North Canterbury News: April 15, 2021

RURAL LIFE
22 North Canterbury News, April 15, 2021
Community trusts progress ZIPA goals
By DAVID HILL
Community initiatives have
allowed the Waimakariri
Zone Committee’s
commitments to progress.
Addressing the committee’s
2020 annual report at last
week’s Waimakariri District
Council meeting, acting
chairman Cam Henderson
said the new Waimakariri
Landcare Trust, biodiversity
initiatives and new
catchment level projects are
helping to action the
recommendations made in
the 2018 Zone
Implementation Plan
Addendum (ZIPA).
‘‘I’m probably more excited
about where the trusts are
going. The zone committee is
not really designed for action
and Ithink that other zone
committees are finding that.
‘‘There is an expectation on
us to deliver something
rather than just make
decisions, but we don’t really
have the funding or the clout
to do that, so these new trusts
provide an opportunity to
make some progress.’’
Mr Henderson has been
active in establishing the
Waimakariri Landcare Trust,
which has been formed by
zone committee members and
working in with the
Waimakariri Next
Making progress ... The Waimakariri Zone Committee presented its annual report to the Waimakariri
District Council last week.
PHOTO: FILE
Generation Farmers Trust.
The trust has already
received Ministry for Primary
Industries sustainable food
and fibre futures funding for
athree­year trial which will
take a‘‘whole of farm’’
approach address
environmental challenges.
Anew community
biodiversity trust has also
been established and is
working in with the Selwyn­
Waihora Zone Committee.
Forming the trusts would
allow for funding
applications which otherwise
were not available to the zone
committee, Mr Henderson
said.
Zone committee facilitator
Murray Griffin said that 85
percent of the ZIPA
recommendations had been
‘‘progressed’’ in the last 12
months. Of those
recommendations, 59 were
being addressed in Plan
Change 7tothe Land and
Water Regional Plan, while
the balance were ‘‘actions on
the ground’’.
Catchment management
work had begun with
discussions in coastal areas
of Te Aka Aka estuary
(Saltwater Creek and
Waikuku), which were being
led by zone committee
member Carolyne Latham.
The zone committee also
approved Immediate Steps
funding for five biodiversity
projects in the district in
2020. Mahinga kai support
has also been offered to the
farming community, with the
first shed talks hosted by
Environment Canterbury pou
matai ko (cultural advisor)
Makarini Rupene.
Waimakariri Mayor Dan
Gordon praised the
committee’s efforts over the
last 12 months and
acknowledged the
importance of engaging with
the next generation of
farmers to resolve the
challenges.
Cr Sandra Stewart said the
zone committee was ‘‘looking
for some direction’’ from the
two partner councils of
‘‘where to next’’ and called
for funding to support the
delivery of the
recommendations.
‘‘I am heartened by the
work of the landcare trust and
the biodiversity trust, but
they have no support aside
from people’s own volunteer
efforts. If we expect these
committees to deliver we
need to make funding
available.’’
Wai: We care
"I joined the committee because changeisneededto
improve ourwater quality. Iwanttohelp by bringing a
practical,onthe groundpoint of viewtoensurethat the
actions areachievablefor thosewho have to makethem."
WendyMain –
Waimakariri
Water Zone
Committeemember
Nine of Canterbury’s tenwater zone committees arelooking for new
community members. If youare interested in joining your local committee,
visit ecan.govt.nz/waiwecare before10May and letusknow waiyou care.
Canterbury’swaterzone committees recommend actions and tactics to councils while working with
the community.They deliver sustainablebenefitsfromour water resource and enhance naturalvalues.
Environment Canterbury
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