Agenda of Environment and Services Committee

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 09 December 2015

Subject: Proposed Waitangi Estuary Enhancement

Reason for Report

1. The Environment and Services Committee (E&SC) approved $20,000 from the Regional Open Space Reserves at its 12 August 2015 meeting, toward drafting of construction plans for the Waitangi Estuary Enhancement. The purpose of the plans was to enable cost estimation and subsequent formulation of a fundraising strategy should the project be given approval to proceed.

2. This work including construction plans is now complete, a cost estimate formulated and a proposed fundraising strategy drafted. Total cost of the proposed Waitangi Estuary Enhancement is estimated at $958,000. The proposed fundraising strategy, if supported, seeks an HBRC contribution of $311,000 from the Regional Open Space Reserves toward the project in 2016/2017 with the balance being funded from other sources.

3. This paper provides further detail on this work, and seeks agreement in principal from Council to the proposed programme of work and funding strategy.

Background

4. At its meeting on 10 December 2014, the E&S Committee adopted an Individual Park Plan (IPP) for Waitangi Regional Park.

5. At its meeting on 12 August 2015, a number of improvement projects were selected to be initiated and/or completed over the next 1-3 years to develop the Park. In preparing the project list for consideration by the Committee staff gave priority to those projects that protect, promote and enhance park values.

6. The primary objective of the proposed improvement work is to promote respectful use of the estuary, and to enhance ecological, educational, cultural and broader community outcomes. Key project elements include construction of a celestial star compass, improved road access, a carpark, additional wetland habitat, interpretive signage, pathways as well as coastal native plantings and more appropriately managed vehicle access at the site.

Cost Estimate

7. Total project cost is estimated at $958,000. MWH Consultants calculated the estimate for the road access, carpark, celestial star compass platform and pathways formation. Philip Smith of the Te Matau a Maui Voyaging Trust compiled the estimate for carving and pou installation on the celestial star compass platform. The remaining project elements have been costed by HBRC staff.

8. The total project cost includes an in-kind contribution from NZTA valued at $32,000, toward wetland creation.

Funding Strategy

9. The funding strategy is for the total project cost being split three ways and funded via HBRC, project partner Te Matau a Maui Voyaging Trust (TMAMVT) and other donors.

10. Specifically the strategy proposes:

10.1. HBRC fund $311,000 from the Regional Open Space Reserve Borrowing facility established for improvements to the Regional Park Network during the LTP period 2015 - 2025. This commitment is for funding project elements unlikely to be funded by other sources and under current staging will be required to be drawn on in the 2016/2017 financial year.

10.2. TMAMVT raise funds for the carving of the 32 Pou to form the points of the compass and Waharoa. The cost estimate is $310,000. This includes 95k already raised by TMAMVT towards this work. It is envisaged that the TMAMVT, with support from HBRC, will approach Napier City Council and Hastings District Council along with other fund raising agencies such as Creative New Zealand to secure the balance.

10.3. The remaining $305,000 is to be raised via funding applications to agencies such as the Lotteries Environment and Heritage Committee and Eastern and Central Finance. Staff further propose sponsorship is sought from local business, such as One Pure.

11. Staff seek agreement in principal to the proposal set out in this briefing paper because it is likely that potential funders of community projects need confidence that parties such as HBRC are supportive of the project and prepared to meet a significant portion of the development cost, and take responsibility for the ongoing maintenance once completed. Staff therefore propose that Council endorsement of the project is subject to successful applications being made to community funding agencies. (Note the next round of applications for Lotteries funding closes in late February, with decisions made on the success of applications by June 2016.)

12. Contributions currently secured (both cash and in kind) total $127,000 and form part of the total cost estimate.

13. Under the proposed funding structure, construction of the celestial compass platform (base) is reliant on funding from other donors ($102,000). The present intention is that this will form part of a funding application to an external donor. Staff have reviewed Lotteries grant criteria and this particular structure’s eligibility for funding from Lotteries is unclear. Should funding not be secured for the platform from other sources, over the next 12 months, staff, in conjunction with TMAMVT, will need to reconsider potential funding sources.

14. A summary of the cost estimate, and proposed funding strategy is included in Table 1.

Table 1: Waitangi Estuary Enhancement Construction Estimate and Proposed Funding Sources

Waitangi Estuary Enhancement Construction Estimate			Funding		Suggested Funding Sources
#	Item	Cost	Funding confirmed	Funding required	TMAMVT	HBRC	NZTA	OTHER
1	Preliminary and General	$104,000.00		$104,000.00		$104,000.00
2	Entrance road formation	$55,722.00		$55,722.00		$55,722.00
3	Carpark	$131,320.00		$131,320.00		$131,320.00
4	Celestial Compass platform	$101,756.00		$101,756.00				$101,756.00
5	Celestial Compass Pou Carvings	$309,600.00	$95,000.00	$214,600.00	$309,600.00
6	Wetland Construction	$32,000.00	$32,000.00				$32,000.00
7	Pathways	$78,320.00		$78,320.00				$78,320.00
8	Signage	$27,540.60		$27,540.60				$27,540.60
9	Plantings	$43,000.00		$43,000.00				$43,000.00
10	Colenso Memorial "Pou Whare"	$55,000.00		$55,000.00				$55,000.00
11	Fundraising, additional site plans, Opening	$20,000.00		$20,000.00		$20,000.00
	TOTALS	$958,258.60	$127,000.00	$831,258.60	$309,600.00	$311,042.00	$32,000.00	$305,616.60

Waitangi Estuary Enhancement Committee

15. To facilitate fundraising and promotion of the project, staff propose formation of a Waitangi Estuary Enhancement Committee comprised of representatives from HBRC and TMAMVT. Staff believe it would be beneficial if this committee had Councillor Representation to assist in promoting the project to HDC and NCC.

16. Councillor representation will also aid in keeping community as well as Council informed of project progress. Staff request the Council supports the establishment of a Waitangi Estuary Enhancement Committee and appoints a Councillor as a member.

Project Staging and Timeframes

17. The proposal to enhance the Waitangi Estuary is purposefully staged in elements that can be grouped and constructed as standalone projects to manage and mitigate risk associated with fundraising and multiple fundraising mechanisms. It further allows flexibility to complete work on a particular element should unforeseen opportunity arise. Listed below in Table 2 are the proposed project timeframes, funding dependent.

18. Under current programming, project completion (excluding planting) is scheduled for February / March 2017 and is timed to coincide with Kahungunu’s (Hawke’s Bay’s), hosting of the Matatini Kapa Haka Aotearoa festival in 2017. This will be dependent on funding being realised from all sources.

Table 2: Waitangi Estuary Enhancement proposed Construction Timeframes

Waitangi Estuary Enhancement Programming
#	Item	Timing
	Fundraising (grant application Feb 2016)	Ongoing
1	Preliminary and General	Aug-Oct 16
2	Entrance road formation	Oct-Nov 16
3	Carpark	Nov-Dec 16
4	Celestial Compass platform	Dec-Feb17
5	Celestial Compass Pou Carvings	Now-Feb 17
6	Wetland Construction	Jan-Feb 16
7	Pathways	Jan-Feb 17
8	Signage	Mar 17
9	Plantings	Jun 17
10	Colenso Memorial "Pou Whare"	Jan-Mar 17
11	Opening	Feb / Mar 2017

Financial and Resource Implications

19. The Long Term Plan 2015-25 includes provision of $160,000 per year for funding improvements to open space areas and new open space opportunities. This is funded from money remaining in the Regional Open Spaces Reserve borrowing facility ($545,000 as at 30 June 2015); and a further borrowing facility up to a further $1M commencing in the 2018-19 financial year.

20. Council set aside in August 2015 $131,000 from the existing facility for improvements to the regional park network over the 2015/2016 financial year, leaving a current balance of $414,000. Drawing $311,000 from this for the Waitangi Estuary Enhancement will leave a balance of $113,000 to service improvements across the broader Regional Park Network until the 2018-19 financial year when the additional borrowing facility of $1M becomes available.

21. Impacts on the broader Regional Park Improvement Program through committing $311,000 to the Waitangi Estuary Enhancement will be moderate in the short term (1-3) years, requiring some re-prioritisation / deferral of proposed improvements scheduled for 2016-2018, but minimal over the current 10 year LTP period.

22. Through LTP and Individual Park planning processes staff budgeted $90,000 for the Waitangi Estuary Enhancement in 2017/2018 and a further $220,000 for the northern walkway and associated works at Pekapeka from 2017-2018. The Pekapeka walkway development is unsupported by DOC and F&G and was subsequently dropped from the improvement programme for Pekapeka earlier this year. This provision can be allocated to the existing Waitangi Estuary Enhancement provision of $90,000 which combined equals $310,000 which is just shy of the HBRC contribution sought.

23. The maintenance requirement for the Waitangi Estuary Enhancement once constructed is estimated at $21,350 per annum. The existing operating budget for the Regional Park Network is $445,000. Once realised, this project will require an operating budget of $17,000 per annum to maintain. Depreciation of the roading, carpark and signage will equate to a further $4,350 amounting in total to an increase to the Regional Park Network operating budget of approximately 4.6% effective from the start of the 2017-18 financial year.

Decision Making Process

24. 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:

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

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

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

24.4. The persons affected by this decision are users of the Regional Parks.

24.5. Options were considered during the development of Individual Park Plans.

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

24.7. 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

1. The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

1.1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy, and that Council can exercise its discretion and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community and persons likely to have an interest in the decision.

1.2. Agrees in principal to commit $311,000 in the 2016/17 financial year toward the Waitangi Estuary Enhancement project from the Regional Open Spaces Reserves Borrowing facility, subject to funding in accordance with the funding strategy outlined in this briefing paper being sourced from other donors, and deferral of other open space enhancement projects as outlined in paragraph 22 of the briefing paper.

1.3. Endorses the establishment of the Waitangi Estuary Enhancement Committee and nominates a Councillor to represent Council on that Committee.

1.4. Notes that once complete, there will be an increased funding commitment to ongoing maintenance and depreciation of the Waitangi Estuary facilities.

Steve Cave

Manager,
Open Space Development

Mike Adye

Group Manager
Asset Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Land Management 2014-2015 Annual Operational Report

Attachment 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 3

2. LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS ............................................................................ 3

2.1 Supporting the implementation of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management............................................................................................................ 4

2.2 A more strategic approach to hill country resource management............................................................................................................ 9

2.3 Improving environmental performance of forestry.......................................... 12

2.4 Environmental enhancement and biodiversity protection.............................. 13

3. 2014-15 LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY................................................................... 15

3.1 Foresight & strategy........................................................................................... 15

3.2 Investment......................................................................................................... 16

3.3 Strategic Alliances............................................................................................. 24

3.4 Fit for purpose organisation............................................................................... 24

4. PERFORMANCE AGAINST THE 2014-15 OPERATIONAL PLAN

DELIVERABLES ……………………………………………............................................. 26

5. EMERGING ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................... 29

6. SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………………….. 30

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The 2014-15 Land Management Annual Operational Report (Annual Report) describes how the Land Management Team (LMT) of the Hawkes Bay Regional Council (HBRC) met the objectives outlined in the 2014-15 Operational Plan. The Operational Plan was presented to Council for approval 13 August 2014.

This is the first time the LMT has presented an Annual Report to Council. The report is structured in the following way –

1. Specific focus on the work programs of the 4 key themes of – National Policy for Freshwater Management (MPSFM) implementation, a more strategic approach to hill country resource management, biodiversity protection and ecological enhancement, and improving the environmental performance of forestry.

2. A detailed look at the work the LMT was involved in for the 2014-15 year relating to the HBRC strategic enablers of; strategy and foresight, investment, strategic alliances and a fit for purpose organisation.

3. A detailed review of performance against the LMT objectives outlined in the 2014-15 Operational Plan.

4. A brief account of issues that emerged during the 2014-15 financial year and report summary.

I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution and support from the HBRC land management team members in the production of this report.

2.0 LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AREAS

The LMT’s program focus for the following 2014-15 financial year was around the following key themes -

· Supporting the implementation of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.

· A more strategic approach to hill country resource management

· Improving environmental performance of forestry in the region

· Environmental enhancement and biodiversity protection

2.1 Supporting the implementation of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and Catchment Management programs

The 2014-15 Operational Plan outlined the LMT’s aims relating to this theme for the year, which were primarily focussed around the operationalisation of the Draft Tukituki Catchment Implementation Plan (Heath 2012). That plan identified 4 key priorities -

1. The development and support of a community driven sub-catchment strategy in the Papanui sub-catchment.

2. The continued development and building of support with the primary sector for the adoption of industry good management practices.

3. Interacting with landholders and local communities to assist in raising their awareness and understanding of the Tukituki Catchment Plan Change 6 (PC6) implications on their farming systems and catchment water quality.

4. Provide key support for the development of processes, protocols, capacity and capability both internally and externally to manage the completion, implementation and auditing of the 1000+ Farm Environmental Management Plans (FEMP’s). These will be required by all landholders in the Tukituki catchments with properties greater than 4 ha in size as a result of PC6.

A number of key drivers had a significant influence on these work programs over the 2014-15 financial year and included –

· The continued uncertainty around the final form of PC6 and the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme (RWSS). The High Court appeal on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Boards final decision in late June 2014 and the subsequent redirection by the High Court for the EPA Board to reconsider rule TT1(j) in December 2014, had ongoing implications on programs throughout the 2014-15 financial year. This created uncertainty around the relative prioritisation of issues and actions for the LMT and the resulting messaging and engagement with landholders and communities. This was a particular issue in the sub-catchment program work, given the groups initial emphasis on voluntary phosphorus management and the subsequent PC6 emphasis and addition of significant nitrogen regulatory measures.

· The implementation of the NPSFM requires significant support from the primary sector and private FEMP providers to meet the regulatory targets by the timeframes outlined within PC6. This is proving to be a very dynamic and iterative space both locally and nationally, requiring the LMT to maintain a high degree of adaptability in its approach to coordinating work with multiple parties.

· The role and functions of the LMT in providing support for the implementation of PC6 are new to the team and significant time and effort has been put into developing both the team and their skill sets to meet this demand. For a significant proportion of the 2014-15 financial year, the policy implementation team had 2 full time staff members. Three new staff were employed in the second half of the 2014-15 financial year to provide additional support to PC6 implementation.

· Awareness of the implications of PC6 on Tukituki landholders remains low despite a number of organisational initiatives to get the messages to all landholders in the Tukituki. There does appear to be a lack of urgency with landholders to undertake farm planning and stock exclusion now given the regulatory deadlines are still 2.5 years away.

Work stream activity

Despite the issues raised above the LMT has made significant gains in progressing its work programs for this theme. The highlights for the 2014-15 financial year are outlined below.

2.1.1 Priority catchment program

This includes the work occurring in the Papanui, Porangahau Stream/Maharakeke sub-catchments, the Taharua catchment and the Whakaki and Whangawehi catchment areas.

a) Papanui catchment

A water quality investigation was completed in the last year with input from land management, in the design, landowner access and stream ecological valuation monitoring. A Papanui focus group was formed in December 2013. This group has representatives from local landowners, local Iwi and Central Hawkes Bay (CHB) Council. In the last financial year the group met 8 times. Over time they have worked to better understand the water quality issues in the catchment and develop a catchment strategy to a draft form. Two farm plans have been completed and reviewed within the group and approaches to dealing with catchment issues have been tested within them.

Progress with the Papanui group has been frustrated by the changing conditions and emphasis within PC6 since the group was formed. They have had to adapt to a more regulatory environment than expected in 2013. This has delayed finalisation of the strategy. A recent review of this work by Consultant Ian Brown noted:

“Changes to Plan Change 6, brought about through the hearings process, have undoubtedly increased the regulatory burden on land owners. Requirements now for FEMPs, strict land use capability based nitrogen limits, nutrient budgets, and nitrogen triggers in the river, mean that the regulatory environment in which the Papanui programme must operate is now vastly different to that envisaged two years ago.”

Brown’s review found group members were “lavish in their praise” for the organisation of meetings and functioning of the Papanui group. He also noted the positive attitude of group members committed to playing their part in delivering on catchment outcomes.

On-ground work in the wider catchment has included a baseline fencing survey of the Papanui main-stem, fencing and planting programmes including schools, work with feedlot farmers which included redesign and re-contouring on one farm. There has also been work on a vineyard post recycling scheme for riparian fencing.

b) Taharua catchment

2014-15 was characterised by the continuation of the existing work program in the Taharua catchment including; meeting and reviewing progress with landholders, collecting and analysing water quality results and the continued investigation of potential improvements on farm. In addition to this the group looked in more detail at livestock wintering practices and held two meetings to share knowledge and experience of the “pro’s and con’s” of differing on-farm wintering practices. Specific questions relating to cropping practices were followed up in a subsequent meeting where outside expertise was brought in from Dairy NZ, Ballance and the results from several SFF projects.

External advice from NIWA was also sought on wetlands in the catchment, which was subsequently followed up with Opus engineers.

Bringing a Councillor field trip to the catchment was expressed as a positive experience for the catchment group, giving them confidence that their engagement and actions are understood by the wider Council.

Challenges for the future are how to continue identifying improvements in addition to the work that has been done. Many things have been improved and the easy gains and some of the harder ones have been realised. There is also the issue of maintaining the connection to the catchment over time as the demand for work in other areas increases.

c) Northern Hawke’s Bay – Whakaki, Whangawehi

Work in these two catchments has largely been co-funded with support from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), through the Hill Country Erosion Program.

2014-15 saw the initiation of a 12 month “transitional project” following on from the 3 year “Wairoa Hill Country Erosion” program in the Wairoa District. In the 2014-15 financial year HBRC funding leveraged $75,000 from MPI to complete work that had a conservative value of $190,000 (cash and in-kind). Key outputs for the 2014-15 transitional year project included –

· The continued liaison with landholders and community through the funding of a project coordinator and facilitator.

· Regular catchment group meetings.

· Holding several community events in the Whangawehi and Whakaki catchments providing specialist advice on the ecology of Whakaki Lake and freshwater monitoring.

· Engagement of Dr Will Allen to undertake an “outcomes harvesting” exercise with both the Whakaki and Whangawehi catchment groups and assist in developing 2,5 and 10 year priorities for both groups.

· Significant on-ground works including the completion of 3 erosion control plans, 3,258 soil conservation poles were planted, protecting 65 ha of land. 10 ha of native bush retirement occurred.

· 54,000 native tree seedlings were planted in riparian zones within the Whangawehi catchment. Fencing and planting for this work was paid for by independent funding. This external funding now totals more than $1.2M since the beginning of the project’s management by catchment facilitator Nic Caviale-Delzescaux. The multiple award winning project links community engagement, a school education programme, and on ground work.

Brendan Powell, Team Leader Catchment Management, talking to landholders in the Taharua Catchment.

2.1.2 Building internal and external FEMP capacity and capability

A significant proportion of LMT time for 2014-15 has revolved around engaging and working with potential FEMP providers to build their capacity to provide FEMP’s suitable to meet PC6 regulatory compliance and to achieve the overarching freshwater objectives of the plan. This work has included –

· Working closely with compliance and consents staff to build protocols and processes for a regional accreditation scheme. Discussions and meetings with FEMP providers to ensure that their farm plan templates are sensitive to the variations in water quality within the various sub-catchments of the Tukituki and are targeting the appropriate contaminants in the appropriate place. This work will be on-going through the 2015-16 financial year.

· The organisation of a FEMP private providers meeting that attracted 38 participants with an interest in potentially offering FEMP’s to landholders in Hawkes Bay (HB). Staff have met with representatives from; Baileys Real Estate, ASB, BNZ, Rabobank. Westpac Agribusiness, Silver Fern Farms, FarmIQ, Plant & Food, Landcare Research, Property Brokers, Opus, Cardno, Cheal, LandVISION, Morice Ltd, Soter Consulting Ltd, EMS Ltd, Rural Business Solutions, Rural Directions, Gerard Land Design, Logan Stone, Fruition Horticulture, Hatuma, Farmlands, Vet Services HB to discuss regional FEMP requirements and wider PC6 implementation issues during 2014-15.

· Procedural guideline meetings have been held during 2014-15 with the main peimary Industry sectors to enable sector specific consideration of PC6 implementation issues to be discussed including with the –

o Sheep & Beef sector, involving; Federated Farmers, Beef & Lamb, Ravensdown, Ballance Agri-Nutrients, MPI and Foundation for Arable Research (FAR). The team has continued to meet with these organisations on an individual basis over the 2014-15 financial year. A HB specific farm plan template to meet PC6 requirements has been produced by Beef & Lamb and is now available for Tukituki catchment farmers to use.

o Dairy sector, involving; DairyNZ and Fonterra. A targeted work program has been developed in conjunction with these organisations that provides information to landholders on their property scale nitrogen discharge allowance. A HB specific and PC6 appropriate farm plan template, the “Sustainable Milk Plan” has been developed and is available for use by dairy farmers in the Tukituki.

o Horticulture and viticulture sector, involving; HorticultureNZ, PipfruitNZ, HB Fruit Growers Association, HB Wine Growers, FAR and Heinz Watties. A collaborative initiative with HorticultureNZ to benchmark the relative nutrient losses of different horticulture enterprises throughout HB has been agreed to and will be undertaken in the 2015-16 financial year.

2.1.3 Awareness raising

The initial emphasis of awareness raising around PC6 has primarily been targeted towards the Agri-business intermediaries and the primary sector. The team is now increasingly working with landholders to build awareness and understanding of the implications of PC6. This has included organising and participating in meetings with land owners in Onga Onga, Ashley Clinton, Takapau, Elsthorpe, Gwavas, and Haumoana. The team has produced factsheets outlining the rules and practicalities of excluding livestock from waterways in the region and the need to keep farm records for the production of accurate nutrient budgets and farm plans. The LMT has also given presentations on PC6 implementation at a number of organised meetings and events including; the Farm Forestry Awards field day, meetings with the NZ Institute for Primary Industry Management, and several HBRIC organised meetings to discuss the RWSS with landowners in the Tukituki.

2.1.4 Cross organisational PC6 support and leadership

The LMT has played a significant role in coordinating the cross HBRC organisational effort in the implementation of PC6. It has done this over the 2014-15 financial through –

· Leading the PC6 Key Practitioners group, which convenes every 3 weeks to progress cross organisational work streams of various elements of PC6.

· Organising and facilitating a PC6 for Dummies meeting for all HBRC staff to provide an overview of PC6 and its implications.

· Organising an inter-council implementation meeting with Environment Canterbury (ECan) and has participated in meetings with senior Horizons Regional Council staff to discuss issues and synergies.

· The LMT has played a lead role in the development of protocols to manage Overseer Nutrient budget version changes and has been involved in national working groups around nutrient budgeting and FEMP development.

· The LMT has organised field trips for HBRC Councillors to provide insight into NPSFM implementation and catchment management programs in the Porangahau Stream/Maharakeke and Taharua catchments.

2.1.5 Research projects

The LMT has invested in or is providing in-kind support to the following research projects that are helping improve knowledge relating to “good practice adoption”

· A Landcare Research & HBRC integrated research scoping project, looking at how taking a systems thinking approach to science integration into policy implementation in collaboration with local communities can improve the achievement of freshwater outcomes.

· A Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) Flux Meter project. This project has seen 3 flux meters installed regionally that measure actual losses of nutrients from arable cropping systems and should provide valuable regionally specific information on nutrient losses from arable systems over the coming years.

· A LMT staff member is co-supervising a PhD candidate looking at “What can regional councils change about the way they engage with farmers at a farm and sub-catchment scale to reduce the impact of agriculture on water quality”.

2.2 A more strategic approach to hill country resource management

The 2014-15 Operational Plan outlined the aim of the LMT to take a more strategic approach to hill country resource management. There were a number of drivers underpinning this objective including –

· The team recognising that with an increasing resource focus on supporting regional plan change implementation initiatives, the budget for hill country work would continue to be increasingly challenged.

· The acknowledgement that current programs oriented around the promotion of soil conservation work needed to be complimented with other resource management options for land owners to consider and partake in to assist remove the barriers to the adoption of better land management practices and to potentially broaden the number of people the team is working with.

· The acknowledgement of an increasing “market need” for a more strategic long term approach to hill country natural resource management, that has evolved out of our strategic alliances with the primary sector industry, Central Government and Massey University in particular. Information coming from 3 recent research projects being undertaken in the region comparing the value of ecosystem services from eroded and un-eroded land in hill country, the costs of the 2011 Easter storm event on landholders in effected areas and the increased precision of sediment loss predictive modelling through SedNET is enabling the LMT to consider hill country programs and priorities in new ways.

The primary LMT response to this aim has been in the building of support for a collective approach to the development of a long term hill country strategy for the East Coast of the North Island. This has involved many discussions at multiple levels with the following organisations – Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Ministry for the Environment (MfE), Massey University, Waikato University, AgResearch, Federated Farmers, Beef & Lamb, The HB Pan-Sector group, Horizons Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Gisborne District Council, Wairoa District Council, Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc, Te Tumu Paeroa, leading farm consultants, land owners, HBRC Environment and Services Committee & Maori committee.

There was significant support built for this work, which has given the team confidence to continue to evolve and promote the proposal. A key culmination of the initial stages of this work was the East Coast Hill Country Conference, held in the 2015-16 financial year.

The second significant area of LMT strategic development in hill country programs has been through team’s involvement in the “High Performance Manuka Plantation Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) Program”. This has led to -

· Investigations into Manuka production through trial work at Tutira.

· The hosting of the “Manuka and Profitable Marginal Land Use Seminar held in Napier on 6 May 2015 that attracted over 280 participants.

· Site visits with over 200 people to the Tutira Country Park Manuka trial by; Gisborne District Council, Department of Conservation, Massey University, Comvita, Forest Restoration trust, HBRC Councillors and Landcare Research scientists.

Manuka has potential as a profitable alternative land use on steep erodible hill country. The objective of HBRC’s involvement is to develop the science and knowledge on the viability of this concept. The LMT has been involved on the Manuka PGP project management committee and through the provision of guidance and support to the Manuka PGP science program. Staff were heavily involved in the development of an Enviro-link project proposal to assess Manuka growth performance and root development.

Manuka growth being measured at part of the Manuka trial at Lake Tutira.

A number of research projects were initiated in the HB region with LMT investment and or in-kind support over the 2014-15 financial year including –

· A Massey University PhD investigation into the resilience of hill country farming systems. Staff have hosted the student and provided time and access to relevant research and information.

· An AgResearch, Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change (SLMACC) program, investigation looking at the development of a predictive model for assessing climate change effects on weed and pest incidence and pasture production on different slopes and aspects in hill country. The LMT has provided support for the development of an improved LUC map and farm plan and provided information on the suitability of sites.

· The co-investment in S-map and SedNET in collaboration with the Land Science and Policy and Strategy groups. The team has provided support to these projects in the field at times as well as helping provide guidance on the access of sites with local landholders.

The team has continued to be heavily involved in the promotion of on-ground soil conservation works in hill country through the RLS investment in soil conservation projects and through the subsidisation of soil conservation willow and poplar poles both of which are further discussed in section 3.2.

2.3 Improving environmental performance of forestry

The 2014-15 Operational Plan identified 3 main work streams for this program. Including

· Management of HBRC forest estates with the aim to maximise Council return on investment and reduce operating costs. This includes the broader realisation of other social, environmental and recreational benefits from forest blocks.

· Forest industry engagement – providing support and advocacy for excellence in land stewardship and a successful HB forest industry.

· Forest research & extension – promote forest establishment where environmentally appropriate and participate in projects to improve environmental health and commercial prospects for forests in the region.

2.3.1 Forest Estate updates

LMT staff have dealt with a wide range of estate issues throughout the 2014-15 financial year. Regular engagement with contractors and the management of the annual summer student Old Man’s Beard control program, Liaison with forest estate neighbours and regular site inspections in on-going. Staff have engaged with HB Orienteering Club and HB Ramblers around estate access and use and are on the committee of the Bay Forests Rural Fire Group.

An update by LMT staff on HBRC’s forest estates was provided to the Corporate and Strategy Committee on 23 September 2015.

2.3.2 Forest industry engagement and promotion of good environmental practice

LMT staff have engaged with the forestry sector in HB extensively over the 2014-15 financial year. Issues discussed range from logging debris management, incident investigations, slash trap installations, engineering reviews, woodlot resource consents and other consenting issues, site visits to view harvesting work and environmental standards compliance visits. These meetings and site visits include; HB Forestry Group (3 meetings), Rayonier (5 meetings), Pan Pac Forest Products (8 meetings), FOMS, FML, Forest Management NZ (2 meetings), John Turkington Ltd (2 meetings), Clapham Holdings (2 site visits), Juken NZ, PF Olsen (2 field meetings), Tenco, Timberlands and HB Farm Forestry Association

2.3.3 Forest research and extension

During the 2014-15 financial year staff have made significant contributions to the NZ Dryland Forest Initiative project, the New Zealand Institute of Forestry local chapter activity, are on the committee for the HB Forestry Group and were on the organising committee for the New Zealand Institute of Forestry Conference, held in Napier 6-9^th of July 2014, which attracted over 180 delegates.

HB Forestry Group and industry contractors field meeting involving LMT staff

2.4 Environmental enhancement and biodiversity protection

The 2014-15 Operational Plan outlined the LMT’s priorities for this theme as being –

· Operationalising the HB Biodiversity strategy.

· Ensuring that RLS investment is oriented towards project that achieve multiple benefits.

· A review to consider how the LMT can better brand and advertise biodiversity project investment on private land.

· Continue to build on the Riparian Planting Programs inaugural year.

A number of issues had a significant influence on these work programs over the 2014-15 financial year and included –

· A LMT staff member with particular expertise in biodiversity being on maternity leave for the majority of the 2014-15 financial year.

· The status of the HB Biodiversity Strategy, which is still being considered by regional stakeholders.

· The emphasis on building momentum for the “Cape to City” project, which has required LMT support.

The LMT has progressed its biodiversity and ecological enhancement program in three main ways over the 2014-15 financial year.

1. Through on-ground RLS project investments. These are discussed further in section 3.2. The LMT looks to optimise multiple benefits from projects invested on ground and will continue to evolve the way projects are selected and assessed to ensure this occurs. This is being incorporated into a review of the RLS being undertaken in 2015-16.

Optimising the multiple benefits of LMT projects and investment is also being achieved through the team’s involvement in –

· The High Performance Manuka Plantation PGP discussed in section 2.2.

· The Riparian Planting Program, which was created to enable land owners fencing off waterways as a result of PC6 to add ecological value to this work by planting the fenced off areas at a subsidised cost.

· The work occurring within the priority sub-catchment programs, where staff have been involved in establishing ecological monitoring benchmarks and establishing sub-catchment priority outcomes for improving ecological health.

2. The LMT provides significant support to a number of biodiversity oriented community group projects through the provision of financial support and staff time. These include; the Maraetotara Tree Trust, Clifton County Cricket Club, Pourerere Beach Group, Porangahau Dune Group, Ahuriri Bittern project, Lake Runanga Project, Lindsay’s Bush Project and Waipatiki Dune Group. These projects have involved approximately 600 community members at various times throughout the year.

3. LMT support to the Cape to City project that has involved staff support in the Maraetotara Stream area working closely with land owners providing planting and fencing guidance, the provision of plants from the Riparian Planting Program and RLS investment in several small projects.

Land Management and Biosecurity staff on a planting day with the Porangahau Dune Group

3.0 2014-15 LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY

The following section outlines the wider activities the land management team was involved in over the 2014-15 financial year.

3.1 Foresight & STRATEGY

The LMT identified 4 primary areas of strategic activity for the 2014-15 financial year –

1. The development of an overarching implementation plan for Plan Change 6.

2. Contributing to the development of the Tutaekuri, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro and Karamu (TANK) catchments and Mohaka/Taharua catchment plan development.

3. The development of sub-catchment strategies in collaboration with the local communities in the Papanui and Whakaki catchments.

4. The development of the East Coast Hill Country proposal.

The LMT have collectively spent a total of 30 weeks working on the 4 key areas above. Most of the team’s emphasis was in contributing to the development of elements of the Tukituki catchment implementation plan, long term plan PC6 implementation business case, and the on-going building of commitment for the development of an East Coast Hill Country Strategy. Much of this work involved engaging a wide variety of external stakeholders, particularly from the primary sector.

The team’s contribution to the TANK process in the 2014-15 year was minor but is anticipated to increase in the next financial year. Equally our involvement in the Mohaka/Taharua catchment plan process was not as much as anticipated given the shift in organisational catchment planning priorities. There was a continuation in the work occurring in the Taharua catchment with staff organising and facilitating 3 stakeholder meetings and several on-ground projects involving external expertise as discussed in section 2.1.

Members of the LMT have been involved in a number of on-going strategic discussions at a national level, including –

· The National Working Group for Farm Environment Planning – looking at synergies and opportunities for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of farm environment planning across New Zealand.

· A working group for the development of protocols for Overseer data inputs and nutrient budgeting – looking at standardising data inputs into nutrient budgets for consistency across the country and over time.

· The National Soils Action Group – considering the long term direction of soil management in New Zealand and the development of policy and action plans to ensure the long term sustainability of our soil resources.

· The Land Managers Special Interest Group – involving Land Managers from all regional and local councils. This group meets twice yearly to consider national issues relevant to Land Management groups throughout New Zealand, and opportunities for better collaboration between councils.

3.2 Investment

3.2.1 Research

The LMT continued to support a number of important research projects through 2014-15 that have special significance to our program priorities, these are discussed in table 1. 2014-15 has seen the initiation of 5 new projects late in the financial year, these were discussed in earlier sections and are described in table 4.

Table 1. Research Projects 2014-15

Title	Description	Deliverables 2013-14
Mitigating the Economic Costs to Farmers Following Severe Rain Storm Events project	· 2 meetings were held in conjunction with Beef & Lamb to landholders in Tutira and Frasertown involving 72 people. Key findings from the project were presented to attendees. · An online farm erosion cost calculator is being developed and is expected to be available for use mid 2015-16.
NZ Dryland Forest Initiative project	· Staff hosted 50 HB farm forestry members at the NZ Dryland Forest Initiative trial site at Waihapua Forest estate. · 2 other site visits occurred during the 2014-15 financial year. · Staff were involved in regular project committee meetings.
Willow & Poplar Research Program	· Staff have been involved in several Research Trust Technical Advisory Group meetings and have made significant contributions to the development of the Poplar and Willow Trust marketing plan over the 2014-15 financial year.
SFF/FAR Tukituki Choices for Arable Farmers	· Nutrient budgets prepared with arable farmers associated with the project. · Analysis has been completed to assist setting protocols for completing arable nutrients budgets. · An arable FEMP template has been produced.
High Performance Manuka Primary Growth Partnership (PGP).	· Discussed in section 2.2.
East Coast Dryland Project	· Staff continue to play a key role in administering this project. · Information from the trial continues to be disseminated through presentations delivered at national conferences. For example, the NZ Society of Animal Production conference, http://www.nzsap.org/system/files/proceedings/ab14023.pdf
Trees for Bees	· The 2014-15 year saw work completed on identifying plants suitable to fill the spring flowering period important for bee survival. The list of useful plants was extended and put into a flowering calendar to help identify which were suitable to fill key gaps in pollen supply. · Willows were investigated for early season pollen supply and a booklet “Winning with Willows” was produced to summarise the results. · Linda Newstrom Lloyd the Trees for Bees project leader, is now based in Hawke’s Bay and is considering pollination issues that relate to local issues eg) Manuka and horticulture on the Heretaunga plains.
Adoption of Environmental Best Practice on Deer Farms	· Staff have been involved in coordinating external expertise and providing technical input into the development of farm environment plans in conjunction with Beef & Lamb to ~ 10 Deer farmers in the Tukituki Catchment. · 5 brief videos outlining the work being undertaken by deer farmers to improve environmental performance have been produced http://www.landcare.org.nz/News-Features/Features/Sustainable-Deer-Farming . This received national exposure on Televisions “Rural Delivery” program. http://www.ruraldelivery.net.nz/2015/04/deer-farming-videos/
Wairoa Hill Country Project	· Discussed in section 2.1

Land Management staff have provided significant input into a number of Land Science projects over the 2014-15 financial year including –

· Financial and in-kind contributions to the S-map soil mapping project and SedNET, sediment loss model.

· Staff have provided field support for the soil monitoring project (Project 340 202) and have provided significant input into the work being undertaken looking at using remote sensing to measure land use change (Project 340 203).

· Staff have also been involved in a range of other work in collaboration with the Land Science group and other external experts looking at wetlands, peat soils and nutrient management.

LMT staff have been involved in putting together several research and on-ground projects in collaboration with other agencies that were unsuccessful in achieving funding but nevertheless occupied significant staff time. These include an application for Te Mana o Te Wai funding for the Papanui catchment through MfE, a Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) project looking at phosphorus losses from feedlots on gravelly soils and a SFF project looking at using deferred grazing in hill country.

3.2.2 Capacity building

Increasingly the LMT is looking at capacity building activity and projects to help landholders adopt better, cost effective sustainable land management practices. Capacity building can be described as any activity that increases the skills and knowledge and or improves the attitudes and aspirations of landholders to adopt good management practices. This can be achieved through;

· The provision of awareness raising events.

· Facilitating the transfer of knowledge and providing opportunities for training and skill development through events, workshops and technical materials

· Through the organisation and facilitation of community events and projects.

A detailed breakdown of capacity building events the team has been involved in, in the 2014-15 financial year is shown in Table 4. Several events have significant input from LMT staff on an on-going basis and 2014-15 was no exception, this includes -

Hawkes Bay Farm Forestry Association

Hawkes Bay Regional Council has always shared a symbiotic relationship with the Hawke’s Bay Farm Forestry Association. For at least the last 12 years there has been a member of the LMT on the HB branch committee. The branch benefits through logistical support while HBRC benefits from leverage and networking opportunities such as promoting LMT programs at field days.

During the 2014-15 financial year, 6 field days were held on farms across the region. Attendance at each event typically ranges from 30 to 60 participants, with the exception of the Farm Forester of the Year award field day which had well over 100 attendees. Staff have been on the committee for five years, three of those as Farm Forestry newsletter editor.

Ballance Farm Environmental Awards

HBRC were instrumental in bringing the Ballance Farm Environment awards to Hawke’s Bay in 2009. Each year this involves staff promoting the awards, nominating entrants, judging and helping to run events.

In the 2014-15 financial year there were 14 entrants nominated, 10 from Hawke’s Bay. Two staff were involved in judging teams that judged 7 properties. Over 500 people attended either the awards dinner or the field trip. The 2015 winner Alistair Ormond, of the Maharakeke catchment near Takapau was very complementary of the advice and support he has received from HBRC staff.

Attendees at the Manuka and Profitable Marginal Land Use Seminar” held in Napier on 6 May 2015

LandWISE Conference

LMT staff are members on the LandWISE board and are heavily involved in LandWISE activity and research. A highlight of staff involvement with LandWISE is the annual conference, which typically attracts 150+ primary sector representatives. Themes for the 2014-15 conference included on-farm robotics and the use of data from remote sensing and drones to improve farm productivity and reduce environmental footprints, chemical free weeding and improving the precision of fertiliser and chemical application.

3.2.3 RLS incentives and grants

The 2014-15 Operational Plan outlined the investment focus for the financial year being on supporting the implementation of Plan Change 6, with particular emphasis on work occurring in the priority catchments.

Regional Landcare Scheme

For the 2014-15 financial year the LMT invested $245,170 into 40 on-ground projects. A breakdown of the project types is shown in figure 1. The location of the projects in the region is shown in figure 2 and a more detailed breakdown of project outputs is shown in table 2.

Figure 1. Summary of RLS project types for the 2014-15 financial year

The 2014-15 Operational Plan outlined the LMTs expectations for funded projects that included, a reduction in riparian strip projects, a greater emphasis on wetland projects and a significant reduction of soil conservation poles planted. There was a 160% increase on wetland projects, a 250% increase on riparian strip projects and soil conservation poles were only 87% of that predicted. The significant increase in riparian projects was primarily due to a change in project eligibility criteria, which saw the continuation of funding for riparian fencing where biodiversity outcomes were significant.

The LMT is undertaking an extensive review of the RLS. With staff visiting 5 year old projects to assess site condition and maintenance and interview landholders to ascertain their experiences with projects. Staff are reviewing project eligibility and assessment criteria to ensure transparency and probity in collaboration with HBRC science and policy teams. As part of the review staff will be setting long term strategic outcomes for the RLS and considering the overarching structure of the scheme.

Figure 2. Location of 2014-15 RLS projects

Table 2. Priorities for on-ground investment 2014-15

	Target 2013-14	Achieved 2013-14	Target 2014-15	Achieved 2014-15
Wetland restoration and protection	5 projects	10 projects	5 projects	8 Projects (17.2 ha of wetland protected )
Riparian or stream retirement	7 projects	16 projects	7 projects	18 Projects (34,465m of riparian margin protected)
Soil conservation	20,000 poles 100 properties	31,000 Poles 135 properties	20,000 poles 100 properties	17,500 poles (68 ha) 140 Properties
Preservation of native bush	100 ha	33 ha	100 ha	92.9 ha
Coastal (cliffs, dunes, estuaries)	2	2	1	2 (5 ha dune protected)

Riparian Planting Program

The Riparian Planting Program was created to increase the broader environmental benefits that could be achieved through landholders planting fenced off areas as part of the PC6 compliance requirements. The LMT tenders out the anticipated numbers of plants required to nurseries and then purchases and supplies these with a small additional cost to cover transportation and handling. 53,715 native plants (25 species) were tendered for in the 2014-2015 riparian planting program. Plants were sourced from five different nurseries, three were local suppliers (supplying 15% of total order). The tender specified that plants had to be eco-sourced from the correct ecological district and were a range of PB3 and root trainer grades. 31,000 plants went to two properties in the Whangawehi catchment group through Nic Caviale Delzescaux, 11,000 were planted in the Maraetotara catchment and 5,000 were used by the HBRC Open Spaces/Works Group for regional riparian works. The remaining 6,715 plants were planted across 17 properties the majority going to properties in Central HB with the rest to properties in the Hastings and Wairoa districts. 105,900 plants have been ordered for the 2015-16 financial year with 30% of the total order being sourced from local suppliers.

Soil conservation nursery

The 2014-15 financial year saw just over 30,000 x 3 m poplar and willow poles produced and harvested. 17,500 of these were purchased locally by HB farmers and the rest were sold to other North Island Regional Councils. Staff have noted a significant reduction in the local demand for soil conservation poles over the last 3 years. A review of the nursery operations and poles subsidisation program is being planned in the 2015-16 financial year.

Land Management staff (L-R), Erica Smith, Colin Tyler, Maddy Clark and Paul Train sorting through trees for the Riparian Planting Program

3.3 Strategic alliances

The LMT has continued to foster strong relationships with the primary sector, land holders, community groups and iwi through 2014-15. In particular as outlined in section 2.1, the LMT has worked closely with the primary sector and agricultural intermediaries throughout the financial year building support and capacity for the implementation of PC6. Highlights for the 2014-15 financial year also include –

· An increase in iwi engagement through work in developing the Papanui catchment strategy and a project developing a Papanui Mauri Monitoring framework, which included 3 wananga with marae in the Papanui catchment. The LMT has also been meeting regularly with MPI and Te Tumu Paeroa with regards to regional Maori agribusiness development.

· Strong relationships with community members, marae and land holders in the 4 sub-catchments we are currently working in.

· Cross organisational meetings with staff from Horizons Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, ECan and Gisborne District Council.

· Coordination and support to the HB Adverse Events Trust work during the summer of 2015.

· Working closely with a number of schools and visiting student groups throughout the year including – Argyle, Pukehou, Te Mahia and Ruakituri schools, Taradale High School. Staff have hosted students from Auckland and Massey University and visiting Austrian students and provided training in soil conservation planting with EIT.

· Staff have developed strong on-going relationships with a number of community groups working on biodiversity projects and 2014-15 has seen over 600 community members being involved with these projects at different stages.

The LMT is undertaking a review of its strategic relationships with landholders, the primary sector and HBRC staff in November/December 2015.

3.4 Fit for purpose organisation

The 2014-15 Operational Plan outlined 3 priorities for the financial year with regards to this strategic enabler, they were –

1. The development of a monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement (MERI) plan.

A full Land Management MERI Plan was not developed in the 2014-15 financial year. This target has been deferred for several reasons that are outlined in table 4 below.

A MERI methodology for use in quantifying the impacts of the sub-catchment work on social and cultural values was developed in collaboration with Dr Will Allen. Staff will look to develop this methodology for wider use in other program areas.

The LMT has already initiated 4 significant reviews of its work programs, the results of which, will be available for Council consideration by May 2016. These have been discussed in previous sections and include –

· A review of the RLS including site visits to 5 year old projects and interviews with landholders.

· A review of the Papanui sub-catchment project work

· A review of the soil conservation nursery and pole planting program

· A wider Land Management strategic relationship review, involving the interviewing of 30 stakeholders.

2. A greater focus on training and skill development within the LMT

Table 3 below, outlines the training and workshops attended by LMT staff during the course of the 2014-15 financial year.

Table 3. Training and conferences attended by LMT Staff in 2014-15

Event	Provider	Number of staff attending
Natural Capital & Ecosystem services Forum	NZ Institute of Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences	2
Leadership Mindset Course	Auckland Business School – Auckland University	1
Advanced Reading skills course	Improved reading Centres	2
Overseer Intermediate sustainable nutrient management course	Massey University	2
Overseer Advanced sustainable nutrient management course	Massey University	1
PgDip Environmental Management	Massey University	1
Life Coaching	Positive Pathways	1
S32 evaluation report and decision making course	NZ Planning Institute	1
Systems thinking workshop	SOLGM	1
Fertiliser & Lime Research Centre (FLRC) Conference “Moving farm systems to improved attenuation”	Massey University – Fertiliser & Lime Research Centre	4
New Zealand Association of Resource Managers Conference	NZARM	4
Grasslands Association Conference	Grasslands Association	1
Advanced driving skills course		3
HBRC CDEM Intelligence & Planning training	HBRC / CDEM	All staff
Assertiveness Course	Management Learning Associates Ltd	2
Effective Time Management	Dale Carnegie Courses	1
4WD Training Course	Hillseekers	3
All-Terrain Vehicle Training		3
First Aid Training	St John	4
Time Management	Dale Carnegie	1
The Farm of 2030 LandWISE 2015 Conference	LandWISE	3
Tackling Challenges and delivering value Conference	NZ Institute of Forestry	2

Significant emphasis was placed on synching staff work plans and the 2015-16 Operational Plan, this involved staff attending 2 full day in-house workshops and several follow up meetings with their relevant team leaders.

3. A more considered approach to our wider stakeholder engagement and communication strategies.

This was deferred into the 2015-16 financial year.

Staff have also made significant organisational contributions over the 2014-15 year through the following –

· Handling many external staff enquires, typically relating to the suitability of land for different land uses, high value land enquires, regional soil maps and the use of S-map, dairy conversion compliance guidance, on-site interpretation of rules and regulations, on-site advice and guidance on land management projects.

· Representing HBRC at our Wairoa and Waipawa regional offices, including the handling general rate payer enquires, site visits and coordination with local council staff to discuss rates and service issues, periodic support to additional projects or issues as they arise.

· Providing support to HBRC compliance and consents teams around dairy conversions, effluent ponds design, feedlot and feedpad issues, Hastings District Council robotic milker issues, nutrient budget reviews.

· Providing support to HBRC Science teams on a variety of land use related issues.

4.0 PERFORMANCE AGAINST THE 2014-15 OPERATIONAL PLAN DELIVERABLES

Table 4 outlines the LMTs performance against the 2014-15 deliverables outlined in that years Operational Plan.

Table 4. 2014-15 Operational Plan Deliverables

Deliverable	Results
Land Management strategy produced – 1 April 2015	Achieved 2 workshops involving all Land Management staff were held and facilitated by an external consultant in July and August 2015. A draft document outlining the teams; strategy purpose, external & internal drivers, key stakeholders, priorities and operating principles was produced. The final document will be completed by 31 June 2016 and will include, identified outcomes and key actions for realising those outcomes.
Minimum of 18 weeks of staff time participating in catchment planning processes	Achieved Using staff time as recorded in timesheets approximately 30 weeks has been spent providing support to organisational catchment planning priorities in the Tukituki catchment, Tutaekuri, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro and Karamu catchments and Mohaka/Taharua catchment.
15 Catchment management meetings co-ordinated by staff	Achieved A total of 22 catchment meetings were held during the 2014-15 financial year – · 3 x Taharua stakeholder meetings · 8 x Papanui sub-catchment committee meetings · 4 x Whakaki catchment committee meetings · 7 x Whangawehi catchment committee meetings
Organisational Plan Change 6 Implementation Plan prepared by 1 December 2014	Not Achieved The responsibility for the production of the PC6 Implementation Plan is now being coordinated by the Resource Management Group. Land Management remains a significant contributor to this plan development
Regional Landcare Scheme review document produced	Not Achieved The RLS review document was not produced in the 2014-15 financial year but is currently being undertaken, as discussed in section 3.2.
The operational plan documents RLS contribution to sustainable land management targets – 30 June 2015	Achieved The 2015-16 Operational Plan was presented and accepted by the Environment and Services Committee on 12 August 2015.
20 capacity building events provided (awareness raising, skills and training, knowledge building, facilitation)	Achieved Events held in the 2014-15 financial year included – · 2 workshops disseminating results from the “Mitigating the Economic Costs to Farmers Following Severe Rain Storm Events project” in Frasertown and Tutira in conjunction with Beef & Lamb, involving 72 people. · The “Manuka and Profitable Marginal Land Use Seminar” held in Napier on 6 May 2015 that attracted over 280 participants. · Beef & Lamb Land Environment Plan workshops held at Onga Onga and Omakere to 17 landholders. LMT staff provided technical support on phosphorus management. · Seven PC6 awareness raising meetings held throughout the Tukituki, between October and March 2014 and involving over 300 people. · Soil Conservation field day run by staff to 12 EIT students. · Community workshops and field days to Whangawehi community members x 5 · 6 HB Farm Forestry Group field days supported by LMT staff. The Farm Forestry Award Field trip attracted over 100 participants. · Ballance Farm Environmental Awards evening and field day, attracting over 300 participants. · Cape to City Launch · LandWISE Conference – staff presentation and soil pit discussion contribution. · National Horticultural Field day – International Year of the Soil Presentation and Soil pit organisation by LMT staff.
500 stakeholders engaged in Land Management capacity building events	Achieved Well over 1,500 people have been involved in events organised or supported by LMT investment of staff time over the 2014-15. In addition to the events above a further 600 people have been involved throughout the 2014-15 financial year in the biodiversity project supported by LMT staff and outlined in section 2.4.
Draft Land Management monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement (MERI) framework produced – 30 June 2015	Not Achieved The Draft Land Management MERI plan was not produced – this has been deferred to a later date to enable the LMT – · To identify its strategic long term outcomes through the development of the Land Management Strategy · Complete a number of reviews planned for the 2015-16 financial year looking at the Regional Landcare Scheme, Soil Conservation nursery and Poles Program, Priority Sub-catchment Projects and Land Management strategic relationships currently being carried out by staff and external consultants. · To enable the development of an organisational Tukituki Catchment Implementation Plan MERI framework.
Procedural guidelines for Plan Change 6 implementation and industry good practice program developed by 31 May 2015.	Not Achieved As outlined in section 2.1, the LMT has been heavily involved in this work over the 2014-15 financial year. The emphasis and form of this program has evolved significantly over the last 12 months and in particular is occurring at a national level through the development of the “Matrix of Good Management” in Canterbury, in conjunction with most Regional Councils and primary sector groups. Local initiatives are being developed with the primary sector but are likely to take at least another 18 months to 2 years to be formalised.
Initiate 1 new research project or extension initiative	Achieved As outlined in previous sections the LMT is supporting 5 new projects, including – · 2 PhD’s looking at resilience of hill country farming systems and the impact of regional council decision making on landholder ability to manage water quality. · A scoping project “The integrated Research Project” in collaboration with Landcare Research. · The SLMACC Climate change modelling project in collaboration with AgResearch · SFF Flux Meter Project
Land Management stakeholder engagement and communication strategy produced	Not Achieved This work was deferred into the 2015-16 financial year because of time and resource limitations

5.0 emerging issues

During the course of the 2014-15 financial year a number of additional issues were raised that were beyond the existing means of the LMT to deal with but are likely to require the teams attention into the future. These included –

· Water quality issues in other catchments including Opotama Beach, Ocean Beach and Ahuriri lagoon. Staff have been liaising closely with the Science Team to understand the state, trends and possible causes of the declining water quality in these areas, but at present does not have the capacity to undertake this additional work.

· Greater involvement in intensive land uses and horticulture practices on the Heretaunga Plains. With the TANK Plan Change looming the LMT is cognisant of the fact that it does not have either a strong presence, the capacity or expertise to deal with potential implementation issues coming out of the TANK Plan Change. The LMT would prefer to be actively involved in the TANK catchments now building relationships with key stakeholders in advance of rules and regulations being formalised.

· Increasingly the LMT is working closely iwi, particularly in the priority sub-catchments. The team is keen to develop its understanding of iwi resource management issues and tikanga to ensure we achieve beneficial outcomes for iwi through our activity and programs.

· There is a significant focus on LMT activity in priority areas. The team is aware that there are many significant land management issues outside of these priority areas that would benefit from financial and technical support. The team is looking at a variety of ways it can provide support to landholders throughout the region through capacity building and through the use of contractors.

· The LMT acknowledges comments made from a number of parties during the 2014-15 year that the LMT could do more to promote the work the team is involved in and particularly advertise more widely when information from research projects is produced or field days are held. The team recognises this and is making significant effort to incorporate more work in this space, through staff work plans and working with an external communication consultant in the 2015-16 financial year.

· A significant challenge for the team in planning and reporting on work programs is the lack of formalised program outcomes. As this report highlights, the team is involved in an extensive range of activities, which will need to be narrowed into the future to meet the looming challenges associated with future plan changes. During the 2015-16 financial year the team will complete its Land Management Strategic Plan, with the primary aim of identifying key program outcomes and their associated activity plans. This should enable the team to streamline and focus work programs on delivering these outcomes

5. Summary

The 2014-15 financial year has been both challenging and rewarding for the LMT. The team has 3 new full time staff members with a broad range of highly technical, new and complementary skills. The team is involved in a wide and diverse range of activity that provides significant value to HBRC particularly through our interaction with the regions landholders, community groups and primary sector. The work the LMT does is highly dynamic and has evolved markedly over the last 3 years. The team has needed to maintain a highly adaptable approach to its work programs and priorities over the 2014-15 financial year but can be proud of what is has achieved over that period.

Plant and Animal Pests Annual Report 1 July 2014 - 30 June 2015

Attachment 1

1.0 Introduction

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is the management agency for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP). As the management agency, Council is required to prepare an Operational Plan that sets out how the RPMP 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 2014/2015 year relating to the Operational Plan for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP).

2.0 Plant Pests

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

For each of these plant pest categories, the Annual Report provides a brief description of what activities Council undertook in the 2014/2015 year. Information on the budgets for plant pest control is provided in Council’s annual report.

2.1 Total Control plant pests

The RPMP 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 RPMP places the onus of control of these plant pests on the land occupier with enforcement being the key management tool. The Operational Plan recognises differences in the way some of these plants are managed however. 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:

· low incidence, which are able to be dealt without without these being in the RPMP, (examples of these are Cathedral bells, Darwins barberry and Climbing spindleberry), and

· actively managed plants as set out in table 2 below.

Table 2: Actively Managed Total Control Plants

Plant	Staff Days	Explanation
Apple of Sodom	10	Main problem areas are several farms in the Seafield Road area but improvements continue to be made each year. Time spent ranging and controlling is now at a minimum of approximately two weeks per year. Isolated plants are removed by staff.
African feathergrass	1	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	6	Only found in Wairoa district. Majority of work subsidised through the incentive scheme and done by contractors.
Chilean needle grass	88	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 four years, results have been encouraging with reasonable landowner uptake, however there is still a lot to learn about this product. Taskforce efficacy and residue level trials are continuing to satisfy EPA requirements to maintain the registration. Advocacy programme in partnership with Environment Canterbury and Marlborough District Council is into its second year, this is raising awareness among landowners in Hawke’s Bay. All roadside and river infestations controlled by Plant pest staff.
Cotton thistle	3	Numbers were still reasonably low, which was pleasing. Staff control most infestations in conjunction with private landowners.
Goats rue	1	Staff monitor all roadside areas and Eskdale area. Plants only at one roadside area in Central Hawke’s Bay this year.
Japanese honeysuckle	3	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	3	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 four years ago in the Tukituki area still has high numbers but they have reduced significantly.
Yellow water lily	1	No Yellow water lily was found this year, this plant may now be eradicated from Hawke’s Bay.
Old man’s beard	43	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 HBRC.
Phragmites	6	Infested areas were sprayed by Plant Pest staff and funded by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). The area of infestation is slowly going down and is now only 10% of what it was 6 years ago.
Pinus contorta	6	Continue to work closely with DoC and Horizons. A joint operation completed in the Napier/Taihape Road area with both Horizons and DOC while a joint operation was completed with DOC on Lochinver Station. Work continued on Maori owned land in the Rangitaiki area, which was carried out by contractors. Staff control isolated plants found on roadsides.
Privet	74	Large numbers were removed, although less than previous years, some by field officers but mainly through contractors. A total of 196 properties had Privet removed. Management programmes continue to be popular with hedges although three hedges were removed completely.
Saffron thistle	37	Numbers were down on last year (due to a reasonable summer in the previous year). Saffron thistle is always worse after a drought year.
Spiny emex	3	Numbers were steady on the two infested properties. Spiny emex has a very long seed life.
White edged nightshade	1	Very few plants found.
Woolly nightshade	53	A few new urban sites were found, although a lot less than previous years. Napier infested sites were down significantly which was pleasing.

Table 3 Biodiversity plants.

Plant	Days	Explanation
Climbing spindleberry	1		Annually sprayed by contractors. Difficult climber to control and is mainly found in the Tuki Tuki and Waipawa rivers.
Cathedral bells	2		All known rural sites are being controlled by contractors or staff. A few sites are clear now.
Darwin’s barberry	21		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	8		This includes Moth plant, Blue passion flower, Banana passionfruit, Purple ragwort, Boneseed plus a whole range of plants that the public are concerned about.
High risk sites	40		This category includes QE11, old homestead sites, picnic areas, river access sites and dump areas.
Biological control	15		Staff continuously monitor release sites and re release where needed. Five releases of Californian thistle green thistle beetle were purchased and released in various Hawke’s Bay areas. Twenty releases of Broom gall mite was distributed up the railway line near the Esk River and along the SH50 highway. A survey continued on Ragwort and Nodding thistle agents for Landcare Research.
National plant pest accord.	4		All known plant sales outlets were inspected in Hawke’s Bay. No issues found.

Staff have taken a pro-active stance on the low incidence plants, in order to gain control before they become high incidence plants. Control work is being done 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 eleventh year of HBRC funded control work on multiple ownership land at Rangitaiki. We have now cleared all of the 90 hectare core area. Fortunately the Maori Trustees of the East Taupo Lands Trust have now developed this area into farmland and leased it out. A significant benefit to developing the land as farmland will mean that HBRC’s ongoing costs for maintenance control on regrowth from the substantial Pinus contorta seedbed will be hugely reduced. However there are still large areas surrounding this newly developed farmland where new Pinus contorta seedlings need to be controlled.

Joint control operations have been done with both Horizon’s and DOC, which has not only saved money but also time.

P contorta control operations carried out in Hawke’s Bay have been:

· A joint operation between DOC and HBRC which covered Lochinver Station and Iwi land directly south of Lochinver Station in the Ripia valley

· A gulley immediately adjacent to the 90 hectare core area in Rangitaiki has been cleared and is now in pasture

· A joint operation with Horizons on land owned by Otupae Station, just south of the Napier/Taihape Road. This land was surveyed and found to be clear

· A joint operation with DOC on Iwi land near Kuripapango

· A joint operation with DOC in the QEII of Timahanga Station.

Over 20,000 hectares were checked and any P contorta controlled in the above areas.

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, HBRC 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 (Taskforce) for the control of Chilean needle grass and Nassella tussock. However, further efficacy and residue trials are still required by the Environmental Risk Management Authority to provide more information to retain this registration. These trials have started and we are now more than halfway through them. Flupropanate gives long term residual control against Chilean needle grass and Nassella tussock.

Environment Canterbury has gained a three year SFF grant (they are two years into it) for $300,000 to raise landowner awareness of Chilean needle grass. HBRC is involved in this project which is helping find new sites in Hawke’s Bay as well as contributing to a greater level of awareness of CNG throughout the country.

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 RPMP rules (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 RPMP as surveillance plants include a wide range of species. Some of these plants are extremely difficult to control (e.g. aquatic weeds) 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

With this plant, the HBRC has refocused where its activities are undertaken. Additional infestations have been found in Hastings, Waipawa and Havelock North. While control is still being done down the Taipo Stream across the other infestations advice is given to landowners on how to control this troublesome weed.

5.2 Climbing spindleberry

This plant is found in the Central Hawke’s Bay area along the banks of the Waipawa and Tukituki Rivers. This area has been previously all mapped by helicopter to provide an accurate measure of its extent.

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 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 HBRC in the Tuai area. The infestation has been sprayed by a contractor. It is a very invasive plant that will smother native plants especially lower growing ones. Tuai is the only site that is known of in Hawke’s Bay.

5.5 DIDYMO/AQUATIC PLANT PESTS

A student was hired by the 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 for 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. The Didymo Response Plan was also updated.

Samples were taken from strategic sites on the main Hawke’s Bay rivers by HBRC, Fish and Game and DOC and sent away for DNA analysis to ascertain whether Didymo is present. All samples this year were negative for the presence of Didymo.

6.0 Surveillance Programme

More focus has been put into Total Control plants and plants of concern such as Phragmites, Woolly nightshade, Chilean needle grass and Saffron thistle.

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

Urban work continues to have a high profile, particularly Privet. This season plant pest staff received a smaller number of complaints, which led to less Privet being removed from urban properties. A large trial, in partnership with other Regional Councils, was done to test whether the smell of Privet flowers had an effect as an allergen. The results of this trial was that very few of the test subjects were affected by the smell of Privet flowers.

Boundary control plants have been actively managed only upon 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 4 hours recorded to this. Complaints are normally about Blackberry.

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	1228
Urban and industrial visits	990
Nurseries and pet shop visits	25

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 (although Yellow water lily is very close to being 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 along the rail corridor 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 the NZ Transport Agency as well as both the Central Hawke’s Bay and the 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.

The NZTA provides an additional budget to control plant pests, on their roadsides, such as Old mans 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

Two Notices of Direction were issued although some are still current that were issued to Contractors or landowners who are involved with earthmoving on infested properties. Subdivision activities are monitored by staff to ensure compliance, which has been good this year. The RPMP includes some additional measures to help manage the risks created when subdivisions are developed on Total Control plant sites.

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 plant pest staff work with the Environment Education section of the Council. Activities this year have included:

10.1 (a) Plant Pest Display

Five displays were done in this financial year. These were done at:

· Hawke’s Bay A + P Show

· CHB A + P Show

· Wairoa A + P Show

· Mystery Creek National Field Days

· Puketapu School Cross Farm Fundraiser

10.2 (b) News Articles

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

· Chilean needle grass

· Didymo

10.3 Presentations

Didymo presentations were given to several clubs associated with freshwater activities. A talk on plant pests was given at the EIT. A Stockyard sale day in Hastings was attended to raise awareness of CNG recognition. A CNG awareness talk was also given to DOC at their Napier Office

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.

· Provide a 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.

Five releases of Californian thistle green thistle beetle were purchased and released in the Hawke’s Bay area. Twenty releases of Broom gall mite were distributed on the railway corridor near the Esk River and along SH50.

12.0 Plant Pest Subsidy Scheme

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

Type	Number	Amount ($)
Rural		$ 38,518.03
Urban		$ 876.08

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

13.0 Conclusion

All the objectives set out in the Operational Plan for the year have been achieved.

The monitoring system carried out this year has continued to target Total control plants (particularly Old man’s beard, Chilean needle grass, Woolly nightshade and Saffron thistle) 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.

14.0 Animal Pests

The RPMP contains two classes of animal pests;

· Regional Control Animal Pests and

· Site Specific Animal Pests.

RPMP Classification

Animal Species

Regional control

Animal pests

Possums;

Rabbits; and

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; and

Rats (Norway and ship rats).

For each of these two animal pest classifications, the Annual Report provides a brief description of what activities HBRC has undertaken in the 2014/2015 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 HBRC forms Possum Control Areas (PCAs) with the support and assistance of land occupiers. Within PCAs, HBRC 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 were no PCA signups or initial control for 2014/2015 as initial control has been completed

The attached graph represents all rateable hectares across the region with the exclusion of forestry.

2013/2014 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 2014/2015 year. These are all operations that have transitioned to the PCA programme from TBfree NZ Ltd.

Table 3: Initial Facilitation 2014/2014

PCA	Hectares
Pakowhai GS1 to GS4	9,552
Glengarry GS1 to GS3	14,499.6
Mangatahi GS1 & GS2	8,900
Patunamu GS1 & GS4 to GS9	15,881
Tuai GS1 to GS6	4,892.3
Waikaremoana GS1 to GS6	4,917.8
Matahoura GS4	1,262.7
Totals	59,905.4

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 14/15

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%
Mangapoiki	Trend	6,527	40	1.2%	2
Marumaru	Trend	4,645	31	2.2%	5
Mangaone	Trend	7,706	40	1%	3
Morere	Trend	5,713	37	0.9%	1
Kokohu	Trend	4,947	32	1.5%	4
Hereheretau	Trend	4,743	22	2.3%	4
Tangiwai	Trend	3,803	27	5.2%	11
Ruakituri	Trend	4,114	28	2.5%	0
Te Ringa	Trend	4,008	28	1.3%	2
Mahurangi	Trend	6,627	41	1.8%	0
Tykemokihi	Trend	6,374	39	4.2%	0
Totals		59,207	365	2.2%	32

(b) Education Monitoring 14/15

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%
Totals		11,229	110	2%	26

* RPMP 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.

Trend and education monitoring for our 14/15 year was carried out across 70,436 hectares. The PCA programme is now currently 618,300 hectares in size. We aim to at a minimum of monitoring 10% of the current PCA programme annually.

The Advisory Team have issued no Notice of Direction to non-compliant landowners over the 14/15 period.

Annual RTC/Chew card monitoring trends

15.2 Incentive Scheme

The subsidy scheme continues to operate well with full support from Farm Lands Trading and PGG Wrightsons. 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.

15.3 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. HBRC meets 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
Total Hectares			1,515.1

17.0 River Berm

HBRC has undertaken a number of possum control operations on HBRC managed river berm land. This has been done as a good neighbour, to meet HBRC’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 2014/2015 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 14/15 rook, season where aerially treated utilizing a under slung strop man applying DRC 1339 gel bait directly into nests. A total of 441 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 7 rook enquires were responded to during the year with approximately 130 rooks poisoned on bait lines utilizing bread and maze baits.

Map 1: Aerial Rook Control 2014-2015

Graph 1: Rook Nests Trends

19.0 Rabbits

Regional surveillance carried out during 2014/2015 monitors whether HBRC's current reliance on rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) continuing 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 67 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.

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 2.8 rabbits per kilometre to 3.9 rabbits per kilometre.

Graph 2: Rabbit Night Count Trends

Map 3 Rabbit Night Count Line Locations

19.2 RHD

RHD sampling is now carried out bi-annually and is scheduled to be carried out in 2014/2015

Blood samples were obtained from rabbits by a contractor who is trained in a MAF approved method. Blood samples were taken from 210 rabbits from 16 sites across the Region.

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.

HBRC 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 active 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 section of HBRC. 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 protection	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 QE2	213	Puketitiri
Taramoa Stn	1139	Puketitiri
Ahimanuwa	270	Ahimanuwa
Little bush Reserve	12	Puketitiri
Lindsay Bush Reserve	10	Waipukurau
TMVG group	40	Tutira
Esk Hills residents society	80	Bay view
A’ Deanes Bush Bufer	40	Ashley Clinton
Lake Hatuma shooters society	200	Waipukurau
Whangahou Beach	216	Whangahou
Lake Rununga	56	Napier
Ahuriri Bittern Protection group	120	Ahuriri
James Hunter QE2	32	Poranbn
Gwavas Reserve	126	Gwavas
Duncan Kirk QE2	30	Raukawa
McNeil QE2	11	Rissington

21.0 Education and Advice

The Biosecurity team continue to post regular articles in “Our Place”, 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 HBRC’s web site.

22.0 Research initiatives

A range of research initiatives have been completed as part of the stage two due diligence for widescale predator control (WSPC). These 12 initiatives include research in three main areas:

Optimising operational delivery of WSPC

Modelling of landuser uptake and the delivery of outcomes

Social, cultural, economic and environmental baselines

All projects are delivered in conjunction with Landcare Research. Individual research projects include:

Chew card operational maximisation – The radio tagging and post chew card trapping of possums to understand the effectiveness of chew card location of possum presence absence or absence in terms of targeting possum control.

Motion sensitive cameras as a monitoring device - A range of research projects on the use of motion sensitive cameras for predator management. This focused on the refinement of initial camera monitoring so it can be cost effectively applied large scale for both pre and post control monitoring, hot spot survivor detection and compliance monitoring.

Large scale trap network optimisation – modelling the three years of predator trapping data at Poutiri Ao o Tane to see if total traps can be reduced in a network without compromising predator control.

Land user uptake and outcomes – modelling of a range of landuser participation in WSPC scenarios to establish minimum control areas that will still achieve economic and environmental outcomes.

Baseline monitoring – Develop a baseline monitoring programme for C2C across key indicator species such as birds and invertebrates including the role of citizen science. Monitoring is also to include environmental education, toxoplasmosis, community engagement and project case study social science. Some cutting edge monitoring (in new Zealand terms) such as environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques will also be used.

Bird count monitoring

Pre possum control bird counts were conducted by Brent Stephenson of Eco-Vista LTD between in the 14-15 financial year over the HuB urban possum control area. This is a joint funded project with Napier City Council as most of the bird count sites are in NCC parks and reserves.

Good numbers of native birds such as Tui and bell bird were observed with Tui trebelling and bell bird doubling in numbers.

23.0 Wide Scale predator (Cat and Mustelid) Control (poutiri Ao O Tane and cape to city)

HBRC is currently involved in a multi agency initiative Te Matau A Maui. This is two separate but complementary projects Poutiri Ao o Tane and Cape to City.

The ‘Poutiri Ao o Tane ‘ project is a community based initiative with strong backing from several Agencies including HBRC, DOC, HDC, Landcare Research and local community and Iwi groups.The project is ambitious and hopes to achieve positive biodiversity and social outcomes over an 8,000 hectare area, encompassing both DOC reserves and private farmland. The flagship of this project is the release of bush birds such as Kaka and Kakareiki in Boundary stream Mainland Island and the reestablishment of sea birds on the Maungahaururu range, including Black, Cooks and mottled petrel.

Poutiri Ao o Tane has led to the development of a proposal for Wide Scale predator control in Cape to City which will develop the ability of WSPC to be rolled out across Hawke’s Bay similarly to how the PCA programme has operated. Cape to City will achieve positive both biodiversity, economic and social outcomes over a 26,000 hectares encompassing both DOC reserves and private farmland. It will also transfer the predator control techniques learned into the wider ecological restoration groups within the Hawke’s Bay region. The vision of this project is to have “native species thrive where we live, work and play”.”

Longer term, HBRC objectives in regard to Wide Scale predator control are to:

- Identify a pest control regime that substantially reduces the current cost of top predator (cats and mustelid) control maintenance within a rural landscape containing significant bush fragments

- Provide additional protection to important habitat or sites of regional significance and native species that will benefit from top predator control.

- Support and empower the local community to set and attain achievable biodiversity protection goals.

- Deliver economic benefits to sheep farming operations through the landscape scale reduction of the disease toxoplasmosis or the application of green credentials.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 09 December 2015

Subject: Science January-July 2016 Operational Report

Reason for Report

1. This report is to advise Councillors of the projected work and projects the Science sections will undertake over the remainder of the 2015-16 financial year.

Air and Climate

2. HBRC is responsible for monitoring, managing and reporting air quality under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (NESAQ). Air quality in Hawke’s Bay is very good most of the time, but there are occasions when contaminants, especially fine particulates exceed health guidelines. HBRC aims to achieve a standard of air quality that is not detrimental to human health and has a programme of monitoring to track trends in the region’s air quality and compare it with health guidelines.

3. The main air quality problems arise in the region’s urban and industrial centres, so HBRC monitors fine particulates (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) continuously in the Napier, Hastings and Awatoto airsheds to determine compliance with the NESAQ and for State of the Environment (SoE) reporting.

4. PM₁₀ screening monitoring in Ahuriri is taking place for one year and will be completed in April 2016. The purpose of the monitoring is to examine issues around dust and fire particles raised by residents in the area.

5. The contributions of various source emissions to particulate concentrations in the Awatoto airshed will be monitored over a period of one year, commencing early 2016. Samples of particulate will be collected during this time and sent to GNS for analysis.

6. Both air quality and rainfall trends will be reported through completion of the 5 yearly State of the Environment Technical Reports. The Air Quality Strategy will be reviewed in light of the results.

Coastal

7. Recreational Water Quality Monitoring: The coastal team will monitor recreational water quality at sites throughout the region for twenty weeks until March 2016. Faecal source tracking samples will be sent to ESR for analysis when appropriate.

8. SoE monitoring: The coastal team will continue SoE monitoring of sediment quality/ Hard and soft shore ecology and nearshore water quality in line with project plans.

9. The coastal team will continue to collect water quality and ecological information around the Waitangi and Ahuriri estuaries and the nearshore coastal environment to feed into the TANK plan change.

10. Saline Intrusion monitoring: The coastal team has mapped the extent of saline intrusion into most of the region’s estuaries and this year will focus on the Mohaka River and smaller catchments.

11. The coastal team will continue to assist the consents team with reviews of consents especially around discharges to the coastal environment in particular storm water discharges.

Land Science

12. HBRC is responsible for sustainable management of land resources under the RMA, which also requires HBRC to establish, implement and review objectives, policies and methods for maintaining indigenous biological diversity.

13. Soil loss and degradation, and scarcity of indigenous vegetation and wetlands are addressed in the Regional Resource Management Plan (RRMP), which provides relevant objectives and policies.

14. Land Science has two work streams. The first deals with targeted investigations and one-off projects and the second includes long term monitoring programmes.

15. Soil mapping for central and southern Hawke’s Bay, Heretaunga plains and part of TANK area, working towards the northern catchments of the region.

16. Riparian mapping is undertaken to provide baseline understanding of riparian condition, focusing on stock accessibility, bank erosion, and vegetation cover. Mapping has been completed for Tukituki and TANK catchments. The desktop assessment method will be reviewed and modified, and will be used for southern coastal catchments. This improved method will be applied for the rest of the region. The resulting spatial data will also be used for sediment modelling.

17. Land-use scenarios will be developed for investigation as part of the nutrient, surface water and groundwater modelling for the proposed TANK plan change.

18. Regional soil quality monitoring is generally undertaken 5 yearly for extensive land use and 3 yearly for intensive land use. The intensive pasture sites which were surveyed in 2012 will be revisited, and trend analysis for this land use can then be undertaken.

19. Sediment modelling will be started for the TANK area. Southern coastal catchments will be subsequently modelled by the end of 2015-16.

20. Wetland monitoring will continue to develop a wetland inventory, which this year will include Wairoa and northern coastal catchments. Inventory information is vital for developing a state of the environment monitoring programme for wetlands. We will develop a monitoring framework using the Tukituki Catchment as a pilot project, and also as part of the Tukituki Catchment Plan Change 6 (PC6) implementation, while continuing the inventory work.

21. A monitoring framework for wetlands in the Tukituki catchment is proposed as part of PC6 implementation. This will identify wetland state by the end of 2015-16 (and eventually trends), and will assist in determining policy effectiveness.

Groundwater Science - Quantity and Quality

22. HBRC is responsible for monitoring, managing and reporting groundwater under the RMA and implementation of the National Policy Statement Freshwater Management (NPSFM, 2014). A key objective of the NPSFM is the setting of enforceable quality and quantity limits that reflect local and national values whilst providing certainty for investment. The RRMP is the key policy document for implementation of the RMA and the NPSFM.

23. The RRMP identifies groundwater is regionally significant resource that is used for potable supply for the cities of Napier and Hastings and rural communities. Groundwater is also a vital resource that used by the agriculture, horticulture and viticulture industries in Hawke’s Bay. The RRMP identifies resource management objectives and policy for the groundwater resources of the region for groundwater quality and quantity.

24. RRMP policy objectives for groundwater quality are:

24.1. No degradation of existing groundwater quality in the Heretaunga Plains and Ruataniwha Plains aquifer systems. 10 Subject to the Ruataniwha Plains aquifer being removed by Plan Change 6. (Objective 21).

24.2. The maintenance or enhancement of groundwater quality in unconfined or semiconfined productive aquifers in order that it is suitable for human consumption and irrigation without treatment, or after treatment where this is necessary because of the natural water quality (Objective 22).

25. RRMP policy objectives for groundwater quantity are:

25.1. The avoidance of any significant effects of water takes on the long term quantity of groundwater in aquifers and on surface water resources. (Objective 23)

25.2. The avoidance or remedy of any significant adverse effects of water takes on the operation of existing lawful efficient groundwater takes. (Objective 24).

26. The RRMP specifies guidelines and anticipated environmental results on how to achieve the Plan’s objectives which includes water level trend monitoring, water quality monitoring and to undertake research and investigations to achieve the RRMP and NPSFM objectives and policies.

27. There are 3 groundwater science projects set in the Long Term Plan which have project workflows designed to inform and meet the RRMP and NPSFM policy and objectives, with key activities summarised following.

Project 330 – Groundwater Quantity Monitoring

28. Long-term, systematic water level measurements provide essential data to enable trend analysis of changes in the resource over time, inform policy implementation and resource decision-making, and to develop groundwater models used to inform policy development. Key upcoming workflows for this project are:

28.1. To measure groundwater levels at ninety-two existing monitoring sites.

28.2. Complete 5 year SoE technical reporting.

28.3. Expansion of the groundwater monitoring level well network over the 2015-16 financial year is focused mainly in the Ruataniwha basin as required for PC6 implementation. This will require drilling of new monitoring bores using budgeted capital expenditure (CAPEX).

28.4. Capturing quasi-continuous groundwater levels data at 25 sites across the Heretaunga Plains and 4 sites within the Ruataniwha Plains.

28.5. Conduct a review of the quasi-continuous groundwater level network and increase sites where higher frequency measurements are monitored. Telemetering groundwater levels will be considered as a means to improve data use, quality control and staff resourcing.

28.6. Auditing Assessments of Environment Effects for Resource Consent applications as required.

Project 325 Groundwater Quality Monitoring

29. Long term, systematic water quality measurements provide essential data to enable trend analysis of changes in the resource over time, inform policy implementation and resource decision-making, and to develop groundwater models that are used to inform policy development. Key upcoming workflows for the project are:

29.1. Measuring groundwater quality at 45 existing monitoring sites for a range of microbiological, chemical and physical parameters every quarter and provide data for the hbrc.govt.nz website, and responding to enquires.

29.2. Expansion of the monitor well network over the 2015-16 financial year, mainly focused on the Ruataniwha basin to monitor the effectiveness of PC6. This will require drilling new monitoring bores using budgeted CAPEX.

29.3. Conducting a shallow groundwater survey for key indicators of groundwater quality.

29.4. Completion of 5 year SoE technical reporting.

29.5. Providing technical advice on Assessments of Environment Effects for Resource Consent discharge applications as required and provide interpretative analysis data for compliance monitoring programmes as required.

29.6. Contribute to the development and implementation of the LAWA data portal.

Project 310 - Groundwater Research and Investigations

Greater Heretaunga Plains (TANK) Catchment

30. Development and implementation of TANK catchment model framework for water quantity and quality.

31. Development of Heretaunga Plains groundwater flow model to the transient stage.

32. Calibration of the Heretaunga Plains transient groundwater model projected to be finalised mid-2016.

33. TANK catchments nutrient model assessment is planned to be completed by mid-2016.

34. Water quantity and quality modelling for the Upper TANK catchments projected to be finalised mid-2016

35. Model scenarios for the Heretaunga Plains water quantity are to be advanced and are projected to be finalised mid-2016.

36. Model scenarios for Heretaunga Plains water quality are expected to be progressed late 2016.

37. Completion of an isotope study of the Heretaunga Plains, to provide analysis for further understanding of conceptual hydrogeologic model of the Heretaunga Plains, and incorporate this understanding into the groundwater-surface water flow model.

Mohaka-Taharua

38. Collect water quality data from sites in Taharua catchment and install 2 new groundwater monitoring sites for the Taharua catchment.

39. Conduct groundwater level peizometric survey in conjunction with Bay of Plenty Regional Council to confirm groundwater catchments.

Ruataniwha – Papanui Catchment

40. Collect water quality data from investigations monitoring sites drilled in 2014 for the Papanui catchment, with a review of data early 2016 to assess monitoring frequency and sites.

41. Progress geochemistry isotope study of the Papanui, to provide analysis for further understanding of conceptual hydrogeological model of the Papanui, and to identify sources of nutrients (phosphorus) in groundwater for the Papanui catchment, with study reporting projected to be finalised mid-2016.

Surface Water Quantity

42. HBRC and its predecessors (e.g. catchment boards) established an extensive network of flow and water level records for Hawke’s Bay streams for the purposes of:

42.1. Flood warning and flood control

42.2. SoE monitoring to define state and detect trends over space and time

42.3. Minimum flow monitoring to identify when restrictions on water use should be imposed as flows drop below minimum flows scheduled to maintain instream values

42.4. Targeted investigations for project-specific outcomes, such as informing the Tukituki Plan Change, the Greater Heretaunga Plan Change (TANK) and the Mohaka Plan Change.

43. Maintaining this monitoring network involves site maintenance, calibration, data processing and archiving. External audits of the data record are also contracted for key sites. Quality controls are being revised to achieve the NZ National Environmental Monitoring Standards. Live data are available on the internet to inform flood monitoring and minimum flows. Other river users also find these live data helpful (such as kayakers, jet boaters, fishers). Sites are added and removed from the monitoring network in response to changing demand (such as new minimum flow sites or groundwater-surface water interaction areas).

44. The following highlights key activities that will be conducted to provide surface water quantity data to assist with surface water management, and informed decision-making processes, and to monitor the effectiveness of management and protection programmes.

44.1. River flow projects include contributing to the development of a surface water-groundwater flow model for the Heretaunga Plains (TANK catchments), such as groundwater/surface water interactions (e.g. locating springs).

44.2. Minimum flows will also be revisited for the TANK Plan Change, and flow-ecology investigations are underway this financial year to inform decisions for the Karamu catchment.

44.3. The Mohaka Plan Change requires information to characterise surface flows (such as mainstem and tributary flows) with ongoing work to inform policy.

45. Long term, systematic measurements of surface water levels provide essential data needed to evaluate changes in the resource over time. To assist with monitoring changes and to inform policy development, the Hydrology Team will continue to measure surface water levels at existing sites.

46. Expansion of the surface water network in 2015-16 is mainly focused in the Ruataniwha basin to monitor the effectiveness of PC6, with some additional sites also required to fill gaps left by reduction in scope of the NIWA monitoring network.

Freshwater Surface Water Ecology and Research

47. Management of Hawke’s Bay waters is critical to the region’s social, economic, and cultural wellbeing as well as to the health and safety of its residents.

48. The RRMP states objectives and policies relevant to the management of our surface water quality as:

48.1. Objective 27: The maintenance or enhancement of the water quality of rivers, lakes and wetlands in order that it is suitable for sustaining or improving aquatic ecosystems in catchments as a whole, and for contact recreation purposes where appropriate.

48.2. Policy 71: To manage the effects of activities affecting the quality of water in specific rivers, lakes and wetlands in accordance with the environmental guidelines.

49. The Hawke’s Bay Land and Water Strategy (2011) highlights the importance of the region’s land and water resources to safeguarding the regions socio-economic prosperity. It is estimated that land and water supports about 40% of the Hawke’s Bay economy. The future well-being of the region therefore depends on the ongoing sustainable management of this resource to meet the economic and environmental goals of the community.

50. Robust regional planning relies on sound information on the state of the region’s resources. Without this, it is difficult to implement management strategies to best protect and enhance the state of our waterways whilst providing for the ongoing economic growth of the region.

51. A key outcome of the implementation of the Hawke’s Bay Land and Water Strategy (2011) is the setting of water quality limits, standards and targets which meet the agreed strategy management objectives for the region. This aligns with one of the key requirements of the NPSFM (2014), being the setting of enforceable quality and quantity limits that reflect local and national values whilst providing certainty for investment. The NPSFM identifies the importance of obtaining the best available information on socio-economic and scientific knowledge to achieve this.

52. To meet the objectives of the NPSFM it is necessary for regional councils to have sound, defensible scientific information and understanding of the regions freshwater resources to define their current state and determine accurately their changing trend over time.

53. There are approximately 23,630 km of streams and rivers within the region, along with numerous lakes, including lakes Waikaremoana and Waikareiti, Kaweka, Tutira, Poukawa and Whakaki.

54. The freshwater SoE monitoring programme measures river water quality on a monthly basis at over seventy sites across Hawke’s Bay as well as measuring water quality at a number of the regions lakes on a regular basis. The objectives of the programme are to help support Council’s obligations under the RMA, the RRMP and the NPSFM to manage the natural and physical resources of the region.

55. The surface water quality and ecology work programme will:

55.1. Establish (where appropriate) new monitoring programmes and continue existing monitoring programmes to support TTPC6 implementation.

55.2. Undertake investigative studies into pressures on water quality and ecological health in the Porangahau and Maharakeke streams (Tukituki) to support the Tukituki Priority Catchment programme being managed by the Land Management team.

55.3. Continue a work programme to assist with the assessment of in-stream ecological values and standards with a focus on developing and trialing techniques on measuring ecological health in a robust fashion.

55.4. Work closely with the Cawthron Institute to improve predictive MCI (Macroinvertebrate Community Index) models for the Hawke’s Bay Region.

55.5. Continue with shade trials in small drains of the Heretaunga Plains investigating effectiveness of vegetation shading options as an alternative for managing nuisance aquatic plant (macrophyte) growth.

55.6. Trial a number of fish ramp designs aimed at providing improved or ‘optimum’ fish passage for Inanga through perched culverts.

55.7. Undertake targeted investigations in priority catchments to support land management initiatives with a focus on the Whangawehi Stream and Whakaki Lake catchments.

55.8. Continue monitoring lake water quality in the Tutira lakes on behalf of Ministry of Primary Industries, Biosecurity to document water quality in the long-term in response to the Hydrilla eradication programme. The information collected from this study also informs a Lake Tutira catchment and lake water quality model by the University of Waikato on behalf of HBRC being finalised by June 2016.

55.9. Monitor surface water quality in rivers and streams and align monitoring with current best-practice as described by the ongoing Environmental Monitoring and Reporting (EMaR) programme. In the north of the region, additional sites will be sampled for twelve months to help fill knowledge gaps.

55.10. Monitor surface water quality for a range of microbiological, physical and ecological parameters in the Tutira lakes and lakes Waikaremoana and Waikareiti.

55.11. Finalise integration of Council’s PUDDLE water quality database with Hilltop Software, allowing for quality assurance and coding of data to occur in a robust and timely fashion, and support Science’s ISO 9001 accreditation.

55.12. Finalise the surface water quality 5-yearly State of Environment technical reports for the region’s major river catchments.

55.13. Provide expert advice and support to the TANK and Mohaka plan change processes to allow for robust water quality limits to be set in line with NPS FM (2014) requirements.

State of the Environment Reporting

56. The summary ‘Trends’ report will be published for the 5-year period 2009-2013.

57. Technical reports on the state and trends in the Hawke’s Bay environment will be published during the year.

Quality Control/Quality Assurance

58. The 3 year review of Science’s registration under the Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard/International Standards Organisation (ISO) 9001:2008 is required by the end of December 2015. Science will apply jointly with the remainder of the Resource Management Group for the re-registration.

59. Reviews of quality management processes will continue during the year, and new systems will be developed to meet the objective of continual improvement, and to respond to issues arising during the year.

Decision Making Process

60. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained within this section of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and takes note of the Science January-July 2016 Operational Report.

Dr Stephen Swabey

Manager, Science

Iain Maxwell

Group Manager Resource Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

	Follow-up/Request	Person Responsible	Status/Comment
1	Provide figures on percentage of total turnover for specialist work i.e. weed boating done by Ops Group	P Atkins M Adye	Works Group turnover 2014/15 year Weedboat 4.5% Long reach mowing 14.3% Drain & river beach spraying 9% Beach raking 4.3% 32% = $1.51M of a total turnover of $4.7M Not quantified is the employee knowledge and experience of the staff with respect to rivers network, drain network, pump stations, stopbanks and structures.
2	2015 National Horticultural Field Days Event; outline HBRC future involvement in the event	M Adye I Maxwell	The Resource Management Group is considering options and will finalise in advance of next year’s event.
3	Circulate the Cape to City first six month report that was provided to the Aotearoa Foundation	C Leckie	Aotearoa Foundation report drop-boxed to Councillors 24 September 2015.
4	Further information to be circulated regarding the Natural Hazard Risk Review Councillor briefing on 14 October	L Pearse	Briefing information recirculated 12 August 2015 to all Councillors.
5	HBRC policy for incoming Councillor mail	L Hooper	All incoming correspondence is opened, scanned and registered into the Council’s EDRMS unless marked “Private & Confidential”. Other incoming mail, such as circulars and invitations is opened, but then not scanned or registered and forwarded on to the Councillor it’s addressed to.

Issue No.	Issue	Completion date	Target date for completion
1	Hydrological review	2011-12	Completed
2	Gravel Supply and Transport	Begun and ongoing	June 2017
3	Gravel Resource Inventory	2015	Completed
4	Implications for Flood Protection		October 2016
5	Gravel Demand and Forecast	2014	Completed
6	Gravel Monitoring & Determination of Resource Availability	Begun 2015	Completed
7	Instream Ecological Effects	Underway, due 2015*	June 2016
8	Riverbed Birds and Flora	Underway, due 2015*	June 2016
9	Tangata Whenua Values	Ongoing	June 2017
10	Effectiveness of Beach-raking	2013	Completed
11	RMA Issues		June 2017
12	Allocation and Financial Mechanisms		June 2017
13	Riverbed Gravel Management Plan		November 2017