The Waikaraka Estuary/Waione Stream Care

June 2005
Degradation of an estuary led to the formation of a community group in 1997, which initially focused on the problem of mangroves. With facilitation from Landcare they worked through conflicts and issues, realising that to achieve their goal of estuary and catchment restoration they needed to change regional council policy, and that meant involving the whole catchment community and various agencies including the Regional Council.

They used science and brought various individuals and agencies on board that had a responsibility or interest in the area, and have achieved remarkable progress. They have been an inspiration to many North Island Landcare/care/environmental groups, and their process has been held up as a model for others to use.

Recently the group has been nominated for a Green Ribbon Award for Community Action for the Environment. They have been successful and will receive the Award officially in a couple of weeks.

The group was formed in 2001 by number of Waione stream landowners concerned at the decline of the whitebait, the silt and general health of the stream. They are following a similar process to the Waikaraka group and have made considerable progress.

The key points are the way in which the communities have come together, worked through conflicts and minor issues to emerge with a clear view of the big picture and a plan to remedy problems. The people interaction and processes used were an essential prerequisite to developing a sustainable plan and getting to an outcome that everybody was committed to. The physical measures taken are showing impressive results.

In 1997 a group of residents who live around the edges of the Waikaraka Estuary (near Tauranga) got together because they were concerned by the takeover of their local estuary by mangroves. Local Maori (Pirirakau hapu), who had resided along the estuary shoreline for hundreds of years, were concerned at the substantial loss of open water and sandflats and the ecology that went with it, spread of mud and mangroves, and silting up of the channels feeding into the estuary. At early meetings, residents were joined by invited representatives from Environment Bay of Plenty and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

Initially the main focus was on the extensive growth of mangroves, which were seen by some as were the main villain. People quickly found themselves dividing into three camps: those who wanted mangroves to be removed, those who opposed the removal, and those who could appreciate the desires of the people in the first two groups, but who felt they didn't know enough about the issues to commit one way or the other.

In a number of subsequent meetings, the group slowly came to the view that the problem was a larger one than mangroves. What emerged was the Waikaraka Estuary Managers community group and, eventually, a Management Plan for the Waikaraka Estuary.

Key people

David Lind (chair)

Brian Bluck, Sally Greenaway (group members)

Sharon Parker and Michael Grose (group members and also the Estuary Monitoring Team)

Dr Mal Green (NIWA Principal Scientist, Coastal Physical Processes), instrumental in the scientific studies

Robyn Skelton (NZ Landcare Trust), assistance with facilitation, advise and planning.

Lawrie Donald (Environment Bay of Plenty Land Management Officer), technical support in regards to planting etc.

Meetings were well led, planned and sociable. All of these aspects contribute to a successful and sustainable care group.

Much of the information relating to mangroves came from overseas and did not seem to concur with local observations. In order to understand the science of their estuary they contacted NIWA for further information and help, which turned out to be the beginning of an enduring, mutually beneficial relationship.

Scientists not only do science, but they are also obliged to get the science out there, where it can be widely used. Even so, scientists would not normally "down tools" to become involved with a community group, but in this case NIWA worked with WEM over the long term as a kind of development partner to identify what communities generally know, what they don't know, what they need to know, and how they can most usefully learn new things - all of which go to closing the information gap. What NIWA learnt and developed in the course of this special relationship could then be passed on to other groups through appropriate mass communication methods.

Information and advice from Environment Bay of Plenty and Western Bay of Plenty District Council accumulated and quickly influenced the outlook of the group. The initial leaning towards hasty action came to be seen as ill considered and was replaced, firstly, by a desire to establish what it was that the community actually valued about the estuary. This was achieved through a series of "Weka Parades", groups of people discussing issues while walking in and around all parts of the estuary, giving people the chance to get to know one another and to air their views in a friendly forum.

WEM gradually uncovered a core set of problems that people wanted to see remedied:

Siltation

Rubbish dumping

Shoaling of the two major streams flowing into the estuary

Loss of salt marshes

Loss of recreational resources

Significant change in estuarine ecological function

Significant reduction in open water area

This in turn led to a set of objectives being developed with the help of NZLCT facilitation and technical advice and guidance from Environment Bay of Plenty and Western Bay of Plenty District Council. These objectives were eventually incorporated into WEM's first Management Plan, which included a Mission Statement and five Strategic Goals.

Some people are planners and some are doers, and WEM has been successful in offering members the opportunity to participate in the things they do and enjoy most. This has included many hours spent on labour-intensive working bees removing rubbish and weeds and improving the environment around the estuary.

When the Plan was complete it was presented to a public meeting, where it was approved. A second Management Plan was developed after several years and, notwithstanding serious examination, the five original key strategic goals remained. This, too, was passed at an open public meeting, giving WEM a clear mandate from the community.

The Management Plan is holistic in that it focuses less on the individual parts of the estuary and more on how the parts interconnect and the estuary functions as a whole. The word "mangrove" does not appear in the Plan. The fact is that mangrove spread is both natural and a symptom of an external problem increased soil erosion on developing and deforested catchments that causes sandflats to be smothered by silt, which in turn fosters growth of mangroves that then capture more of the silt runoff.

So pulling out mangrove trees and propagules would not solve this problem, and measures such as controlling soil erosion would.

Clearing and opening all channels to allow extensive areas of sediment build--up at the head of the estuary to be drained and flushed by the tide.

Removal of inorganic and organic rubbish littering some areas of the margins and reserves.

Clearing and burning of large areas of gorse, blackberry, willow and other noxious weeds (with the co-operation and active support of the District Council).

Cultivating and resowing around the cleared margins (again, with the help of the District Council). These areas have since been regularly maintained.

Upstream, beginning at the old Quarry and extending through I'anson Reserve to the Waikaraka Estuary, native trees are being planted in order to provide a food chain for native birds. WEM has also made its voice heard in planning matters at the catchment and regional levels, further cementing the presence of the estuarine environment in the process of land and catchment management.

NIWA, WEM and NZLCT have produced a leaflet for community groups "For and Against Mangrove Control", which summarises facts about mangroves, consequences of proposed courses of action are outlined, and the likelihood of achieving goals.

NIWA is currently working with WEM to develop effective and affordable monitoring tools for estuary community groups, starting with ways to monitor mangrove spread and sedimentation rates. A key goal of the initiative, for which WEM is the guinea pig, is to produce tools that community groups will take up and actually use over the long term. In time, monitoring tools will be broadened to assess the general health of the estuary.

Six years after the first meetings:

Sandbanks in the Waikaraka Estuary are reappearing.

There is anecdotal evidence that fish are making a return to the estuary, and views and access have improved.

A pool that used to be enjoyed by the children of the Pirirakau kohanga reo, until it became silted and choked by mangroves, has been reopened and extended.

Sediment-choked channels have been cleared

Reserve land has been re-established, with the removal of large areas of noxious weeds and 128 car bodies The fringes and margins are flourishing with native vegetation

An extensive restoration plan for the estuary has been commissioned.

There is a sense of ownership within the community and a justifiable pride in what has been achieved.

The focus is turning more to the catchment and how the aspirations of care groups further up the catchment can be matched to those at the shore line.

Successful community-led care of the environment is possible and happening in the Waikaraka Estuary. What started as a collection of individuals with a gripe against mangroves has evolved into a group with a shared vision and an action plan for protecting and enhancing the health of the estuary ecosystem and the values that the community places on the estuary. Today, the Waikaraka Estuary is showing signs of recovery as a result of the group's efforts.

Environment Bay of Plenty, NZLCT, NIWA and Western Bay of Plenty District Council continue to support the group's activities, and to take the lessons that have been learnt along the way to other groups for use on their own journeys. The human dimensions of leadership, partnership, flexibility, an open mind and a willingness to listen to each other even when in conflict, are fundamental to success.

Waione Stream Care Group key people:

Terry Hobart and Bevan Bodmin, group members

Robyn Skelton, NZ Landcare Trust, facilitation assistance

Andrew Jenks, Western Bay of Plenty District Council contractor for Streamsense Projects (working with schools).

Lawrie Donald, Environment Bay of Plenty Land Management Officer, technical support in regards to planting etc.

The group was formed in 2001 because a number of Waione stream landowners were concerned at the decline of the whitebait, the silt and general health of the stream. NZ Landcare Trust assisted them to form a group. Environment Bay of Plenty has assisted them to complete planting and fencing. This has taken place every season since their formation.

Funding has been from Transpower Landcare Trust Grants and Environment Bay of Plenty Care Group funds.

Plant and animal pest management to enhance habitat for fishlife (including kokupu and whitebait), birdlife (wrens, banded rail, bitterns, fern birds), clearing riparian strip of the Waione Stream and planting from the estuary up the catchment for stream shade, erosion control and beautification. Long term goal is to involve the entire catchment.

Numerous meetings, and work days to fence, clear weeds and plant. The group involved the local school with the planting, which proved a great opportunity to educate the local community about the health of the stream and implications for the catchment. Environment Bay of Plenty and Western Bay District Council staff have been involved, and provide much support.

Whitebait are the juvenile forms of several native fish that live in the streams, including Inanga, Banded Kokopu, Shortjawed Kokopu, Giant Kokopu, Koaro and smelt. The adult fish live in the upper reaches of shaded streams and streamside wet areas/swamps around the Tauranga Harbour. From March through to May, they find their way downstream to the stretch where salt water from the harbour mixes with fresh water coming downstream. On a high spring tide, they wiggle up into upright plants that are briefly flooded on the side of the stream (rushes and flaxes) and lay their eggs, then they take off back up stream to live. Next high spring tide, the eggs hatch and juveniles (whitebait) emerge, swim or are washed downstream and out into the harbour to grow up over winter. Eventually, they come back as breeding age adults and go back up the same stream to live and start the breeding cycle over again.

Whitebait decline when the breeding cycle is interrupted. There are several causes:

Blocked fish passage while the adult fish are pretty good at wriggling their way up wet rocks on a short steep stretch in the stream, they cant get up a drop off. If theres a culvert in the stream with a drop off on the downstream side, the fish breeding and migrating cycle is broken.

Cleared spawning areas adult fish find it pretty hard to find a decent spot to lay eggs where stream banks are grassed, eroded by stock or wave action, or the banks have become steep. They need upright plants like native rushes and flaxes to lay their eggs in. So, if the streamsides have been cleared in the lower reaches, theres probably not much spawning going on.

Degraded streams native fish like cool, clear water, with plenty of shade. They dont cope well with intense sunlight, raised water temperatures or silty water. They evolved in streams that were shaded by native bush. If they get too hot, exposed or polluted, they die.

NZ Landcare Trust encourages land users to adopt sustainable land management and biodiversity practices. NZ Landcare Trust is a national non government organisation, engaging the land users through landcare groups, farming, iwi, community, environmental and recreational groups with the aim of developing wider community buy-in of landcare issues.

NZ LandcareTrust helps groups establish, plan outcomes, develop networks and practice effective landcare.