)(a) and 82(3) of the Local Government Act 2002 and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community and persons likely to be affected by or to have an interest in the decision due to the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided.

2. Commits to engaging with Mana Ahuriri, the Crown and other parties in the development of the Ahuriri Estuary Committee, and advises the Crown of its decision prior to 4 December 2013.

3. Authorises the Interim Chief Executive to represent the Council in negotiations on the development of detail on the purpose and functions of the committee, together with membership and appointment criteria and any other matters that may arise during discussions.

4. Notes that a paper will be brought back to Council seeking a councillor appointment to the Ahuriri Estuary Committee once the Committee has been finalised.

Liz Lambert

Chief Executive

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Attachment 1 - HP - drainage and pumping

Attachment 3

HERETAUNGA PLAINS FLOOD CONTROL AND DRAINAGE SCHEME

PART B - DRAINAGE & PUMPING

ANNUAL REPORT – 1 JULY 2012 TO 30 JUNE 2013

Background

This report encompasses the following flood control or drainage schemes within the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme Part 2 - Drainage & Pumping. These schemes are broken into nine separate catchment areas with a general overhead scheme for activities which are area wide. These schemes are notated as:

290 – General

291 – Napier/Meeanee

292 – Brookfields

293 – Pakowhai

294 – Muddy Creek

295 – Haumoana

296 – Karamu

297 – Raupere/Twyford

298 – Tutaekuri-Waimate

299 – Puninga

Asset maintenance contracts were developed for each of the above schemes for the 2012-13 year in accordance with their respective Asset Management Plans. The Works Group submitted a price of $1,441,971.63. No other prices were sought.

Other Costs

The separate agreement with the Napier City Council, for the daily operation of the three large stormwater Pumping Stations (Purimu, Plantation and County) in the Napier urban area and the routine inspection of the Westshore Tide Gates continued as in previous years.

Other costs incurred within these schemes include but are not limited to:

Rate Collection Costs

Asset Depreciation

Insurance

Electricity

Internal Time

External Consultants

External Contractors

Miscellaneous

Performance

Following is a summary of performance for the various schemes;

Project 290

The principal work carried out in this project consisted of:

ACTIVITY	COMMENT
Management	All aspects of contract management and ratepayer liaison are included under this heading.
Consents & Legal	No significant legal issues were dealt with.
Flood Events	While there were no major floods during the year there were three heavy rainfall events.
Mobile Pumps	The eight Mobile Floodpumps were checked and serviced regularly during the year. In Wairoa one was utilised and one was on stand-by whilst the Ohuia Pumpstation was under repair.
“Pumptel” Pump Station Telemetry System	The system was again used during the year monitoring the daily operation of the 10 Pumping Stations and 2 Control Gates that are linked into the system.
Alternative Power Supply	The two Standby Generators were serviced in accordance with their requirements. They were not deployed by the HBRC during the year however one was hired to Unison for several days during an urgent repair situation.

Costs accumulated in Project 290 were distributed across the nine rating areas according to the historical formula developed for the purpose, which recognises the proportions of the above factors relating to each area.

End of year 290 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$326,722
· Budget	$468,050
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses.	$368

Rating Area 1 - Napier/Meeanee/Puketapu - Project 291

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	78.8km	3 Times*
	Drain-invert Spraying	78.8km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	6.2km	Once
	Weedboat Cutting	3.1km	3 Times
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	15 Structures	As Scheduled
Pumping Stations	Inspection & Screen Clearing	3 Stations	As Scheduled
	Pump Overhauls	6 Pumps	As Scheduled
* In some of the major urban Napier City drains the mowing is done four times per year in an effort to provide a higher standard of presentation, consistent with that of NCC reserves within the city environs.

In addition to these maintenance works the following Capital/Renewal Works were done:

Capital
· The Plantation Drain Construction Project (The completion of this was programmed for completion in 2011/12 and hence this cost was not budgeted)		$106,892
· Ahuriri Outfall & Taipo Stopbanks		$95,710
· OTRB Environmental Works		$12,395

Renewal
· Plantation Drain PS – New Floodgates		$7970
· County Drain Pumping Station – The old timber pumphouse was replaced with a low-profile transportable building		$37,750
· County Drain Pumping Station – PS Motor Recondition		$8,055

End of year 291 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$1,010,558
· Budget	$869,553
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$8,002
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	($467,486)
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$146,094

Rating Area 2 - Brookfields/Awatoto - Project 292

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	21.6km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	21.6km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	1.9km	Once
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	3	As Scheduled
Pumping Stations	Inspection & Screen Clearing	2	As Scheduled
	Pump Overhauls	3	As Scheduled

No Capital/Renewal Works were scheduled during the year.

End of year 292 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$109,571
· Budget	$172,984
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$888
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	$57,577
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$19,747

Rating Area 3 – Pakowhai - Project 293

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	25.3km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	24.2km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	3.3km	Once
	Weedboat Cutting	1.1km	Twice
	Static Weed-bar Cutting	1.2km	3 Times
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	4 Structures	As Scheduled
Pumping Stations	Inspection & Screen Clearing	1 Station	As Scheduled
	Pump Overhauls	None Scheduled	N/A

No Capital/Renewal Works were scheduled during the year.

End of year 293 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$115,408
· Budget	$135,708
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$1,441
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	$99,305
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$28,700

Rating Area 4 - Muddy Creek - Project 294

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	29.4km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	24.2km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	3.5km	Once
	Weedboat Cutting	4.6km	Twice
	Static Weed-bar Cutting	1.5km	3 Times
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	5 Structures	As Scheduled
Pumping Stations	Inspection & Screen Clearing	3 Stations	As Scheduled
	Pump Overhauls	1 Pump	As Scheduled

No Capital/Renewal Works were scheduled during the year.

End of year 294 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$207,683
· Budget	$230,513
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$2,653
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	$259,222
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$38,375

Rating Area 5 – Haumoana - Project 295

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	18.0km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	18.0km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	1.8km	Once
	Static Weed-bar Cutting	1.2km	Twice
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	13 Structures	As Scheduled
Pumping Stations	Inspection & Screen Clearing	1 Station	As Scheduled
	Pump Overhauls	None Scheduled	N/A

No Capital/Renewal Works were scheduled during the year.

End of year 295 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$109,972
· Budget	$122,110
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$2,653
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	$1,758
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$27,659

Rating Area 6 - Karamu - Project 296

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	115.8km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	115.8km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	13.6km	Once
	Weedboat Cutting	28.0km	Up to 5 Times
	Static Weed-bar Cutting		2 – 4 Times
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	74 Structures	As Scheduled
Pumping Stations	Inspection & Screen Clearing	4 Stations	As Scheduled
	Pump Overhauls	None Scheduled	N/A

In addition to these maintenance works, the following Capital/Renewal Works were done:

Capital
· Awanui Stream stopbank purchasing costs	$26,293
· Te Karamu” - Enhancement works continued at various locations	$182,916

Renewals
· Triangle Drain Floodgate – The original concrete floodgate was replaced with an alloy one.	$6,978

End of year 296 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$1,113,312
· Budget	$1,140,317
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$19,952
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	($299,502)
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$260,847

Rating Area 7 - Raupare/Twyford - Project 297

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	44.6km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	40.4km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	7.3km	Once
	Weedboat Cutting	4.2km	3 Times
	Static Weed-bar Cutting	8.3km	2 – 4 Times
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	12 Structures	As Scheduled
No Pumping Stations	-	-	-

In addition to these maintenance works, the following Capital/Renewal Works were done:

Capital

· Approximately 120 concrete panels were manufactured for “Panel & Rail” bank stabilisation work along the Raupare Stream but were not installed due to constant high flow and water levels throughout the summer/autumn installation period.

$9,885

End of year 297 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$150,172
· Budget	$212,789
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$1,882
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	$282,822
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$50,996

Rating Area 8 - Tutaekuri-Waimate/Moteo - Project 298

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	54.4km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	37.4km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	6.0km	Once
	Weedboat Cutting	27.0km	2 – 6 times
	Static Weed-bar Cutting	8.5km	2 – 4 Times
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	20 Structures	As Scheduled
No Pumping Stations	-	-	-

No Capital/Renewal Works were scheduled during the year.

End of year 298 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$187,281
· Budget	$169,135
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$182
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	($45,091)
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$50,171

Rating Area 9 – Puninga - Project 299

The principal work carried out in this area under the maintenance contract consisted of:

ACTIVITY	MAINTENANCE OPERATION	AMOUNT	FREQUENCY
Channel Works	Drain-bank Mowing	16.2km	3 Times
	Drain-invert Spraying	11.2km	Twice
	Channel Excavation	3.7km	Once
	Weedboat Cutting	1.5km	Twice
Hydraulic Structures	Inspection & Repair	1 Structure	As Scheduled
Pumping Stations	Inspection & Screen Clearing	3 Stations	As Scheduled
	Pump Overhauls	1 Pump	As Scheduled

In addition to these maintenance works, the following Capital/Renewal Works were done:

Capital

· The Hohepa PS pump unit failed and was replaced

$20,504

End of year 299 Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$127,387
· Budget	$123,678
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$2,942
· Scheme balance at 30^th June 2013	$47,161
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$15,777

Total Costs

End of year HP Drainage Scheme financial figures were:

· Cost	$3,458,064
· Budget	$3,644,837
· Rebate from Works Group surpluses	$40,066
· Total Schemes balance at 30^th June 2013	($64,234)
· Disaster reserve balance at 30^th June 2013	$638,366

General

All maintenance activities and capital works were carried out in accordance with the specified design principles, service levels and standards defined in each of the Asset Management Plans.

Conclusion

The maintenance of these schemes operating under contract conditions continues to be very successful, both in the amount of work completed and the high standards achieved.

Regular inspections and the monitoring of work ensured the contractor achieved the standards and performance measures specified in both the contracts and the Asset Management Plans.

Dan Heaps

BE(Civil) CPEng MIPENZ

Drainage Manager – Operations

Hawkes Bay Regional Council

Attachment - Minor Flood Control Schemes

Attachment 6

Appendix

MINOR FLOOD CONTROL SCHEMES

ANNUAL REPORT – 1 JULY 2012 TO 30 JUNE 2013

Background

This report encompasses the following flood control or drainage schemes;

- Esk River Flood Control and Whirinaki Drainage Scheme

- Porangahau Flood Control Scheme

- Te Ngarue Flood Control Scheme

- Poukawa Drainage Scheme

- Makara Catchment Control Scheme

- Paeroa Drainage Scheme

- Ohuia Drainage Scheme

- Kopuawhara Flood Control Scheme

- Wairoa Rivers and Streams Scheme

- Central & Southern Areas Rivers & Stream Scheme

- Te Awanga Scheme

- Kairakau Community Scheme

Asset maintenance contracts were developed for each of the above schemes (except Kairakau) for the 2012-13 year in accordance with their respective Asset Management Plans. This work was negotiated on a fixed price basis to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Works Group.

Performance

The Works Group submitted a separate fixed price for each of the asset maintenance contracts. The prices were accepted and the contractor gave an indication of when the various elements of work were to be carried out while also making allowances for the seasonal nature of the work. Following is a summary of performance for the various schemes;

Esk River Flood Control Scheme.