Unconfirmed
Minutes of a meeting of the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee
Date: Wednesday 9 April 2025
Time: 11.00am
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Venue: |
Council Chamber Hawke's Bay Regional Council 159 Dalton Street NAPIER |
Present: Cr D Roadley – Chair
Cr W Foley (online, then in person from 1.55pm)
Cr X Harding (online)
Cr T Hokianga
Cr N Kirton
Cr C Lambert
Cr J Mackintosh (online)
Cr H Ormsby
Cr J van Beek
Cr M Williams
In Attendance: N Peet – Chief Executive
C Dolley – Group Manager Asset Management
R Wakelin – Acting Group Manager Integrated Catchment Management
T Munro – Te Pou Whakarae
S Young – Group Manager Corporate Services
K Brunton – Group Manager Policy & Regulation (online)
D Cull – Strategy & Governance Manager
R Hollyman – Governance Advisor
J Smith-Ballingall – Māori Partnerships Manager - Central & Internal Relationships
TK Hawaikirangi – Chair, Mana Ahuriri Trust
G Boyt – Mana Ahuriri Environmental Engagement Lead
N Nicholson – Manager Policy & Planning
B Shanahan - Senior Scientist - Marine & Coasts
Dr A Eaves – Senior Scientist - Land
T Conroy – University of Waikato
Dr H Smith – Manaaki Whenua (online)
Dr J Albuquerque – Coastal Specialist
A Casely – Manager Regional Projects/Programme Director
J Bennett – Programme Finance & Controls Manager
W Hesketh – Principal Advisor Catchment Management
P Richardson – Acting Catchment Operations Manager
1. Welcome/Karakia /Apologies
The Chair, Councillor Di Roadley, welcomed everyone and Councillor Charles Lambert led a karakia to open the meeting.
Resolution
EICC155/25 That the apologies for absence from Councillor Sophie Siers, Michelle McIlroy and Katarina Kawana be accepted.
Ormsby/Williams
CARRIED
2. Conflict of interest declarations
Councillors Xan Harding and Di Roadley declared interest in item 12 as members of the Future Farming Trust Committee, and Councillor Di Roadley declared interest in item 13 as a Land for Life pilot project landowner.
There were no conflicts of interest declared.
3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee meeting held on 4 December 2024
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Minutes of the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 4 December 2024, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record. CARRIED |
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Public Forum |
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There were no speakers. |
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Te Muriwai o te Whanga Plan |
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Jack Smith-Ballingall, Gareth Boyt (Mana Ahuriri Trust) and Te Kaha Hawaikirangi (Mana Ahuriri Chair) spoke to the item, assisted by a presentation (Attachment 1). Highlights and discussions included: · Mana Ahuriri Trust, through Te Komiti Muriwai o Te Whanga, has been working together with HBRC, NCC, HDC and DOC to enhance, restore, and protect the mauri (life-force) of the Ahuriri Catchment. · Te Muriwai o Te Whanga Plan (essentially a catchment plan) is a statutory planning document required by the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Act 2021, focused on the six key pou of health of water, biodiversity, historical / education, cultural and spiritual connections, social outcomes, and economic outcomes. Each pou has indicators and specific actions. · The Plan has been formally lodged and will be kept ‘live’ through regular reviews. · There is a website for further information - temuriwaiotewhanga.org · HBRC staff are pulling together some prioritisation options to demonstrate where current Council work is under way, such as re-introducing sea grass back to te Whanga, and what areas may need further development to implement the Plan. · Nichola Nicholson advised that the Plan has statutory weighting, that all HBRC planning documents must now give effect to or have regard to the Plan, and that the Planning team is working with Mana Ahuriri Trust on how best to progress its implementation. HBRC staff are also working with Mana Ahuriri to potentially lodge Te Muriwai o Te Whanga Plan as an iwi/hapu management plan to ensure it is entrenched in light of resource management reforms. · The Council Chair and CE will write formally to Mana Ahuriri Trust to acknowledge the significance of the Plan and to commit to giving effect to its statutory weight. · Work by the kaimahi group is under way around how the Plan aligns with the Councils’ current work programmes, strategic plan and priorities (an action plan) and further detail will be provided to HBRC governors at the next available opportunity. · Next steps are for the an internal working group to progress implementation with guidance from Te Komiti Muriwai o Te Whanga. |
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1. That Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and considers Te Muriwai o Te Whanga Plan staff report. 2. The Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee recommends that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council: 2.1 Agrees that the decisions to be made are of moderate significance under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy on the basis that the work and the relationship involved are important however no decision for resourcing is currently required and Council can exercise its discretion and make the related decisions without conferring directly with the community or persons likely to have an interest in the decisions. 2.2 Endorses and supports implementation of Te Muriwai o Te Whanga Plan. 2.3 Invites Mana Ahuriri Trust, by letter from the EICC and Council Chairs and the Chief Executive, to discuss next steps for implementation, particularly in relation to HBRC Policy and Planning processes and documents. 2.4 Requests that biodiversity implementation actions from Te Muriwai o Te Whanga Plan are provided to Council to understand how they impact HBRC’s Annual Plan biodiversity budgets, in time for Annual Plan deliberations. CARRIED |
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The source, transport, and fate of sediment into Hawke Bay and the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle |
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Councillor Di Roadley explained the purpose of the following four interconnected items, 6, 7, 9 and 10, is to refocus the Committee on some of the primary aspects of Integrated Catchment Management Group work streams, the areas we are already delivering on which include soil conservation and erosion control, Council’s legislative role and the Group’s pivotal role in managing soil loss and wider negative environmental impacts that in turn play a role in flood control and downstream damage. Recent questions around understanding the value of this work include: · How much difference does erosion control planting have on holding the soil? · Is the 1000km a year enough? Will it make a difference? · Are we cost effective in this work? · Are we wasting resources on work that doesn’t do anything towards our primary function of flood control? Richard Wakelin provided the context that sediment is a master stressor in our river systems and coastal environment in Hawke’s Bay causing habitat loss, reduced water quality, negatively affecting aquatic life. Following the devastating weather events in 2022-2024 there were silt and sediment impacts on our flood infrastructure. Council delivers this work under the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941 which makes mandatory the promotion of soil conservation, mitigation of soil erosion, the control of flooding and the use of land to achieve these objectives. The items today speaks to the why for the need of good land management practices, guided and monitored by science. Hinewai Ormsby left the meeting at 11.58am Becky Shanahan introduced Ted Conroy (University of Waikato Coastal Oceanographer) and Joao Albuquerque, who delivered a presentation (Attachment 2) that highlighted: · One of the largest threats to the coastal marine area is sediment from land. · Hydrodynamic modelling performed before and after Cyclone Gabrielle showed up to 125 millimetres of sediment on the seabed; 4 times what has ecological impacts. Hinewai Ormsby rejoined the meeting at 12:36pm · This work will feed into the upcoming State of the Environment report, the Regional Policy Statement, and coastal management including Westshore Renourishment and the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy. |
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That the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes The source, transport, and fate of sediment into Hawke Bay and the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle staff report. CARRIED |
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Effectiveness of Trees for Landslide mitigation |
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Richard Wakelin introduced Dr Ashton Eaves and Dr Hugh Smith (online) who spoke to the item. Discussions and presentation (attachment 3) covered: · Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research (MWLR) was contracted by HBRC to assess the effectiveness of individual trees fore reducing rainfall-induced shallow landslides during Cyclone Gabrielle. · Cyclone Gabrielle triggered 20,392 shallow landslides across the 50 selected farms; the farm-scale modelling estimated existing trees prevented 1865 additional landslides which equates to a median 10% decrease in sediment yield. In areas with trees near streams and on susceptible slopes, sediment delivery reductions of up to 24% were estimated. · Targeted planting in pasture areas that are highly susceptible and highly likely to produce landslides that connect to streams could be effective to help reduce landslide risks. |
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The Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes the Effectiveness of trees for landslide mitigation staff report. CARRIED |
The meeting adjourned at 1.10pm and reconvened at 1.30pm
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Ahuriri Regional Park Master Plan |
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Hinewai Ormsby introduced the item with an explanation of the connection between the Ahuriri Master Plan, the Ahuriri Regional Park project and Te Muriwai o Te Whanga Plan – both partnerships with Mana Ahuriri Trust, Napier City and Hawke’s Bay Regional councils. Napier City Council Deputy Mayor Annette Brosnan (Chair of the Ahuriri Regional Park Joint Committee) introduced a presentation (attachment 4) and NCC councillors Hayley Browne and Keith Price, Cameron Drury (Project Manager), Connie Whelan-Mills (NCC Strategic Planning Lead), Joe Reti (Deputy Chair Ahuriri Regional Park Joint Committee) and Paris Greening (General Manager Mana Ahuriri). · The Ahuriri Master Plan is at the stage of being released for public consultation · Lagoon Farm (284 ha adjacent to Te Whanga) is re-zoned as Special Conservation land with the intent of transforming the farmland into a series of wetlands to treat the city’s stormwater before it’s discharged into the estuary. · The vision for ARP is to promote the re-establishment of native habitat values through the site and is interface with Te Whanga and the Taipo Stream, to maintain a predominantly natural environment and to recognise the functional need of regionally significant infrastructure. · The Lagoon Farm Stormwater infrastructure project, including pump station and wetlands, is budgeted separately and being led by Tonkin + Taylor and feeding advice into the ARP master plan in relation to the size and form of wetlands to be accommodated. There is an iwi rep from T+T on the ARP Technical Advisory Group to provide a link between the two projects. · The regional park is still at the concept stage with specific design details to be determined. · $10 M capital costs for park development in the HBRC 2021-31 LTP ($1.2 million loan-funding in 2023-24 and $9 million over the course of years 4-10) have been deferred to 2027-28 and will be reconsidered through the 2027-37 LTP process. Will Foley arrived at 1.55pm · Phasing of project development, including costing/ funding, will require business cases for NCC and HBRC to consider when developing their 2027-37 long term plans. · Mana Ahuriri Trust anticipates tying together the Te Muriwai o Te Whanga Plan, Ahuriri Regional Park and the master plan, Ahuriri Station, the Future Development Strategy, the airport, stopbanks, stormwater and other associated projects into te mana o te wai for measuring and monitoring the health of Te Whanga with the Mātauranga Māori framework. |
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That the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes the Ahuriri Regional Park staff report. CARRIED |
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Erosion Control Scheme and soil conservation in Hawke’s Bay - What's the end game? |
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Richard Wakelin introduced the item, which was taken as read. Warwick Hesketh and Paula Richardson delivered a presentation (attachment 5), and discussions covered: · The Erosion Control Scheme was first implemented in 2018 as part of the HB afforestation programme with the goal to reduce sediment loss to the region’s waterways by 50% through planting 1/3 of the region’s most highly erodible land – upgraded in the 2020 strategic plan to all of the region’s highly erodible land under tree cover by 2050. · The programme takes a long term approach using a variety of tools including sediment traps/buds/ponds, debris dams in gullies, closed canopy forest, buffer strips and cover crops, and riparian fencing/ planting. · For efficiency, the focus is now on treating areas in need (targeted erosion control), as opposed to a ‘blanket treatment’. |
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That the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes the Erosion Control Scheme and soil conservation in Hawke’s Bay - What's the end game? staff report. CARRIED |
Thompson Hokianga left the meeting at 2.28pm
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Connectivity of landslides to waterways |
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Dr Ashton Eaves introduced the item alongside Dr Hugh Smith (Manaaki Whenua) who gave a presentation (attachment 6). Discussions included: · This research was funded by the land science team at a cost of $41,000, alongside a topographical wetness tool that looks at areas that are damp or have high soil moisture, and combines the landslide susceptibility model with the landslide connectivity model using detailed data. · The combined layer helps identify priority areas for tree planting or land use zoning. Results show about 10% of the region is both highly susceptible and highly connected, and ideal for targeted interventions such as erosion control planting. · Data from Cyclone Gabrielle was not used in this research, however post-event testing shows strong alignment with the findings. Richard Wakelin, in summary, explained that advanced tools and modelling insights now allow Council to target land management interventions and prioritise high-risk areas, with the emphasis shifting from broad implementation to taking strategic action. There was discussion about how the Land for Life project can help deliver erosion control outcomes. |
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The Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes the Connectivity of landslides to waterways staff report. CARRIED |
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Hawke's Bay Future Farming Trust Annual Report |
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Phillip Schofield and Scott Lawson, Future Farming Trust board members, shared a presentation (attachment 7) that covered: · The mission of the Trust is to inspire farming that supports healthy soils, plants, animals, and communities, with the refreshed strategic plan in 2024 emphasising soil and water as foundational pillars, and aiming for a self-sustaining financial model. · The work is guided by regenerative agriculture principals. · Outreach includes farmer workshops, newsletters, social media, and a revamped communication strategy. · Half-way through the Carbon Positive project which looks into 3 types of crop growing – conventional, hybrid, and regenerative – a $3 million, 6 year project in collaboration with MPI, HBRC, Heinz Watties, McCain, and HDC. |
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That the Environment and Integrated Catchment Committee receives and notes the Hawke’s Bay Future Farming Trust Annual Report. CARRIED |
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Land for Life update |
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Richard Wakelin introduced the item, which was taken as read, which highlighted: · The land-owner driven project launched on 5 December 2024, with $970,000 in Crown funding, via the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund. · Land for life focusses on whole-of-farm planning – integrating animals, plants, trees, diversity enterprises and more to optimise land use. · The next steps are further engagement and learning from 12 pilot farms, and to develop another 88 whole of enterprise farm plans. · Two catchment collectives will be selected through an expression of interest process – guided by both community engagement and scientific data on erosion and sediment risk. · There is potential for this work to be aligned with the Future Farming Trust, and to implement this into HBRC’s business and delivery models. |
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That the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes the Land for Life update staff report. CARRIED |
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Update on the Kānoa-funded flood control and drainage work programme |
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Andrew Casely, Jess Bennett, and Thomas Petrie spoke to the item, which was taken as read, and noted: · Coordination with compliance is ongoing in relation to gravel extraction on the Makaretu River. · Most flood control projects are progressing well and under budget, with gravel extraction exceeding targets. · Underspent IRG funds are being reviewed for repurposing before the 30 June deadline. · Rivers are surveyed through asset management, looking at the NZ Geotech database. |
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That the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes the Update on the Kānoa-funded IRG flood control and drainage work programme staff report. CARRIED |
Councillor Charles Lambert led a closing karakia.
Closure:
There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 3.57pm on Wednesday 9 April 2025.
Signed as a true and correct record.
Date: ................................................ Chair: ...............................................
To be inserted for publication once Minutes are confirmed:
Attachment 1 – item 5 Te Muriwai o te Whanga Plan presentation (8 slides)
Attachment 2 – item 6 The source, transport, and fate of sediment into Hawke Bay and the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle presentation (19 slides)
Attachment 3 – item 7 Effectiveness of Trees for Landslide mitigation presentation (9 slides)
Attachment 4 – item 8 Ahuriri Regional Park Master Plan presentation (14 slides)
Attachment 5 – item 9 Erosion Control Scheme and soil conservation in Hawke’s Bay - What's the end game? presentation (8 slides)
Attachment 6 – item 10 Connectivity of landslides to waterways presentation (10 slides)
Attachment 7 – item 12 Hawke's Bay Future Farming Trust Annual Report presentation (20 slides)