Kia ora, and welcome to On Stream, edition 11.
In this issue, we’re on the road holding community meetings to gather feedback on our new Land and Water Regional Plan, and we meet some smooth dudes in Cromwell and ORC’s new Chair, Gretchen Robertson. Plus . . . he’s making a list, and he’s checking it twice . . . Santa Claus is coming to town! |
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Land and Water Regional Plan Update
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The Land and Water team is loving the chance to get out and about. Community meetings about the future of Otago’s land and water kicked off in the Catlins and continued in Queenstown, Wānaka, Hāwea, Tarras and Cromwell, with the team in Clyde, Roxburgh and Millers Flat this week.
We have had fantastic group discussions about land and water use — it's so good to hear how passionate people are about Otago's environment.
There are still many community meetings coming up where you can learn more and have your say on the future of Otago’s land and water. To find out when we are in your area, go to: www.orc.govt.nz/lwrpmeetings
Can’t make it? Give us your take on the land and water in your area now: www.orc.govt.nz/lwrp
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Cheers to everyone who has taken the time to attend one of our community meetings so far. Queenstown attendees were treated to a rainbow!
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Introducing ORC's new Chair
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In with the new: Just-elected Chair Gretchen Robertson (front left) and new deputy chair and first-time councillor Lloyd McCall.
At back, new councillors Tim Mepham, Alan Somerville and Elliot Weir.
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Who is Gretchen Robertson? We meet the new Chair of ORC.
Gretchen lives at the foot of Flagstaff mountain in Dunedin with her two boys and husband John. Her ancestors came by sailing ship from Scotland and England. One of her ancestral grandfathers William Valpy (there’s a street named after him), arrived here in 1849. His daughter Katherine was a suffragette; other family members have farmed and were teachers, scientists and explorers.
Gretchen went to school in Dunedin and has an honours degree in Ecology from Otago University. Post uni, she began her career in community-led, large-scale integrated catchment work as a freshwater scientist in a coordinating role, followed by stints championing communities addressing freshwater and coastal challenges.
She is passionate about creating a fair, science-based knowledge foundation that delivers strong environmental bottom lines for all members of the community.
An Otago Regional Councillor since 2004, she has seen much change, with more on the horizon, and uses the Māori whakataukī (proverb) ‘Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on the past’ as a way to describe the importance of an experience-based approach to solving the problems facing the region now and in future. “Understanding today’s environment and being the custodians that we need right now is just as important as planning for tomorrow.”
Gretchen says, “I am here, not as an individual, but part of a team. Together we are the leaders of the Otago Regional Council to manage environment, resource and transport planning issues for the third largest region in New Zealand by area. Together we need to find strength in whanaungatanga as Otago develops the next generation of land, water, coast and air plans. Also, plans for biosecurity protection, natural hazards, and emergency management, as well as public transport.
“Our kete is very full. There’s only one way we can deliver this important work and that’s by strengthening our relationships; with your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive.”
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Stay safe on the water this summer
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Thanks to everyone who entered a name for the Harbourmaster team’s new boat — we’ll be announcing that soon.
This new boat will promote safety around the Dunedin harbour and coast — it’s especially important as the summer boating season kicks off.
“If you’re pulling your boat out of storage for the first time in a while, take the time to do a thorough check of the vessel and all gear. Prep your boat and safety equipment, check the conditions and know the rules,” says ORC’s Harbourmaster, Steve Rushbrook.
For those new to boating, please stop, think, and find out about basic boating safety rules to protect yourself and your loved ones. The Boating Safety Code (on the Harbourmaster page, alongside other helpful information for boaties) reinforces five key messages:
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Consents, compliance and pollution
Our annual report summary is a round-up of everything we achieved last year. During the July 2021 to June 2022 period, we processed 603 consent applications (that’s an average of 55 per month), and 100% of resource consents were processed within legislative timeframes.
We also issued 104 formal enforcement actions and an interim enforcement order over pollution incidents or breaches of consent conditions. They ranged from sediment discharge and outdoor burning to aerial spraying and waste and septic discharge. We completed one prosecution, with six prosecutions ongoing.
Compliance monitoring included 1097 on-site audits and site inspections, 243 dairy inspections and 37 forestry inspections, with any non-compliance followed up by staff.
ORC’s Pollution Hotline was in high demand last year, with 1454 service requests relating to 1206 incidents: the most common being water pollution (326), outdoor burning (278) and odour (174).
You can find more information about the work we do in our Annual Report Summary, available online now: read it here
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Sediment being discharged into Otago Harbour — reported by the public via the Pollution Hotline.
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If you see pollution, please call 0800 800 033 straight away.
You can also report pollution by filling in our reporting form or emailing pollution@orc.govt.nz
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Enviroschools action in Otago
Lots of schools across Otago grow vegetables. Students learn what it takes to grow food, how to look after the soil and how to cook the food they grow. Cromwell Primary School has had a lot of success growing spring vegetables this year.
The students decided to make ‘green slime’ smoothies and create their own delicious salad recipes with the produce. They are always keen to eat the vegetables they grow, and the consensus is that their vegetables taste much better than ones that come from the supermarket.
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Find out more about Otago Enviroschools through the latest newsletter:
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The Tiaki Maniototo Project — on behalf of Upper Taieri Wai
Community Planting Day: Wilson Road was a hive of activity in September for our Community Planting Day at the Winmill property. We had a fabulous day with an incredible effort; many hands made light work! Tiaki Maniototo originally planned for 500 plants to go into the ground; however, attendees planted around 870 plants on the day!
Pilot Site Progress: Plant survival looks awesome across our first pilot site, with some of the carex already around 1.5m! The Carex, red tussock, silver tussock, flax, toitoi, cabbage trees and Coprosma propinqua are growing great and have survived the frosts with minimal damage. The red and silver tussock seems to be a great addition to the sites with slightly drier banks.
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We look forward to continuing to work with landholders and improving this area's recreational and biodiversity values in the future.
You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram: Tiaki Maniototo
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ORC's Catchment Advisor team provides numerous services to landowners, farmers, community groups and industry sectors (both urban and rural) to help minimise the impact of land use on waterways.
The services below are just the tip of the iceberg:
- Providing advice and support to encourage good land management practices
- Engaging with and assisting catchment groups, community groups and individual landowners
- Partnering with primary sectors to promote industry ‘good management practice’
- Suggestions for enhancing local biodiversity
- Providing options to reduce slips and eroding areas
- Completing stream studies with schools and groups
- Giving advice on applications for ORC’s ECO Fund
It always helps to know your options when looking for a solution, so why not speak to the team who can help first hand, or at least point you in the right direction. They’re happy to visit you on site or answer a question over the phone.
For more details, and to meet your local Catchment Advisor, go to: orc.govt.nz/mycatchment
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We want to hear from you!
We are currently seeking feedback on a proposal to participate in a council-controlled organisation (CCO) with other regional and unitary councils. The new CCO would support shared services and collaborative activities in the regional sector.
ORC is consulting with anyone who may be affected or have an interest and encourages any member/s of the community to provide their views on the proposed participation in the CCO through this consultation process.
For more information or to give feedback, click on the button below. Submissions close 5pm, 9 December 2022.
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'You know who' is coming to town . . .
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| Look out for us at the Dunedin Santa Parade on Sunday, 4 December! |
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Find out about monthly Otago Regional 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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