Agenda of Cyclone Recovery Committee - Wednesday, 8 November 2023

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: Transition from recovery to business as usual

Reason for report

1. This paper proposes that the Cyclone Recovery Committee reverts back to being the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee (EICC) with the associated Terms of Reference.

2. This reflects a desire to transition from recovery to our new business-as-usual to align workstreams, including recovery work, with the Long Term Plan 2024-2027.

Officers’ recommendation

3. Staff recommend that the Committee agrees to revert back to EICC and recommends the attached EICC Terms of Reference (TOR) to Council for adoption to implement the switch.

Background

4. On 29 March 2023, the Council resolved to replace the EICC with a Cyclone Recovery Committee, under clause 30 of schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002, with revised terms of reference. Key changes to the TOR were to increase the frequency of meetings from quarterly to 6 weekly, add the Recovery Manager as a further responsible Executive member and increase the tangata whenua representation on the Cyclone Recovery Committee to two members from each of the Regional Planning Committee and Māori Committee. The Chair and Deputy Chair remained the same.

5. As well as absorbing the work of the EICC, the purpose of the Cyclone Recovery Committee was to coordinate and direct the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s recovery initiatives in support of environmental and community recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

6. The decision to replace EICC recognised that most of the work programmes previously reporting to EICC would be focused on recovery in the short to medium term and staff would not have the capacity to report on BAU. It also recognised that recovery actions will necessarily happen at pace requiring agile and joined-up decision-making as noted in its TOR.

7. This proved to be the case and the Cyclone Recovery Committee has provided an important public forum to surface these decisions.

Recap of Cyclone Recovery Committee

8. Over five meetings, from 19 April to 8 November 2023, the Cyclone Recovery Committee has provided the Council and the community updates on all aspects of the recovery including:

8.1. rapid rebuild of stopbanks

8.2. silt and debris funding, collection and monitoring for health impacts

8.3. the process and status of land categorisation

8.4. Orders in Council under the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Act 2023 (SWELA) and Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Act (SWERLA) to temporarily suspend or relax regulatory requirements

8.5. impacts on Council’s business-as-usual planning, consents and compliance work programmes

8.6. rural recovery including community engagement – surveys, events and workshops, Land for Life, Erosion Control Scheme and Nursery impacts and capacity

8.7. Science funding and findings from work done to-date to assess and re-baseline the state and condition of the environment

8.8. Nature-based solutions - funding applications, research and presentations

8.9. findings from reviews and improvements already made in response to the event

8.10. Recovery finance – welfare costs, infrastructure and business interruption costs recoverable from NEMA and insurance.

9. Another important role for the Recovery Committee was to oversee the development of HBRC’s first edition Environmental Resilience Plan. This plan is co-signed by the Chair of the Cyclone Recovery Committee and the Recovery Manager.

10. The catch-all “HBRC recovery update” traffic-light report on various HBRC recovery activities underway that was reported to the Recovery Committee is proposed to be reported to EICC for the foreseeable future.

Ongoing role of the HB Regional Recovery Agency

11. As noted in the Cyclone Recovery Committee TOR, This Committee fits within a broader recovery context which includes the HB Regional Recovery Agency (RRA).

12. Reverting back to EICC will not impact the work of the RRA. The RRA is funded until 30 June 2025 by central government. The RRA will continue to coordinate recovery work across all parties and advocate for central government funding and support. The RRA also has a reporting role as the region implements its funding arrangements with central government.

13. The Chief Executive of the RRA will be attending today’s workshop and can speak on the work of the RRA.

Options assessment

14. Options for Council to consider include:

14.1. Status quo - continue as the Cyclone Recovery Committee

14.2. Proposed option – revert back to the EICC Terms of Reference.

Strategic fit

15. Given its broad terms of reference, and that the RRA will continue to progress recovery workstreams with central government, nothing is lost by reverting back to EICC. Both Committees support the achievement of the Regional Council’s mission, vision and several of the strategic goals set in the Regional Council’s Strategic Plan 2020-2025.

Significance and Engagement Policy assessment

16. The governance structure is a decision of council, required by the Local Government Act and does not require consultation.

Climate Change considerations

17. Climate resilience will remain an important consideration of EICC.

Financial and resource implications

18. There will be a small reduction in costs with fewer members and less frequent meetings.

Decision-making process

19. Council and its committees are required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:

19.1. Council is required to (LGA sch.7 cl.19(1)) hold the meetings that are necessary for the good government of its region.

19.2. Council may appoint (LGA sch.7 cl. 30(1)(a)) the committees, subcommittees, and other subordinate decision-making bodies that it considers appropriate.

19.3. Given the provisions above, Council can exercise its discretion and make these decisions without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Recommendations

That the Cyclone Recovery Committee:

1. Receives and considers the Transition from recovery to business as usual staff report.

2. Recommends that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

2.1. 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 or persons likely to have an interest in the decision.

2.2. Appoints the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee (EICC) to replace the Cyclone Recovery Committee, under Clause 30 of Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002.

2.3. Adopts the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee (EICC) Terms of Reference as attached with the added statement specifying quorum is a majority of members and any changes agreed at the meeting.

Authored by:

Desiree Cull

Strategy and Governance Manager

Leeanne Hooper

Team Leader Governance

Louise McPhail

HBRC Recovery Manager

Approved by:

Nic Peet

Chief Executive

Attachment/s

1 ⇩

Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee Terms of Reference

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: Biosecurity Annual Report 2022-2023 and Operational Plan 2023-2024

Reason for report

1. This item presents the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Biosecurity Annual Report for the 2022-23 year and Operational Plan for the 2023-2024 year.

Executive Summary

2. Pest management is an important part of the sustainable management of natural resources in Hawke’s Bay. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (Council) manages risks posed by pests and other organisms through its Biosecurity programme. The Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) 2018-2038 is the core document behind this and establishes the regulatory basis for pest management in Hawke’s Bay. The RPMP was made operative in February 2019.

3. As the management agency, Council is directed by the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) to prepare an Annual Operational Plan (AOP) that sets out how the RPMP is to be implemented. Following the end of each financial year, Council is required to produce an Annual Report (AR), recording progress in implementation of the RPMP via the Operational Plan.

Background

4. Regional councils have a mandate under Part 2 of the Act to provide regional leadership in activities that prevent, reduce, or eliminate adverse effects from harmful organisms that are present in their region. HBRC therefore has this leadership role in the Hawke’s Bay region.

5. The purpose of the RPMP is to provide for the efficient and effective management or eradication of specified harmful organisms in the Hawke’s Bay region. It builds on the 2013 Strategy and previous pest management programmes. The purpose of the Plan is to:

5.1. minimise the actual or potential adverse or unintended effects associated with those organisms, and

5.2. maximise the effectiveness of individual actions in managing pests through a regionally coordinated approach.

6. Many organisms in the Hawke’s Bay region are considered undesirable or a nuisance. The RPMP only addresses pests where voluntary action is insufficient due to the nature of the pest or the related costs and benefits of individual action or inaction. The Act specifies criteria that must be met to justify such intervention.

7. The RPMP empowers Council to exercise the relevant advisory, service delivery, regulatory and funding provisions available under the Act to deliver the specific objectives identified within the Plan.

Discussion

8. The RPMP contains 63 pests, comprising of 33 pest plants, 23 pest animals, two marine pests and five horticultural pests.

9. Some of the key outputs during the 2022-2023 financial year were:

9.1. The Pest Plant team conducted 2,451 property visits undertaking weed control, monitoring or machinery washdown inspections.

9.2. Staff undertook two biocontrol releases of Californian green thistle beetle.

9.3. One exclusion pest plant, Alligator weed, was detected in the Hawke’s Bay region, located in Lake Whātuma in Central Hawkes Bay.

9.4. No Notices of Direction were issued.

9.5. A total of 194 active rook nests were treated.

9.6. A total of 644 feral goats were controlled within the Mahia and Maungaharuru feral goat coordinated management areas (CMA).

9.7. A total of 15 rabbit enquiries were responded to.

9.8. Staff worked with 23 land occupiers/community groups in managing site specific pests, primarily predators.

9.9. Possum monitoring was undertaken across 308,000 ha (approximately 39.8% of the PCA area) with the overall trap catch across the area being 1.5%.

9.10. 3 marine pest incursions were found. One of these was an exclusion pest, Styela clava. All incursions were treated successfully.

10. A partial plan review of the Regional Pest Management Plan was undertaken in 2022 to make amendments to the PCA programme. These amendments provide the mechanism for HBRC to take the lead in managing possums within the PCA programme through the use of large-scale contracts using professional contractors. This in turn allows for coordinated possum control at a landscape scale using a broad range of tools implemented by pest control specialists. However, additional resources are required to fund the transition from land occupier responsibility to HBRC managed possum control and was going to be requested through the 2024-34 Long Term Plan. Due to the impacts of cyclone Gabrielle, this transition is on hold until the 2027-37 Long Term Plan.

11. Although almost all programme objectives were achieved, the following areas of concern were identified:

11.1. 254 possum monitoring lines were above a 4% RTC, resulting in 44 properties failing their monitor (11% of properties monitored). These properties were followed up to ensure additional possum control occurred to reduce numbers.

11.2. Rabbit night counts were scheduled for April 2023, and were 80% completed. Limited access due to Cyclone Gabrielle prevented this work from being completed.

11.3. The number of properties with pest plants (primarily Chilean Needle Grass) continues to grow, resulting in increased pressure on Pest Plant budgets and staff.

11.4. The discovery of Alligator weed in the region has put additional pressure on pest plant budgets and staff time. For effective management additional resources are required. A proposal is being put forward in the Long-Term Plan.

11.5. There has been a challenging balancing act around managing the risk of spreading Chilean needle grass versus the requirement to restore key infrastructure after the cyclone. The creation and administration of a Controlled Area Notice to allow rural infrastructure recovery is also new work.

11.6. The Ministry for Primary Industries may wind back or cease their funding of the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme. Currently they provide approximately 70 percent of the total regional spend in managing wilding conifers in Hawkes Bay. With this funding there have been significant gains made in reducing wilding conifer infestations to prevent further spread. Existing Council budget for wilding conifer management is not sufficient to maintain these gains if MPI funding ceases.

Strategic Fit

12. Regional pest management sits within a biosecurity framework for the Hawke’s Bay region, which includes the RPMP, the Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Strategy and the HBRC Strategic Plan. Neighbouring Regional Pest Management Plans and national legislation, policy and initiatives have also influenced Hawke’s Bays RPMP.

13. The activity that is reported in the AOR and AP support Council’s healthy functioning biodiversity priority area in its Strategic Plan and the strategic outcome that agricultural and environmental pests are managed and eradicated through the Regional Pest Management Plan.

Next steps

14. Staff are currently implementing the 2023-2024 Operational Plan.

15. An external review of the Chilean needle grass programme is underway and due to be completed by the end of November.

16. Staff are drafting a proposal for the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan for additional resources for pest plant management for the management of Alligator weed.

Decision-making Process

17. Council and its committees are required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:

17.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset, nor is it inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

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

17.3. The decision is not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy.

17.4. The persons affected by this decision are all persons in the region with an interest in the region’s biosecurity activities and biodiversity outcomes.

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

Recommendation

That the Cyclone Recovery Committee:

1. Receives and notes the Biosecurity Annual Report 2022-2023 and Operational Plan 2023-2024 staff report.

2. Recommends that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

2.2. Adopts the Biosecurity Operational Plan for 2023-2024.

Authored by:

Mark Mitchell

Team Leader Principal Advisor Biosecurity Biodiversity

Matthew Short

Catchment Management Lead - Biosecurity

Jolene Townshend

Manager Catchment Operations

Approved by:

Anna Madarasz-Smith

Manager Science

Attachment/s

1 ⇨	Biosecurity Operational Plan 2023-2024		Under Separate Cover
2 ⇨	Hawke's Bay Regional Council Biosecurity Annual Report 1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023		Under Separate Cover

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: Recovery updates from central government

Reason for Report

1. This item provides the means for staff to update the Committee on central government announcements and related activities.

Context

2. The October 2023 General Election sees a new government being formed with direct implications for the previous Government’s reform programme and support for Severe Weather Recovery amongst many matters. While it is very early days, the change of government puts an immediate pause on much of the reform programme for the time-being until the government agenda is known. Some insights for the next Government’s priorities and actions regarding severe weather recovery can be gleaned from pre-election manifestos published by the National Party and ACT Party.

Legislation and Orders in Council

3. Orders in Council (OICs) are a legislative tool that can temporarily suspend or relax requirements of existing legislation to support recovery in districts and regions impacted by 2023’s severe weather events, including Cyclone Gabrielle. Table 1 outlines current and upcoming known OICs relevant to the Regional Council’s activities and interests (NB: Table 1 does not include all OICs relating to activities outside of HBRC’s roles and interests).

4. Officials within various Government departments and ministries are continuing to evaluate the need for, and suitability of, additional draft Orders not listed in the table below in one or more districts and regions affected by severe weather events. However, further clarity on the new Government’s priorities will only emerge after post-election coalition negotiations are completed.

Table 1 – Overview of Severe Weather Recovery-related Orders in Council relating to HBRC’s activities

What	Status
Hastings District Rating Valuations	In effect	weblink
Local Government Act amendments	In effect	weblink
Climate Change – Forestry	In effect	weblink
Income Tax Accommodation Expenditure for North Island Flooding Events	In effect	weblink
Outdoor burning of cyclone waste on rural land that would otherwise be prohibited under rules or national regs	In effect	weblink
Waste Minimisation Act	In effect	weblink
Waste management for landfills and temporary waste sorting facilities	In effect	weblink
Temporary accommodation under RMA	In effect	weblink
Waka Kotahi repair works under RMA	In effect	weblink
KiwiRail repair works under RMA	In effect	weblink
Extend statutory timeframe for Gisborne DC and HBRC to take enforcement/prosecution action (from 12 months to 24 months) under RMA	In effect	weblink
Extend timeframe for water permit replacement applications in the TANK catchment area	In effect	weblink
Provide additional time to comply with the following national direction timeframes: - NPS for Freshwater Management timeframe to notify freshwater planning instruments in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay - National Stock Exclusion Regulation timeframes to exclude stock from waterways in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay - National Planning Standards implementation timeframes for Hastings District Council	In effect	weblink
Faster RMA plan changes enabling permanent housing and papakāinga	In effect	weblink
Replace the 2024 Long Term Plan with a three-year plan under LGA and no requirement for LTP audit	In effect	weblink

5. Copies of any submissions made on behalf of HBRC on OIC proposals can be viewed at www.hbrc.govt.nz (keyword #hbrcsubmissions).

Funding

6. Silt and Debris Funding: The Silt Taskforce is requesting urgent funding of up to $10m to support one month of operations and a further $70m to support ongoing works across Hawkes Bay. We are pursuing all funding mechanisms, but at the time of writing this paper no outcome has been advised. Should no further funding be received, operations supporting Silt and Debris funding through the silt taskforce will shut down.

7. Woody Debris Funding: There has been further funding allocated of $2.3m to Council for the removal of woody debris in the upper catchment areas. This funding is via MPI and is in addition to the $1.77m already provided last financial year. This funding agreement is awaiting signing and confirmation but we understand it’s imminent.

Decision-making Process

8. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Cyclone Recovery Committee receives and notes the Recovery updates from central government.

Authored by:

Jess Bennett

Senior Manager Finance Recovery

Gavin Ide

Principal Advisor Strategic Planning

Desiree Cull

Strategy and Governance Manager

Approved by:

Katrina Brunton

Group Manager Policy & Regulation

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Anna Madarasz-Smith

Manager Science

Susie Young

Group Manager Corporate Services

Nic Peet

Chief Executive

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: HBRC recovery update

Reason for Report

1. This item provides an update on the various HBRC recovery activities underway.

Cyclone Recovery Committee: Recovery Activity Reporting to 8 Nov 2023

Recovery work carried out by teams across the Council will be overseen by the Recovery Team. This is to support regional recovery coordination between the Regional Recovery Agency and territorial local authorities and provide the HBRC Cyclone Recovery Committee with regular updates.

This report will follow the regional recovery framework set by the Regional Recovery Agency (RAA).

The Recovery Programme is the overarching project management framework used to support the work of HBRC’s Recovery Team. Teams leading recovery workstreams will provide supporting updates on key activities achieved during this reporting period.

N.B. Not all recovery workstreams are fully active at this stage. Changes to the recovery initiatives are also expected since the release of the first edition of HBRC’s Environmental Resilience Plan (April 2023).

Performance Indicators (RAG): Red = Off Track Amber = At Risk Green = On Track (Grey = Not started/On hold)

*Risk is inherent vs residual risk (i.e., RAG status prior to mitigations and controls implemented).

Status Change Keys:

	Recovery Workstream	Comments			Date
1	HBRC’s Recovery Programme	Schedule	Risks*	Budget	8 Nov 2023

		Recovery Team 1.1 The cost-share agreement with the Crown was signed by all five Hawke’s Bay councils in October following the initial acceptance subject to consultation in August. 1.2 Following two months of community engagement meetings and drop-in sessions to seek feedback on provisional land categorisation the Land Categorisation Risk Assessment process was completed on 30 September 2023. This moved Category 3 areas from provisional to confirmed, allowing TLAs to initiate the Category 3 buy-out process. This will be managed by a newly established Voluntary Buy-out Office (VBO) led by Hastings District Council (HDC). 1.3 Category 2P has also been confirmed (Rissington). 1.4 Seven areas that remain in Categories 2A/2C under the FOSAL process are being managed by HBRC. These are: Omahu (2A), Pakowhai (2C), Porangahau (2A), Tangoio (2A), Waiohiki (2C), Wairoa (2A), Whirinaki (2A). The Asset Management Engineer Pods are working through the solution investigation with key partners. Each area is at different stages in the process due to their individual technical complexities, but this work is progressing at pace. 1.5 The RRA finalised the Regional Recovery Plan and Action Plan on 27 October 2023. A second edition of this is now underway. Councils are awaiting guidance on what this next plan will look like and what contributions are needed from each council. 1.6 The RRA confirmed in September that the Cyclone Recovery Unit (CRU) indicated that there’s limited funding available for further recovery initiatives outside already allocated funding at this time. 1.7 The RRA are preparing a Business Information Memorandum (BIM) to submit to the incoming government to outline the regions recovery priorities and further funding requirements. 1.8 The HBRC Recovery Initiatives have been reviewed and the list has been reduced, as planning for the next Long-Term Plan (LTP) commences with the understanding that no immediate funding options are available. The below overview list has been updated to reflect what initiatives are still active. 1.9 A second edition of the Environmental Resilience Plan is being drafted which will reconcile the initiatives proposed through the initial plan and the funding that has become available since. This will provide an overview of which initiatives have been either, completed or will be carried forward through the LTP, and those that have not been able to progress. 1.10 It is intended that the second edition of the Environmental Resilience plan will be presented to either the Environment and Integrated Catchment Committee or Council, in early 2024. It is currently understood that this will align with the second Regional Recovery Plan which will be developed by the Regional Recovery Agency. 1.11 Feedback has indicated that the timing right now, as well as the time available for engagement with mana whenua will not allow for meaningful engagement. 1.12 It is therefore proposed that engagement on longer term environmental resilience will therefore be considered through the LTP process and planning for Kotahi. 1.13 Recovery to BAU transition planning has commenced to understand the requirements for operational teams to manage long-term recovery work, including ongoing community engagement for Categories 2A and 2C, and regional coordination with the RRA and other councils.
2	Environmental Resilience: Catchment Management	2.1 Erosion control scheme: Catchment Management Advisors continue to work with landowners on highly erodible land and support the development of remedial plans. 2.2 Nursery expansion: the development of a business case is underway that will identify options for nursery expansion in Hawke’s Bay to increase supply of poplar and willow trees for erosion control.			8 Nov 2023
3	Environmental Resilience: Resource Management & Land Use	Science Team 3.1 Science is working with Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research to build our understanding of the region's landslide susceptibility to support catchment operations and land for life projects. Landslide susceptibility has been mapped and an assessment is underway on selected farms looking at the connectivity of landslides to streams and the efficacy of planting.			8 Nov 2023
4	Environmental Resilience: Indigenous Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Conservation	Catchment Operations 4.1 The biodiversity team have been accessing Priority Ecosystem projects across the region. 4.2 Eight sites have been identified as cyclone-damaged. Two are under remediation, with six to go. Most of the damage is to the deer fencing. 4.3 The wetland in Opoutama had a drainage issue causing flooding. Our environmental science and pollution response teams have supported this work.			8 Nov 2023
4		Science Team 4.4 There is a funding shortfall to continue the collection of environmental data at increased frequencies to enable analyses of the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle on the region's air, rivers, lakes, land, and coast. MfE has been approached.			8 Nov 2023
5	Environmental Resilience: Climate Change	Climate Action Ambassador 5.1 Joint Committee for Climate Action are workshopping a vision for the collective programme of work. 5.2 Risk Explorer hazards tool work has not progressed since the last update and presentation of the gap analysis.			8 Nov 2023
5	Environmental Resilience: Climate Change	Science Team 5.3 Science continues to work with NIWA on flood frequency analyses which are likely due imminently. 5.4 Nature-based solutions for flood peak mitigation (MfE funded) are underway with the oversight group meeting to guide priorities. A literature review project is underway through Envirolink.			8 Nov 2023
6	Environmental Resilience: Waste – Silt Taskforce	11.36 The Taskforce has received 650 jobs to date and has completed 350. 11.36 Over 1,000,000m3 of silt has been removed so far. 11.36 The Commercial fund has closed with over $50m in grants being process and distributed. Work is being undertaken on commercial properties to remove silt. 11.36 The Local Authority Fund has been spent and a further $10m had been given to the taskforce to carry out actions to revive productive land for spring. 11.36 The taskforce is winding down, with only one deposit site currently open. 11.36 A transition plan is being developed to transition the existing responsibilities for the deposit sites to HBRC. 11.36 Further work will need to be undertaken to manage the expectations of the community as the taskforce winds down. See more information in section 11.			8 Nov 2023
7	Environmental Resilience: Water Security & Health	7.1 The Regional Water Security Programme has been removed from the Recovery Initiatives, as this is a long-standing LTP programme did not qualify for recovery funding. 7.2 Reassessment of low flows remains unfunded			8 Nov 2023
8	Primary Sector: Land Use Recovery	Rural Recovery Team 8.1 Rural Recovery Team (RRT) have supported sponsorship and development of the Hawke’s Bay Future Farm Trust Soil Symposium (1/11/23) being held at Toi Toi in Hastings. To support attendance and align relevance, the team have organised a Catchment Group Forum being for the morning of the Symposium. This is an opportunity for newly formed groups to work alongside established groups for a “tips ‘n’ tricks” session, get an update on Farm Planning advisory for farmers, growers, and landowners, and to hear from a long-established catchment group on Riparian Planting (Maraetotara Tree Trust). 8.2 A follow-up Impact Assessment Survey is being developed as a follow-up to the survey conducted in April 2023 following Cyclone Gabrielle. Key principles are to avoid landowners impacted through the land classification process and to target those farmers, growers and landowners who may not have been contacted in the initial survey (target > 20 hectares, Northern and Southern Regions), particularly those areas where a hidden impact may remain. 8.3 Earlier (June/July) Advisor engagement activities identified groups of landowners impacted river/stream changes affecting their land use. These issues were significant in areas outside of an existing HBRC scheme activity, with advice not available to these affected landowners. A river dynamics specialist has been engaged to work alongside Rural Advisors to identify options and next steps for landowners to develop their own recovery plan. 8.4 HDC was awarded funding under the North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding model to develop Community Hub resilience. Rural Advisors have worked alongside HDC teams to build clarity of messaging and understanding of the role of the community hubs and the work of HBRC in supporting the development of community catchment groups and catchment group activities. HDC funding and activities have targeted 10 community hubs across the Hastings District. 8.5 HBRC Rural Advisors have been working with a group of Wairoa farmers impacted by the cyclone, with the loss of more than 400 hectares of maize crops and damage to their land. The work has included aligning impacted farmers in other areas for a shared learning process and aligning the work of LandWISE (Dan Bloomer) to the group and work they have been doing outside of HB. 8.6 The Rural Advisor team has been supporting the development of Extreme Dry preparedness following NIWA forecast indications of a > 80% confidence prediction of an emerging El Nino weather pattern for the 2024 summer season.			8 Nov 2023
9	Resilient Infrastructure: Flood Protection	Operational Response Team 9.1 Around 180 work packages have been created to date from 1893 asset inspections (more than one asset is included in a work package). 9.2 The major work packages encompass large works associated with river edge protection, dam de-siltation, stopbank repairs, extensive drain slumping and remediation and beach and sea wall renourishment. 9.3 So far 94 minor work packages have been created and these are mostly associated with drain clearance and maintenance. It is expected that each minor works package will take around two weeks to complete. 9.4 The pumpstation review is underway and this is primarily focusing on two catchments associated with three pumpstations – Pakowhai and Brookfields-Awatoto. 9.5 Contracts have been awarded to Tonkin + Taylor to undertake reviews of the HPFC scheme and the UTT scheme. It is expected that the draft reports from these reviews will be available in early 2024. 9.6 The scheme review will link in with nature-based solution options review and help inform a holistic approach to flood management.			8 Nov 2023
9	Resilient Infrastructure: Flood Protection	The Capital Delivery Team (Rapid Response) 9.7 All stopbank repairs returning them to their pre-cyclone level of service are expected to be completed by March 2024 9.8 Current outstanding stopbanks are Ebberts, Omarunui (weakened) Ohiti Rd (scour) and Stablefords – five sites. 9.9 It is expected that all stopbanks, except Ebberts, will be completed by February 2024. Ebberts is essentially 250m in length and is expected to be completed by March 2024. 9.10 In CHB work has been completed on the Walker Road stopbank. Temporary edge protection work, and channel realignment work has been undertaken to increase the buffer between the flowing channel and the river berm in this reach. All breach repairs have been completed. All scour repairs that formed the original package of work are now nearing completion with Stablefords the only outstanding site for completion. 9.11 Scour repairs in the Heretaunga Plains sites have been completed except for a weakened section of the Omarunui stopbank that was not part of the original scope of work. 9.12 Project completion reports are continuing to be submitted for completed repair sites for review by the Asset Management team. 9.13 Rapid Rebuild team effort is now transitioning to river management work packages provided by the AIP team.			8 Nov 2023
10	Resilient Infrastructure: Cycleways	Operational Response Team 10.1 Work has been undertaken on large sections of the cycleways. 10.2 $2.2m of MBIE funding has been approved. 10.3 Work has begun to open lower sections of the Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī river corridors, to repair underpass areas in river corridors on the Karamu, Tūtaekurī and Ngaruroro, Waimarama Rd and to resurface repaired stopbanks. 10.4 Longer term work on the underpass in Waitangi in collaboration with NZTA/KiwiRail, and the Tūtaekurī at Springfield Road in conjunction with NZTA and HDC is ongoing. 10.5 Total cost of repair is estimated at $2.3m and expected to be completed by June 2024.			8 Nov 2023
11	Recovery Finance Update	Refer to Attachment 1 – Recovery Financials
	Recovery Finance Update	HBRC Response and Recovery Costs · All costs in the HBRC response and recovery items for activities that no budget was assigned to have been allocated into these cost codes. To date (including internal time) we have incurred costs of $10.5m. However we estimate we can recoup $2m from NEMA/Insurance. · Allocated funds from DIA (HBRC claimed costs from Silt/Debris Funding) are $706,000. · We were reimbursed $108,500 from the HBDRT for costs incurred to manage the programme of work (including PWC control set up). Infrastructure repairs and reinstatement 11.1 To date HBRC has spent $30m on infrastructure reinstatement, with further commitments of $12m. We estimate there could be a further $30m/$40m to complete this taking the total to $92m. We expect to be reimbursed 95% of this, leaving a shortfall of $4m. FOSAL Category 2 Flood Mitigation and Reviews 11.2 To date, $289k has been spent on preparation work (design) for category 2 flood mitigation work. This is predominantly internal time and consultants. 11.3 HBRC are investigating how to access Crown Infrastructure Funding to ensure that monies spent are funded with minimum costs to our rate payers while providing working capital to these programmes. FINAL CDEM WELFARE Recovery costs 11.4 $1.8m of welfare costs are yet to be claimed from NEMA and third parties. The main reason for the delay in this has been the task of reconciling FENZ data to the tasks undertaken. NEMA will only refund for welfare flights; flights by the NZ Police, MPI, MSD and FENZ will need to be invoiced directly to these entities.
	Recovery Finance -Silt and Debris Funding $142.5m to date (Local Government and Commercial Fund)	11.5 In the absence of any other available regional wide entity to manage the distribution of HB wide funding, HBRC adopted the role as Administrator for DIA funding for debris activities across Hawkes Bay. Council Owned Properties ($70.6m) – Silt Task Force. 11.6 1.3 million cubic metres or nearly 2 million tonnes of silt have been moved since the inception of this programme with 447 jobs have been completed. 11.7 The Agreed Purposes for this Funding are: 11.8 Processing and management of sediment and debris resulting from Cyclone Gabrielle, including but not limited to testing, recycling, processing, transporting, shredding, chipping, containment, or disposal of sediment and debris; 11.9 Maintenance of existing disposal facilities that are receiving significant quantities of sediment and debris, or the establishment of new sediment and debris processing, stockpiling and disposal sites; 11.10 The collection and management of sediment and debris resulting from Cyclone Gabrielle within the public interest, such as on/in Council-owned property or other assets and/or where there is a health or environmental risk, and not otherwise funded or able to be funded; 11.11 The collection and transport of sediment and debris from residential properties, including clearing of accessways; and 11.12 The recipients may perform administrative and operational actions to support the Agreed Purposes, and its costs for these may be claimed to the extent payable as eligible costs. 11.13 Allocation of how funding was to be applied was initially allocated and agreed between all Councils. All Councils approved the allocation. 11.14 Allocations were given to reimburse Councils for what had been incurred before the agreement came into effect. The reason a large allocation was given to HBRC, was reflective of the ongoing oversight of the Taskforce. The Taskforce was initiated by HBRC and Hastings District Council (“HDC”) as joint collaboration to enable efficiencies for the collection and disposal of waste and debris. 11.15 On 19 September 2023 the Minister of Local ‘Government agreed to transfer $12m from the funding allocated for the Commercial grant programme to instead be made available to fund the Silt Recovery Taskforce. 11.16 This has the effect of increasing the funding available specifically for the costs associated with the operations of the Silt Recovery Taskforce to $52.2m and therefore increases the total Local Government Funding from $70.6m to $82.6m. 11.17 On 2 October 2023, Ministers agreed to provide a further $10m for the Silt Recovery Taskforce (total $92.6m) to be delivered through the existing DIA-HBRC Local Government Funding agreement. 11.18 Ministers agreed that this was targeted funding, with a particular focus on supporting returning land into productive use for the planting season, and that it was always expected that the Crown would not fund silt removal operations in their entirety. 11.19 Below is the updated allocations currently with the updated funding applied to Taskforce. 11.20 The Taskforce estimate that still over 1 million cubic metres needs to be collected, and close to 2m tonnes still to close out jobs logged and the commercial properties cleaning up. 11.21 Zone 1 (Esk Valley, Whirinaki, Bayview, Glengarry, Tangoio) has the most jobs logged yet to be completed. 11.22 As at 24 October 2023 the Silt Taskforce had total actual costs and commitments through to end of October of $60.1m. 11.23 An aftercare allowance of $2m has been provisioned for the ongoing silt collection site lease and management costs in additional to the amount above. There is a risk this is not enough to wind down the sites to an adequate state to meet landowner and regulatory requirements. 11.24 We are recommending the operational teams begin conversations with HDC and other councils regarding how the shortfall of costs might be covered here and we think it would be prudent to provision a shortfall in the event that funds are completely exhausted. 11.25 The remediation of the silt sites is complex and difficult to cost currently. We also need to consider the need for these silt sites past the Taskforce operations ceasing for the commercial entities that will still be needing to deposit silt up until 30 June 2024. 11.26 There is ongoing risk associated with this fund, that an overspend will occur due to the uncertainties in finalising the programme. 11.27 Attached Attachment 2– Quarterly DIA Update Silt Taskforce Commercial Entity Debris Funding $52.6m ($62.6m less $12m transferred to Taskforce) 11.28 The Agreed purposes for the funding are: 11.29 Targeted assistance for the management of sediment and debris for Commercial Entities on their Commercial Premises as a result of flooding. 11.30 There are some key requirements these commercial entities must meet, such as: · The commercial entity is a viable business both before and after Cyclone Gabrielle occurred · The commercial entity has commercial premises either leased or owned that is primarily located in Hawke’s Bay · The commercial premises is immediately recoverable to its pre-Cyclone economic state as a result of the funding, has realistic potential for economic recovery to pre-Cyclone state, or that the sediment and debris accumulated on the Commercial premises poses a significant health, cultural, pest, disease, biosecurity or environmental risk if left unmanaged; and The funding is only applied and used by the Commercial Entity for Sediment and Debris Management activities that has been or will be undertaken between 12 February 2023 and 30 June 2024; · The funding is only applied to those parts of the commercial premises that is primarily used for the commercial entities’ business activities; · Funding is only provided on a per entity basis and is limited to up to $40k as a grant, with deductions for any MPI and MBIE grants already received and a further $360k on a cost-share basis, where this part-funding paid reflects a 50:50 cost share. 11.31 Note: the increase to $360k on a cost-share basis was only increased from $210k at the end of August 2023 and some applications had to be re-assessed for the increased eligibility. 11.32 As at 30 September 2023, $36.8m in grant funding had been approved and $971k of administration costs incurred. 11.33 The role to review applications against criteria and process has been outsourced to PWC. 11.34 In addition to the above HBRC has allocated funding for Comms/Engagement and auditing, financing for the programme. An allocation for legal fees has also been placed to this programme given the requirement for applicants to return funds if these are not spent by 30 June. There is a risk with this process that funds may be misappropriated by applicants, and HBRC will be required to have this returned. 11.35 Attached Attachment 3 - Funding Analysis for Commercial Fund

Recovery Workstream Initiatives (updated list October 2023)
1	Catchment Management: (Catchment Operations/ Science) 1.1 Erosion Control: ECS Re-establishment and ongoing work 1.2 Erosion Control: Soil Conservation Pole Nursery Expansion
2	Resource Management & Land Use: (Science) 2.1 LiDAR capture 2.2 Orthophotography 2.3 Telemetry Network Repairs & Upgrades
3	Indigenous Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Conservation: (Science & Catchment Operations) 3.1 Cyclone impact assessment on natural environment (freshwater, lakes, marine & coast, terrestrial ecosystems) 3.2 Biodiversity: Ecosystem Priority Programme 3.1 Biodiversity: Protection & Enhancement Programme Recovery Design & Implementation
4	Climate Change (Science & Climate Ambassador) 4.1 Flood frequency analysis 4.2 Natural attenuation potential 4.3 Regional climate change vulnerabilities assessment 4.4 Assess impacts on air quality
5	Waste (Asset Management: Operational Response Team) 5.1 Silt & mixed waste 5.2 Woody debris
6	Water Security & Health (Science) 6.1 Re-assessment of low flows 6.2 Groundwater quality
7	Land Use Recovery (Rural Recovery Team) 7.1 HBRC Rural Recovery Strategy development 7.2 Building resilient rural businesses
8	Flood Protection (Asset Management: The Capital Delivery Team - Rapid Response) 8.1 Rapid rebuild of stopbanks 8.2 Additional Rapid Repair sites work following technical review 8.3 Specific Areas Land Category 2 Solutions 8.4 Replace and improve drainage pumpstations 8.5 Flood Control Schemes Reviews 8.6 Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (IRG) 8.7 Upper Tukituki Scheme (IRG) 8.8 Cycleways repairs (Open Spaces)

Decision-making Process

2. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Cyclone Recovery Committee receives and notes the HBRC recovery update.

Authored by:

Michael Bassett-Foss

Land for Life Project Manager

Jess Bennett

Senior Manager - Finance Recovery

Desiree Cull

Strategy and Governance Manager

Peter Davis

Manager Environmental Information

James Feary

Operational Response Manager

Jon Kingsford

Manager Regional Projects

Pippa McKelvie-Sebileau

Climate Action Ambassador

Julie-Anne McPhee

Recovery Programme Manager

Jolene Townshend

Manager Catchment Operations

Richard Wakelin

Manager Rural Recovery

Susie Young

Executive Officer Recovery

Approved by:

Anna Madarasz-Smith

Manager Science

Louise McPhail

HBRC Recovery Manager

Nic Peet

Chief Executive

Attachment/s

1 ⇨	Cyclone related financials October 2023	Under Separate Cover
2 ⇨	Sediment and Debris Quarterly update October 2023	Under Separate Cover
3 ⇩	Summary of Commercial Fund payments made

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: Response to dust issues from silt deposited by Cyclone Gabrielle

Reason for Report

1. This item outlines Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s response to dust issues arising from the silt deposited by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Background

2. Widespread flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle deposited millions of cubic metres of silt throughout the region. Silt deposits were particularly concentrated in Esk Valley and Dartmoor. Lower levels of silt were deposited across the Heretaunga Plains, Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa.

3. Below average rainfall in August and a very dry start to September saw soil moisture dip below typical levels for early spring. Drying soils and a change in weather pattern to one dominated by westerly winds are creating an increasing level of silt dust.

4. Ongoing recovery works (including clearing and collection of silt), particularly that involving heavy machinery, will continue to create dust.

5. The dust is an issue because it can impact on human health and can create nuisance issues that impact on people’s day to day lives (i.e., people cannot open their doors and windows or go outside on windy days).

Discussion

6. Te Whatu Ora - Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay is leading the response to the dust issue due to the health implications of wind-blown silt/dust.

7. Silt testing has indicated that the likelihood of significant contamination by heavy metals, herbicides, and pesticides is likely to be very low. However, the dust itself can still be very irritating to the eyes and upper airways and can worsen symptoms for those with underlying heart or lung conditions, like asthma.

8. An interagency working group made up of Te Whatu Ora, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Hastings District Council, Worksafe, the Silt Recovery Taskforce and the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), is working together to measure and minimise risk from the increased dust circulating in the air. Information from the working group is being shared with Wairoa District Council. Te Whatu Ora and NIWA are also working with Environmental Science and Research (ESR) to better understand any potential health impacts related to reduced air quality.

9. The Regional Council’s role in responding to the dust issue is focused on monitoring air quality, responding to compliance issues and acting as local contacts for NIWA. The Regional Council is also jointly managing the Silt Recovery Taskforce with Hastings District Council.

10. There are currently 21 active air quality monitoring sites in the region, which include Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s long-term particulate monitoring sites at Napier’s Marewa Park, St John’s College in Hastings and Awatoto. The remaining 18 sites are new and concentrated in the worst affected areas and near silt depositories around the Esk and Tutaekuri catchments. NIWA plans to soon deploy climate stations in these areas and expand particulate monitoring coverage by installing up to 20 more sites.

11. As of 18 October, air quality monitoring sites are established at the following locations.

12. Most of the new air monitoring sites were selected by NIWA following discussions with staff from Te Whatu Ora, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and the Silt Recovery Taskforce. Monitoring timeframes have not been confirmed but it is likely to continue until the end of summer and will be dependent on funding.

13. The Waiohiki site was selected and organised by Regional Council staff. Eskdale School has both indoor and outdoor monitors to measure the difference between indoor and outdoor air quality. Regional Council staff sourced a regulatory-grade beta attenuation monitors (BAMs) for the school from Environment Canterbury and provided a secure enclosure for it.

14. The new sites are measuring fine particulates of different sizes, PM₁, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, using low-cost sensors called Clarity-S nodes. Interpreting data from the nodes requires care because of their low-cost nature. Unlike the BAMs used at the Regional Council’s long-term sites, results from the nodes cannot be directly compared to the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (NESAQ). The nodes are co-located with BAMs at Waiohiki, Eskdale School and Awatoto to gauge differences between the instruments and aid interpretation of the node data.

15. In addition to the Clarity-S nodes, filter-based monitoring using FilterMote samplers is being undertaken at Waiohiki and at a site in the Esk Valley, which will enable the measurement of contaminants such as asbestos, silica and black carbon. NIWA is aiming to install a further three FilterMotes.

16. NIWA’s MBIE funding for air quality monitoring is also covering source apportionment and elemental analysis of particulates collected on filters at the St John’s site in Hastings. A source apportionment project commenced there in 2022 and sampling was due to finish in April 2023 but will continue until April 2024. Source apportionment quantifies the contribution of particulates coming from biomass burning, vehicles, some industry sources, wind-blown soil, sea salt and secondary aerosols (formed by gas to particle conversion). It includes measurement of hazardous air pollutants such as arsenic and lead. The extended timeframe means results pre and post cyclone can be compared.

17. The nodes and regulatory-grade instruments monitor air quality in real time, however dust plumes can be localised due to wind conditions and terrain effects, so the sites can record measurably different readings even across a small area. NIWA is also looking to establish a web camera network, possibly comprising up to 13 units.

18. The only results available that can be compared to the NESAQ are those from the Council’s long-term sites. The standard for 24-hour average PM₁₀ is 50 µg/m³ and it has been exceeded 4 times at Awatoto since May. Two of these are attributable to wind-blown dust and it is likely that one of the other two is also. The standard has not been exceeded at St John’s College or Marewa Park. However, since the start of spring, PM₁₀ levels at Marewa Park have been unusually elevated during strong winds.

19. Te Whatu Ora – Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council issued a joint media release on 19 September encouraging health precautions to reduce dust inhalation and to contact the pollution hotline if heavy machinery was operating and generating significant dust. This media release was shared on both agencies’ social media channels.

20. Te Whatu Ora – Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay also published an information sheet on Dust and your heath on 17 October. It details who may be most vulnerable to health effects from dust, outlines potential health effects and provides advice on precautions to reduce exposure to dust. This information sheet was shared on their social media channels and reshared by the Regional Council.

21. A pragmatic approach is being taken to compliance issues arising from dust, with consideration being given to affected parties, duration of operation, weather conditions and if ceasing the activity will resolve the dust issue. A response will be undertaken where machinery is operating and generating significant dust. This approach will be reviewed as time progresses. The Regional Council’s compliance approach to dust issues has been communicated to the Silt Recovery Taskforce and other teams responding to silt issues.

22. The Regional Council is directing landowners to seek professional advice from agronomists as to how to best mitigate dust i.e., by establishing grass cover, watering etc.

Decision-making Process

23. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the Response to Cyclone Gabrielle dust report.

Authored by:

Bianca Burns

Policy Planner

Dr Kathleen Kozyniak

Team Leader Marine Air & Land Science

Mike Signal

Team Leader Pollution Response and Enforcement

Approved by:

Katrina Brunton

Group Manager Policy & Regulation

Nic Peet

Chief Executive

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: Sustainable Land Management: Erosion Control Scheme, Hill Country Erosion Programme and Soil Conservation Nursery

Reason for Report

1. This paper provides an update, at the halfway (5-year mark) of the 10 year ECS programme, on three distinct but interrelated programmes:

1.1. the Erosion Control Scheme (ECS)

1.2. the Hill Country Erosion Fund (HCEF), and

1.3. the HBRC Poplar and Willow Nursery.

Background

2. Approximately 252,000 hectares of Hawke’s Bay hill country have been identified as being at high risk of erosion. It is estimated that this land contributes, on average, 3.27 million tonnes of sediment into the region’s waterways yearly. That’s 136,000 truck and trailer loads of sediment per year.

3. Erosion impacts on farms represent a loss of current and future potential productivity on the farm. This high level of sedimentation also impacts water quality within the region and the biodiversity (both aquatic and terrestrial) that depends upon it.

4. Delivered by the Catchment Management team, HBRC has three work programmes which collectively contribute to Council's strategic goals of Climate-smart and sustainable land use and Healthy, functioning and climate-resilient biodiversity, by growing poles and developing plans for erosion control.

4.1. the Erosion Control Scheme (ECS)

4.2. the Hill Country Erosion Fund (HCEF), and

4.3. the HBRC Poplar and Willow Nursery.

5. The Erosion Control Scheme (ECS), the Hill Country Erosion Fund (HCEF) and the HBRC Poplar and Willow Nursery programmes collectively contribute to Council's strategic goals of Climate-smart and sustainable land use and Healthy, functioning and climate-resilient biodiversity.

6. The Erosion Control Scheme is a loan-funded grant scheme to enable non-commercial tree planting and other erosion control works on highly erodible land in Hawke’s Bay. The ECS has an operational budget of $30 million over ten years. This is primarily to fund on-ground erosion control works and leverage co-funding from landowners and other funding partners.

7. The exception is an annual allocation of $350,000 to support a contestable ‘Strategic Partnerships and Innovation fund’. This helps fund research and other initiatives for maximising the uptake and effectiveness of the ECS. For example, a pole trial of experimental poplar varieties to inform new variety selections for the nursery replanting programme.

8. The Hill Country Erosion Funding Programme (HCE) is a partnership between MPI / Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, Regional Councils, and landowners. It provides funding for on-ground projects, building resources and technical capability to deliver erosion control work. This includes:

9. HBRC’s Poplar and Willow Nursery: HBRC and its Catchment Board predecessor have operated a poplar and willow nursery at Pakowhai since 1982. At its peak, the (20.5ha) nursery produced more than 30,000 three-meter poles for subsidised erosion control planting and river management annually.

Erosion Control Scheme (ECS)

10. The ECS is now in its fifth year, the halfway point. To date, $10.46 million of HBRC loan funding has leveraged around $8.56 million of landowner and co-funder investment toward erosion control works. This means for every $100,000 HBRC has invested into the ECS, we delivered works to the value of $182,000 due to co-investment.

11. This includes 4,219ha of erodible land treated and 302km of waterway protected through the retirement of severely eroding land.

Long Term Plan Levels of Service

12. In the first five years of the ECS programme, Council has supported the treatment of over 4,200ha of land.

13. Early assumptions suggested that 2,000ha of severely eroding land could be treated annually through ‘non-commercial’ planting and other erosion control interventions. This was tempered to 900ha, largely due to limitations in the availability of poplar and willow poles.

14. Co-benefits: While the ECS does not generally fund riparian retirement specifically, we record waterways protected by default when parcels of land are permanently retired for erosion control.

		20218-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	TOTAL
Area of land treated	Target (ha)	2,000	2,000	900	900	900	6,700
Area of land treated	Achieved (ha)	131	676	1,176	1459	777	4,219

Length of waterway retired	Target (km)	100	100	60	60	60	380
Length of waterway retired	Achieved (km)	13.8	27	90	150	21	302

2022-2023 Project Year

15. 2022-2023 was a challenging year. Significant underspend was due to an unseasonably wet 2023 winter, spring, and summer, plus the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. Some landowners abandoned or deferred projects, reprioritising their spending on farm. Some landscapes have entirely changed, and fencing labour and materials remain in short supply.

16. The catchment team staff have been engaged in response and recovery work programmes in addition to business as usual. That said, the following works were completed last financial year: 43km of fencing completed, 21km of waterway protected through the retirement of severely eroding land and 777ha of erodible land treated, including:

16.1. 556.5ha of land treated with poplar and willow pole planting (22,000 poles)

16.2. 7.7ha of exotic block planting

16.3. 61.9ha of native planting

16.4. 150.8ha retired for natural reversion.

Current 2023-2024 Project Year

17. This year’s ECS grant fund budget is $3.02m. We have completed our winter planting and are currently conducting site inspections to approve the works before we pay landowners. While onsite, staff are drafting new project plans for this year and next.

18. Likely challenges for the 2023-24 year and beyond include:

Issue Challenge	Management
A reduction in the ‘cumulative land treated’ targets, as erosion control works are reinstated in lieu of new treatment areas	 Manage expectations through early communication with stakeholders
A shortage of fencing labour and materials	 Early engagement with landowners and realistic timeframes
Shortage of poplar and willow poles for space planting	 Nursery expansion plan  Sourcing poles from other suppliers  Working with landowners to identify opportunities for alternative solutions.  Increased targeting of severely eroding land more suited to retirement/reversion
Reduced financial capacity for landowners to undertake erosion control works	 Reinstating of a higher grant rate for retirement and native planting on eligible land

Hill Country Erosion Programme

19. The 2022/23 financial year was the final of a 4-year funding programme. During this time, the HCE fund contributed to five full-time and one part-time staff members, 1462.3ha of space-planted poplar and willow, 316ha of assisted reversion, 30 workshops or training events, and an interactive 3D table display.

20. Due to a shortage of poplar and willow co-funding opportunities, MPI/TUR agreed to allow a proportion of HCE funding to go toward upgrading the HBRC poplar and willow pole nursery.

21. This included the expansion and replacement of older stool beds, the installation of drip-line irrigation, and upgrading existing drainage, fencing, and tracking (flood damage)

	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Staff (5.5 FTEs)			$496,702	$570,000
Workshops/training resources			$85,452	$104,000
Retirement/reversion	$369,701	$175,294	$305,839
Space-planted poplar & willow		$149,062	$271,400	$100,000
Nursery redevelopment			$228,753	$201,895
Total	$369,701	$324,356	$1,388,146	$975,895

Current 2023-24 HCE Programme

22. HBRC secured $3,614,521 of funding over the next 4 years.

23. Year one budget for the 2023-24 HCEF:

Staff (4.5 FTEs)	$551,040
Soil Conservation training resources	$10,000
Retirement/reversion	$199,490
Poplar/willow pole harvest and delivery	$125,000
Total	$885,531

Soil Conservation Nursery

24. Demand for poplar and willow poles has tended to fluctuate (because of factors that include dry seasons and the level of financial support available). Still, in recent years, demand (for poles) has risen beyond what can be reliably supplied. Contributing factors include:

24.1. Severe weather events and predictions that these will increase in frequency and intensity

24.2. Attractive grants for soil conservation and other planting

24.3. The Emissions Trading Scheme and potential for space-planted trees to generate carbon credits

24.4. Other regions are facing similar demand and shortages.

25. In 2019, a new ‘Nursery Operation Plan’ was commissioned to address declining yields, expand production, improve efficiencies, and introduce new clonal material. It included revisiting maintenance regimes and stool-bed replacement schedules and introducing new systems and techniques for maximising 3m pole production (consistently producing between 20,000 to 30,000 quality 3m poles annually.)

26. The plan was operational, and many recommendations were implemented before Cyclone Gabrielle. The plan is currently being reviewed and updated.

The storm event

27. During Cyclone Gabrielle, the Allen Road nursery was inundated entirely. Remarkably, mature, and immature poplar and willow poles fared very well. The annual pole harvest went as planned, with an estimated yield reduction of only 5%. However, there may be some residual impact on younger stool beds due to prolonged wet conditions.

28. Unfortunately, there was extensive damage to plant and infrastructure. Urgent repair/replacement work included:

28.1. The removal of silt and flood debris from across the site

28.2. Replacement of the office accommodation and storage sheds

28.3. Replacement of most plant & equipment (i.e., Power tools, IT equipment, sprayer etc.)

28.4. Replacement of water pump and repair to irrigation lines

28.5. Construction of new open drains to remove extensive surface water

28.6. Repairs to the driveway, tracks and loading bay area (including re-gravelling).

29. Works are now mostly completed. The estimated total cost of repairs and replacement was $650,000, with costs covered by insurance, and an MPI recovery grant and a contribution from the HCEF.

Nursery Expansion Business case

30. To meet the anticipated regional demand and potentially servicing other North Island regions, HBRC is assessing the feasibility of increasing annual poplar and willow pole production to between 50,000 and 90,000.

31. A business case will consider the options of:

31.1. Expanding the Allen Rd nursery through the lease or purchase of adjacent land for pole production

31.2. Establishing ‘satellite’ pole nurseries in Central Hawke’s Bay, Wairoa and potentially Gisborne districts

31.3. Supporting the establishment of commercially operated private pole nurseries

31.4. Various combinations of the above.

32. The business case, including recommendations, is expected to be completed early next year.

Decision-making process

33. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Cyclone Recovery Committee receives and notes the Sustainable Land Management: Erosion Control Scheme, Hill Country Erosion Programme and Soil Conservation Nursery staff report.

Authored by:

Mell Anderson

Project Manager Hill Country Erosion Scheme

Andrew Burton

Catchment Management Lead - Central

Warwick Hesketh

Principal Advisor Catchment Management

Bryan McCavana

Catchment Advisor Hill Country Erosion (Gisborne)

Paul Train

Catchment Management Lead Southern

Approved by:

Jolene Townshend

Manager Catchment Operations

Anna Madarasz-Smith

Manager Science

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: Options for disposal of diseased orchard materials

Reason for Report

1. This report describes recent research into alternatives to burning diseased orchard material in open air. The purpose of the research was to determine if outdoor burning is the only means to effectively dispose of diseased biomass or if options exist that avoid or mitigate impacts on air quality.

Executive Summary

2. The burning of diseased horticultural and viticultural material in open air on the Heretaunga Plains contributes to local air pollution. The practice could be avoided if viable alternatives are available. In 2022, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council obtained Envirolink funding for Plant and Food Research to undertake a desktop assessment of alternatives to outdoor burning. A key finding was that forced aerated windrow composting, as used by BioRich at sites in Hawke’s Bay, can reach temperatures that, in theory, could kill the plant pathogens that cause common horticultural and viticultural diseases.

3. Building on the findings of the desktop assessment, Plant and Food Research undertook a field trial to determine the survival rate of selected horticultural pathogens after exposure to composting at BioRich. Pure cultures of bacteria, fungi and water moulds in sealed vials were buried in windrows at BioRich. The pathogens included those causing fire blight of pipfruit, European canker of pipfruit, Eutypa dieback of grapevine and Phytophthora rot. Also included was Psaf, a low-virulence relative of the bacterium causing Psa kiwifruit disease.

4. The pathogens in the trial did not survive being buried in compost for 1 week, regardless of the depth or compost type. Continuous high temperatures above 60°C were recorded for several days in the compost.

5. The 100% kill rate of pathogens in the compost contrasted with the control treatments, which survived being placed for 1 week in incubators at a low temperature (7°C) and room temperature (20°C). However, both Psaf and spore suspensions of the fungus causing European canker had reduced viability.

Strategic Fit

6. The research aligns with the Council’s strategic goal to meet the World Health Organisation air quality guidelines by 2025. Investigating the efficacy of composting to kill common horticultural plant pathogens aims to give the horticultural industry confidence to adopt practices that promote good air quality.

Background

7. Smoke plumes from burning piles of biomass on horticultural land are a common sight on the Heretaunga Plains in winter. Outdoor burning in the airsheds is banned from May to August but an exception exists when the purpose is for orchard redevelopment or disease control.

8. Air quality in urban airsheds has improved significantly over the last 15 years after the introduction of rules targeting domestic wood burners. The provision of clean heat financing together with public awareness campaigns has also helped. However, meeting the World Health Organisation guidelines for particulate matter is still very challenging and will require further reductions in PM_2.5 levels.

9. Visible plumes of smoke from horticultural land surrounding the urban airsheds is incongruous to the efforts made inside them. Encouragingly, some growers are opting to mulch and compost trees that are removed for orchard development. The question of what to do with diseased biomass remains though. For that reason, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council approached Plant and Food Research to investigate if alternatives exist that minimise the risk of pathogen dispersal.

Research into outdoor burning alternatives

10. Envirolink funding supported a desktop study by Dr Reiny Scheper at Plant and Food Research, from which a conclusion was that forced aerated windrow composting could reach temperatures known to kill some of the plant pathogens observed on Hawke’s Bay’s orchards. The required temperatures were considered achievable at BioRich’s operation in Awatoto.

11. A project was then initiated to test the theory. It involved placing pure cultures of selected plant pathogens, contained inside vials and vacuum sealed bags, within windrows of fresh and mid-mature compost at depths of 0.1m, 0.3m and 1m. Temperature sensors were included in the bags. The selected pathogens were those causing fire blight, European canker, Eutypa dieback of grapevine and Phytophthora rot. Psaf, a low-virulence relative of Psa, was also included. The field trials were due to commence around the time Cyclone Gabrielle hit the region, so the location of the trial moved from Awatoto to BioRich’s Te Tua site, Raukawa. Control treatments were part of the project, whereby replicates were placed at low temperature (7°C) and room temperature (20°C). The trial ran for seven days.

12. After seven days none of the pathogens survived regardless of the depth and type of compost. Those that underwent the control treatment survived, though the viability of Psaf diminished. Average temperatures in the compost were above 60°C.

Discussion

13. The trial showed that composting can achieve the temperatures needed to kill common horticultural pathogens. The efficacy of composting to sanitise diseased material will vary between facilities but at BioRich none of the pathogens survived burial in compost for 7 days.

14. A key to composting being a sustainable solution and viable alternative to burning is for it to be cost-effective, accessible, available at the required scale and well-managed to achieve the required temperatures consistently. Effective on-orchard composting would require development of best practice guidelines and training modules to ensure the right conditions are attained to prevent pathogen dispersal. There is a need to retain an option to burn in the event of a biosecurity incursion.

Next Steps

15. The next step, to help confirm to growers that no horticultural pathogens survive in the compost, is to test larger pieces of naturally infected plant material, as well as the survival rate in the top 10 cm layer of compost. Envirolink funding is likely to be sought to progress this work.

Decision Making Process

16. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Cyclone Recovery Committee receives and notes the Options for disposal of diseased orchard materials staff report.

Authored by:

Dr Kathleen Kozyniak

Team Leader Marine Air & Land Science

Approved by:

Anna Madarasz-Smith

Manager Science

Attachment/s

1 ⇨

HBRC Report 5618: Scheper, Survival rate of horticultural plant pathogens after forced aerated windrow composting

Under Separate Cover

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Cyclone Recovery Committee

Wednesday 08 November 2023

Subject: Biodiversity programme update

Reason for Report

1. This agenda item aims to provide an update on the biodiversity projects that ICM’s Biodiversity team are delivering this year, including the results of our post-cyclone assessments of our priority ecosystem sites, and the potential to reshape our programmes to achieve better biodiversity outcomes for our region.

Strategic Fit

2. Biodiversity is one of the four priority focus areas in the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan: Healthy, functioning and climate-resilient biodiversity. Kia ora, kia āhei, kia mārohirohi ā-āhuarangi hoki te rerenga rauropi.

3. There are four strategic goals.

3.1. By 2020, regional priority locations for ecosystem restoration - including in the coastal marine area - have been identified.

3.2. By 2030, key species and habitat (sites) are prioritised and under active restoration. Source: HB Biodiversity Strategy, 2015-2050 and Action Plan 2017-2020.

3.3. By 2050, a full range of indigenous habitats and ecosystems, and abundance and distributions of taonga species are maintained and increased in every catchment in Hawke's Bay. Source: HB Biodiversity Strategy, 2015-2050 and Action Plan 2017-2020.

3.4. By 2050, Hawke's Bay is predator free, in line with NZ 2050 target. Source: PF2050.

4. Climate change also impacts biodiversity. With many of our lowland ecosystems reduced to small, fragmented remnants with poor connectivity, they, and the species that live within them, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as drought, fire, heavy rainfall and sea level rise.

5. Other plans that feed into Council’s biodiversity programmes are the Hawke's Bay Biodiversity Strategy, Hawke's Bay Regional Pest Management Plan and the Asset Management Ecological Management and Enhancement Plan.

Background

6. Indigenous biodiversity in New Zealand is in crisis. Around 4,000 species are currently threatened or at risk of extinction. Many species continue to decline or are just hanging on. This includes biodiversity in the Hawke's Bay region, which has lost 77% of the original indigenous forest that once covered the region. Half the remaining forest types are categorised as threatened, with the greatest losses being lowland forest types.

7. The biodiversity space is a complex and growing area for HBRC. Through growing public expectations and policy directions from central government, local and regional authorities must change and adapt to meet these demands.

8. Council has a range of environmental programmes that help protect and enhance biodiversity, and teams within council collaborate well internally and externally to deliver these. However, staff acknowledge they need to be fully streamlined and at the scale required to halt biodiversity decline in Hawke's Bay. Like climate change, Biodiversity sits across multiple sections within Council.

9. To maximise Council’s investment in biodiversity, an internally facing biodiversity operational strategy is currently being developed to coordinate these programmes better and enhance their impact where possible.

10. The Biodiversity team sits within the Integrated Catchment Management Group’s Catchment Operations section and focuses on the operational delivery of biodiversity projects. The Biodiversity team has 4.5 FTEs, including the team leader.

11. This financial year, the team is working to deliver on two key programmes: the Priority Ecosystem Programme and the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme, including the Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund and Targeted Catchment Work Fund.

12. To date these programmes have been used to leverage approximately $3M of external funding to deliver various regional projects from agencies including MfE, MPI, DOC and Fonterra.

Priority Ecosystems Programme

13. This programme aims to secure the remaining highly threatened biodiversity remnants in Hawke's Bay from extinction. The main works undertaken are deer fencing, pest plant and animal control and planting. It involves working closely with many external agencies and stakeholders, such as QEII Trust, the rural sector and land occupiers.

14. Approximately 497,000 ha of indigenous ecosystems remain in the region, comprised of 59 ecosystem types. 22 of these ecosystems are threatened (less than 30% of the original area left), mostly of lowland forest types, coastal and dune vegetation types, braided riverbed vegetation, and wetlands.

15. Aiming to immediately protect and restore all the remaining indigenous habitats and ecosystems is unrealistic. Therefore, Ecosystem Prioritisation was conducted to help inform where to invest scarce resources in the next 10, 20 and 30 years for the best chance of achieving the outcomes sought.

16. Ecosystem Prioritisation uses Zonation, a tool (software) that prioritises ecosystems or habitat sites based on their representation. It requires ‘a cap’ in which it produces the best set of sites to achieve full representation. It is generally an area-based cap set by asking, ‘of the remaining indigenous ecosystems, how much area can we manage within a given timeframe?’

17. For Hawke’s Bay, we have set a cap of 30% (of the 497,000 ha of indigenous areas remaining) by 2050. The principle behind the 30% is the species-area curve, i.e., when habitat (or a population) is reduced to 20% of the original extent (or a population), the rate of species loss is exponentially accelerated. Therefore 30% was chosen as a reasonable target that balances species response with achievability and affordability.

18. Zonation identified 700 terrestrial sites (150,000 ha), 10,034 segments of streams (6,700 km), and 77 lakes (1,700 ha) as the top 30% priority. These sites/segments represent a full range of ecosystem types in the region.

19. To further refine which sites the team should be prioritising we developed a hierarchy:

Priority category
Priority 1	Potential ecosystem forest types less than 10% remaining (Acutely Threatened)
	Freshwater wetlands (FENZ current extent)
	'Critically endangered' naturally uncommon ecosystems (Holdaway et al. 2012)
Priority 2	Potential Ecosystem forest types 11 - 20% remaining (Chronically Threatened)
	Potential Ecosystem forest types more than 30% remaining but less than 5000 ha in total area remaining in HB
	'Endangered' or 'Vulnerable' naturally uncommon ecosystems (Holdaway et al. 2012)
Priority 3	Potential ecosystem not mentioned above

20. The outcomes of zonation resulted in the development of the priority ecosystem mapping layer. This has provided an excellent starting point to identify the region's remnant priority ecosystems and understand the breadth and scale of the work required to protect and enhance the region's biodiversity.

21. Over half (60% of sites in numbers) of the priority sites are small, less than 10 ha. 60% are on protected areas (DOC, NWR, QEII) and 40% being on unprotected private land.

Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme

22. In 2017 as part of the Annual Plan Workshop the $1M Protection and Enhancement Programme (formerly environmental hot spots) was established to accelerate on-ground action on six identified 'hot spots' throughout the region – Ahuriri, Karamu, Lake Tūtira, Lake Whakakī, Tukituki and Lake Whatumā, and our Marine environment.

23. There was also a key focus placed on leveraging this fund. As a result, HBRC submitted applications to MfE's Freshwater Improvement Fund (FIF). We were successful in our applications for Tūtira (Te Waiū o Tūtira, a 4-year project 2018 - 2022) and Whakakī (Sunshine, wetlands and bees will revitalise the taonga of Whakakī, a 5-year project 2019 - 2024).

24. Numerous issues have been experienced throughout the duration of these FIF projects impacting the ability to deliver the projects successfully. These issues primarily revolved around relationship management with key stakeholders and the inability to obtain unanimous approval to complete some of the more ambitious engineering project objectives.

25. Outside of the FIF projects we have established strong relationships with rural landowners in the Ahuriri Estuary catchment and successfully delivered significant on-ground works to improve water quality and biodiversity outcomes.

26. We learnt that where HBRC focused on working in catchments where we have solid relationships with landowners/stakeholder groups, a significant volume of on-ground environmental outputs can be delivered for a low internal cost.

27. From this, we knew we needed to rethink our approach towards the Protection and Enhancement Programme so HBRC could support and facilitate organised landowners/community groups to deliver environmental projects throughout the region.

28. This is when we decided to pilot the Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund for incorporated Catchment and Community Groups wanting to deliver biodiversity projects in our region and expand our Targeted Catchment Work Fund.

Biodiversity: Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund

29. In 2022/23 HBRC partnered with Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay to pilot the Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund (EECF). HBRC provided $50k towards EECF whereby interested catchment or community groups can apply for funding to deliver biodiversity protection and enhancement-related projects.

30. Community and catchment-led groups have an increasingly crucial role in the future improvement and management of the region's environment. The EECF provides these groups, with a model for successful project delivery. Allowing them to build the capacity to seek funding from other external sources.

31. An MOU was signed with Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay that established its role in advertising the fund, assisting groups with applications, collating applications, distributing and holding funds, working with successful applicants in project delivery and auditing completed works.

Biodiversity: Targeted Catchment Work Fund (TCWF)

32. This fund aims to deliver high-value environmental outcomes on a catchment/sub-catchment scale, such as improved water quality, riparian protection, biodiversity enhancement, and wetland development.

33. The primary aim of the TCWF is to assist on-ground works and actions by providing technical advice and assistance in programme development and implementation.

34. Project plans will be developed in partnership with HBRC Catchment Management staff. On-ground works will be delivered through a subsidy scheme (60% HBRC 40% Landowner/Catchment Group) to projects that protect and enhance our freshwater and land resources.

35. The fund has been designed to complement the Erosion Control Scheme and the Priority Ecosystem Programme by covering works and activities that do not meet their funding criteria but will contribute to significant environmental improvements and meet our existing strategic outcomes.

36. A comprehensive approach will be taken to target on-ground environmental enhancement activities with projects covering multiple properties at the sub-catchment or catchment scale.

Discussion – project updates

Biodiversity: Priority Ecosystem Programme

37. Prior to Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke’s Bay had already lost approximately 77% of its indigenous areas, with most ecosystem types remaining classified as acutely or chronically threatened. HBRC had identified Healthy, functioning and climate-resilient biodiversity as one of the 4 key focus areas in our strategic plant 2025.

38. This significant impacts of the cyclone on the region’s biodiversity places an even higher value on our remaining indigenous ecosystems and the need to secure their protection as they are intrinsic to the long-term health of the region’s biodiversity, climate resilience, local economy, and New Zealander’s quality of life.

39. We currently have 19 priority ecosystem sites under various management stages by the team. Cyclone damage was recorded at 6 sites, primarily to deer fencing, and these are either already being remediated or planning for remediation is underway.

40. Before the priority ecosystem layer is made public, it was agreed that the sites need to be ground-truthed to ensure the results and ecosystem types identified through the zonation process are correct. This also provides the ability to collect other important baseline information on each site, such as key threats, the ability to fence the site and the landowner's willingness.

41. The ground-truthing process is now underway with a consultant engaged. Central Hawke’s Bay will be the first part of the targeted region, containing approximately 200 priority ecosystems to be completed this year 23/24. Following this, the Hastings/Napier area with be completed in 24/25 and the Wairoa region in 25/26.

42. Upon completion, the results of the ground-truthing will provide a refined list of priority ecosystem sites identifying our most acutely threatened and highest value remnant ecosystems and allow for a targeted approach across the region to secure their protection. Additionally, the priority ecosystem layer could then be made available to the public.

Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (PEP)

43. Since its establishment in 2018, the Protection and Enhancement Programme has partnered with landowners and community groups to deliver a significant volume of high-value projects to protect biodiversity, increase indigenous habitat and improve water quality, as shown in the table below.

PEP works completed from January 2018 to the present

	Fencing	Native Planting	Erosion Planting (poles)
Waterways	24,791m	84,332
Wetlands	2,665m	42,494
Retirement areas	5,084m	46,205
Slope stability (pastoral)			2935
Total	32.5km	173,031	2,400

44. To date, these projects have primarily been delivered in Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu (Ahuriri Estuary), Lake Whatumā, Lake Tūtira, Whakakī Lake and the Tukipo catchment.

45. There has been sustained growth in the establishment of well-organised catchment groups across the region with a keen interest and awareness of the environmental issues we are facing and the need to address these at the catchment/sub-catchment scale.

46. This has driven an increase in the demand for funding from a wide range of stakeholders, catchment groups and agencies that are highly motivated to achieve outcomes in line with HBRC’s strategic focus.

47. Due to the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle we anticipate a significant increase in areas of land being retired that are not identified as highly erodible land or priority ecosystem sites. Therefore, remediation and restoration of these areas cannot be funded through our existing Erosion Control Scheme and Priority Ecosystem programmes.

48. Moving forward the PEP will enable HBRC to be progressive in our strategic planning for these areas and support communities to move forward proactively and provide strategic advice on things such as wetland management, riparian management/restoration, reestablishment of inanga habitat, indigenous reversion, and native planting, which are critical to post-cyclone recovery actions.

49. The Marine Protection and Enhancement project has primarily been based on increasing our understanding of the 30% of the Hawke’s Bay region that occurs subtidally. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has responsibility for ensuring the sustainable management of this area in terms of those activities that it manages, including habitats and biodiversity and land-based impacts.

50. The Marine Protection and Enhancement project has operated since 2017, with projects related to seafloor mapping, and fencing and planting projects in the Porangahau catchment to support the only regional estuarine population of the New Zealand seagrass Zostera muelleri.

51. This project has resulted in mapping 370 sq km of seafloor habitat (currently 5.3% of the seafloor area), and enabled HBRC to leverage almost $130,000 from NIWA and $75,000 from MPI to support this work.

Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund

52. There was a total of $60,000 available for the pilot, with $50,000 contributed by HBRC and DOC contributing the remaining $10,000.

53. Cyclone Gabrielle caused a delay in the opening of the EECF, which was postponed from March 2023 until May 2023.

54. The pilot of the EECF has been hugely successful and well over-subscribed, with twenty applications received for high-value biodiversity projects from across the region seeking a combined total of $330,000.

55. All applications were received and collated by Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay and then assessed by a panel combined of HBRC staff and Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay members, with 11 projects being successful in receiving funding.

56. Three successful projects were located on priority ecosystem sites, allowing them to receive co-funding through the priority ecosystem programme.

57. The success of the pilot EECF shows that even in a post-cyclone environment, there is significant demand from the community and catchment-led groups to lead and deliver high-value biodiversity enhancement projects that align with and contribute to HBRC’s strategic objectives and level of service statements and measures.

58. These groups are increasingly crucial in improving and managing the region's environment. It is essential that HRBC not only continues with EECF but increases its financial value. This will continue to strengthen key relationships with external groups and support them in building the capacity and capability to deliver environmental projects.

59. Following the successful pilot, the EECF will now be continued into the 23/24 financial year with $50,000 being committed again and we will seek to grow this commitment in the following years.

60. We do need to consider the ongoing costs of delivering the EECF into the future. Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay has asked the council for funding to continue supporting their operations (pay admin and staff, etc) which would allow them to continue to administer the EECF.

61. If Biodiversity HB ceases to operate it would take an additional FTE, that we do not currently have to cover the administration and outreach work, they currently deliver for the EECF.

Decision Making Process

62. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Cyclone Recovery Committee receives and notes the Biodiversity programme update staff report.

Authored by:

Mark Mitchell

Team Leader Principal Advisor Biosecurity Biodiversity

Thomas Petrie

Programme Manager Protection & Enhancement Projects

Jolene Townshend

Manager Catchment Operations

Approved by:

Anna Madarasz-Smith

Manager Science

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.