Leading from the front issuu

#PATSMANTRAS
”It’s all about
doing it better.”
AHURIRI ESTUARY 50 YEARS ON
Fifty years after helping prevent a potentially devastating marina development
from going ahead, Pat talks about the health of the Estuary now, as it struggles to
survive under a new raft of 21st century challenges:
It’s encouraging that most stake holders connected to
Ahuriri Estuary are trying to do better. From the back
country farmers, through to industry and residents,
there’s more awareness around the fact that the Estuary,
Te Whanganui-a-Orotū, is a fragile, vulnerable ecosystem
that needs to be protected.
But I often wonder about who has overall responsibility
for the Estuary. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is
working hard to mitigate the effects of run off from farms
into the Estuary; Napier City Council is overseeing water
and stormwater issues, and the Department of Conservation
is tasked with walking the tight rope between
protecting and maintaining the natural heritage area,
while encouraging more people to get out and enjoy it. I
find it gobsmacking that plastic toys — big bouncy castles
are allowed to be installed at the Pond, attracting
hundreds of kids to play there each day, and adults to
supervise them, resulting in more stress on the Estuary.
When Dame Anne Salmond visited the region four
years ago, she reminded us that the Estuary is a small,
vulnerable area that can’t tolerate heavy recreational
use. “There’s too much expectation on a small bird
sanctuary,” she said. Classified as a nationally significant
wildlife refuge, the Estuary needs to be respected and
nurtured as such, not only for the feel good factor of protecting
our environment but for our livelihoods too, as an
economy located on the coast.
It seems those who really need to listen to the warnings
of experts like Dame Anne often don’t, and the levels
of collaboration required by pivotal stakeholders to
achieve best outcomes for the Estuary aren’t as good as
they might be but I know they’re working on that.
THREE MAIN AHURIRI
ESTUARY CHALLENGES
• Run off, sediments and nutrients from farms
• Sewage that’s pumped in occasionally and
when it rains heavily
• Industrial zones right on its border
Above: Pat is concerned that it’s unclear which local body has overall responsibility for Ahuriri Estuary.
The Environment – Pat walks his talk in his own hood 61