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Kia ora and welcome to the December edition of On Stream – the final for 2023.
In this bumper issue, we’re reminding boaters and floaters to check, clean, dry and gardeners and their partners to be on the lookout for pests in the summer garden. Also, wallabies go undercover in North Otago. But first, a joke:
What’s green and fuzzy, and if it fell out of a tree it could really hurt you?
A pool table!
Also green and fuzzy: Toxic algae blooms in lakes – these can be harmful to you and your pets, so learn how to spot them here, and if in doubt, stay out!
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10 Wilding conifers are a serious pest issue. When you’re out and about hunting, hiking or just enjoying the outdoors, you can help by pulling out small wilding conifer seedlings.
9 Wait 48 hours before you swim after heavy or prolonged rain. Check the latest water quality monitoring results at LAWA here.
8 Check, clean and dry your boat, kayak, paddle board or jetski to stop the spread of aquatic pests.
7 Wash the car on the lawn and just use hot water and soap to stop harsh chemicals getting into our waterways.
6 If you see a wallaby, dead or alive, report it to reportwallabies.nz – help stop the spread of this unwanted aussie import.
5 Be a responsible skipper and always follow the safer boating code – wear a lifejacket and say no to beersies.
4 Spot pollution? Call our 24/7 hotline 0800 800 033 and try to take a photo – it might be needed for evidence later.
3 Ban the clam! Be on the lookout for freshwater gold clam – a pest that may be trying to hitchhike its way down the country.
2 Top up your Bee Card and use public transport in 10 regions around New Zealand these holidays – even on the Queenstown ferry!
1 Keep your doggo safe – look out for toxic algal blooms, which occur when temperatures rise. Check our website for updates.
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Hop on the bus, Gus. Don’t go to jail, Gail
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The police will be out in force this season, catching the silly. Stay out of trouble – take an Orbus home from your Christmas party.
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Unfriendly foliage
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Our Biosecurity team works hard to manage different animal, aquatic and plant pests throughout Otago.
The team also works hard to prevent new pests from establishing themselves in our region – this is where you can help! We’re currently gathering information on the following three pest plants (check out their mug shots above). Keep an eye out for these pests this summer and if you spot them, let us know.
Purple loosestrife is a pretty, purple pest that quickly invades damp ground and shallow water, forming tall, impenetrable barriers that exclude all other species. It destroys wetland and bankside habitats as well as food sources for many fish and bird species, and it can cause blockages and flooding.
Rough horsetail is a type of reed that can grow up to 1.2 metres above ground. It’s difficult to control with an extensive underground stem system that is hard to dig out and herbicide has difficulty penetrating. It produces spores at the tip of the stem and is toxic to stock. It spreads quickly underground, sprouting new plants and encouraging sedimentation, and it can alter watercourses.
Wild ginger can grow up to 2 metres, produces a ginger-scent and lemon-yellow flowers and develops red-fruiting spikes. It’s extremely tolerant to shade, most soil types, good or poor drainage and is drought and frost tolerant once established. It is fast growing, seeds easily and will replace all other species where it grows.
You can find further information about these pests on Weedbusters.org.nz
Think you’ve seen purple loosestrife, rough horsetail, or wild ginger in Otago? Let us know by calling 0800 474 082 or emailing biosecurity@orc.govt.nz with a photo and a clear description of its location.
For more information on pest plants we’re trying to manage in our region, visit our Pest Hub.
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ORC ABC
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K is for … kōura / freshwater crayfish / crawly
The kōura / freshwater crayfish is a scavenger found in lakes, ponds, streams, swamps. It is an important mahika kai (food gathering) species and is threatened due to habitat alteration and land intensification. This craggy crustacean is an important indicator of the health of the water and a crucial predator and food source in the stream food chain.
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A blue kōura. Inset: a young kōura
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Pest of the month: Lagarosiphon
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December’s pest of the month is … Lagarosiphon.
Lagarosiphon is a fast-growing underwater, bottom-rooted weed. It can grow up to 5 m tall upon reaching the water surface and is hard to get rid of. Lagarosiphon spreads easily through pieces of stem being carried on water currents, boats, fishing gear, and via aquarium and pond escapes.
It is a pest because it can:
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Shade out and take over aquatic native plants
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Choke and block water bodies
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Affect water supply intakes; and
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Interfere with recreational activities (swimming, boating, water-skiing, etc.)
Lagarosiphon can be found in Otago in lakes Dunstan and Roxburgh, and parts of Lake Wānaka. It is also in the Clutha River / Mata-Au and the Kawarau River.
You can help prevent the spread of this aquatic pest by making sure you Check, Clean, and Dry yourself and any gear that’s been in the water this summer.
Find out more about lagarosiphon, other aquatic pests and how to thoroughly Check, Clean, Dry on our Pest Hub.
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Gazing ahead to winter grazing
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Winter grazing turnips, Hyde
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If you have consents for intensive winter grazing, you may be thinking about preparing your grazing management plan for next year.
As a condition of your consent, you will need to provide us with an updated intensive winter grazing management plan by 30 April in advance of the upcoming 2024 winter grazing season.
To help you prepare we have created a template.
Once you have your plan ready, it can be emailed to compliance@orc.govt.nz with your consent number and ‘IWG management plan’ in the subject line.
Need help? We will be holding a number of workshops in locations across Otago in February and March with staff available to assist you. Stay tuned for more info.
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Look before you leap in
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Every summer, from 1 December to 31 March, our environmental monitoring team checks popular swimming spots around Otago to see if these rivers, lakes and streams are safe to swim in.
This summer, we’ll be testing 33 swimming sites for bacteria and 11 sites for toxic algae every week. The latest water quality results are then posted to LAWA (Land Air Water Aotearoa) to provide more people with more certainty.
Water quality and conditions can change quickly. So, before you swim, check the weekly water quality results at the most popular swimming spots around the country by visiting lawa.org.nz/swim
The map will show which spots are suitable, or not, for swimming, and there’s a handy traffic light system to explain how safe the water is.
To help keep you, your family, and pets well this summer, follow the Swim Smart Checklist below:
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Avoid swimming for 48 hours after heavy rain, as run-off can be washed into waterways
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Follow any warning signs
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Check the water is clean and clear
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Stay away from any pipes, culverts, and flocks of birds
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Check for hazards; and
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Know how to spot toxic algae in rivers or lakes so you can avoid it.
Search for your local swim spot or waterway ahead of a visit and plan your trip or your dog walk with the latest information.
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Enviroschools’ 21st birthday celebrated in Queenstown
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Some photos of the celebrations
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‘Happy Birthday’ was sung, a giant grebe head was worn and vast quantities of cake was eaten in Queenstown for a special birthday recently.
Pupils from many schools in the Queenstown and Wānaka area came to celebrate Enviroschools’ 21st birthday and show off their sustainability work alongside some fabulous community organisations such as WAI Wānaka.
QLDC is a big part of the programme’s success, so it was great to see Queenstown Mayor Glyn Lewers (who is a very good sport) with QLDC Crs Craig Ferguson and Melissa White.
Past Dunedin mayor Dame Sukhi Turner was the first chairwoman of the Enviroschools trust, so it was wonderful to have her there, too. Cheers to DCC who supported Enviroschools in the QLDC area in the early days and Wānaka Wastebusters, who employs Nicky and Damian, the Enviroschools facilitators who work with the schools.
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Meet our new CCD advocates
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Look out for ORC’s Check, Clean, Dry advocates in Central Otago these holidays.
Our Biosecurity team welcomes two new summer advocates who will be tasked with keeping aquatic pests front of mind for those enjoying recreational activities in freshwater these holidays.
Meet Ollie and Angus!
Ollie is from Wānaka and has been in Dunedin studying environmental management with a minor in geology. When summer rolls around, he likes to hang up the snow skis and enjoy boating, mountain biking and surfing the Hāwea standing wave.
Angus is from Wellington and has just finished a degree in ecology. Over summer he’s a big fan of being in the water, whether it’s our lakes, rivers, or seas. He’s a keen surfer and fisherman.
Aquatic pests such as didymo and lagarosiphon can spread very easily between waterways on people’s equipment and vessels, but if we can encourage boaties, kayakers, paddle boarders, jet skiers and other visitors to adopt the steps below, it will help to minimise that risk.
Check – Remove any plant matter from your gear and leave it at the site (the river or lake bank) or put it in the rubbish. Don't wash plant material down any drain.
Clean – There's more than one option for cleaning your gear – choose the one that's best for your situation and your gear.
Dry – Ensure your gear is completely dry to touch, inside and out, then leave dry for at least another 48 hours before you use it (didymo can survive for months on moist gear).
Say ‘hello’ if you spot Ollie and Angus out and about – they’ll be based at Lake Dunstan until early February 2024 and visiting a variety of spots across Otago’s lakes and rivers.
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Undercover wallaby
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A wallaby – if you see one, dead or alive, report it to reportwallabies.nz
PHOTO: ODT
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We’re using some spy tactics in our efforts to control a pest which is destroying the environment.
Wallaby are fine in Australia, but here in Aotearoa New Zealand, they are wrecking the place. This month we began a trial programme, releasing 10 desexed wallaby fitted with GPS collars at sites in Waitaki and Mackenzie. We’ll track them over the following 12 months – the collars will allow us to pinpoint their locations as they make friends and ‘rat’ them out.
This project is being carried out in collaboration with Environment Canterbury and the Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme. While the ‘seeker’ method is a technique commonly used to control other pest animals, such as feral goats and pigs, this will be the first time it has been used for wallaby in NZ. We’re hoping it could make a big difference in the fight against this introduced pest.
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Christmas hours
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Meri Kirihimete! Happy Christmas!
ORC’s offices will be closed at 12 noon on Friday, 22 December and reopen on 3 January 2024; however, we’ll still be servicing our pollution hotline – 0800 800 033 – 24/7 and carrying out water monitoring, and our Harbourmaster team will be patrolling the Otago coast and Central Otago’s lakes and rivers.
Thank you for being a reader this year.
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Find out about upcoming community events and Council meetings here.
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Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might like to read it. If you have any story ideas or want to know anything specific about anything in this issue, let us know by emailing lisa.scott@orc.govt.nz.
If you have been forwarded this email, you can sign up here.
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