Mahurangi action plan

Action to date

The Mahurangi Action Plan is a joint ARC and Rodney District Council project.

Action to date - Mahurangi Action Plan

To date, the primary focus has been on ‘action on the ground', particularly riparian fencing and planting. Recognising that it would be impractical to address the entire Harbour at any one time, priority areas for action have been identified by the ARC.

Two main priority areas, Ducks Creek and Dyers Creek, have been identified as representative of sub-catchments surrounding the Mahurangi Harbour - both catchments have steep topography and are intensively farmed.

In addition to riparian planting and fencing, on the ground initiatives to date include:

• developing alternative stock watering systems
• a hydro seeding trial for the rapid stabilization of areas disturbed as part of fencing activities
• installing core fiber logs as an alternative sediment control tool for eroding areas on pastoral land
• investigating alternative methods for constructing farm tracks
• piloting farm plans which outline environmental protection and restoration processes for land owners without compromising economic returns
• environmental educations programmes.

Fencing at Mahurangi

View large image

• 43km of riparian fencing erected
• 200ha of land vulnerable to erosion protected from stock access
• 55,000 native species planted
• 8,500 hours of volunteer involvement from the community
• $950,000 awarded over the past three years in MAP grant funding
• completion of NIWA report identifying what land use is generating sediment
• completion of Mahurangi East Catchment Management Plan
• purchase and installation of core fibre water logs as an alternative sediment control for eroding areas
• installation of alternative stock watering techniques and tools
• launched two pilot farm plans in the area
• Omaha pilot open-ground indigenous plant nursery.

Next key steps for the project are:

The project is currently entering into a new phase aimed at broadening the community involvement in the project. To date the community engagement has mainly involved farmers, schools and some community groups.

• Broaden iwi and community engagement in the project; so the community is involved in the health of the Mahurangi Harbour and its long-term future.
• Continue to influence sediment generating land practices within the Mahurangi Harbour catchment. This would focus on methods and areas where the greatest reductions, and hence greatest benefits, can be achieved.
• Focus on pastoral farming and active forestry.
• Review policy documents to ensure policies and control measures are effective.
• Ensure District Plan and Regional Plan permitted activities appropriately managed, monitored and complied with.
• Continue monitoring pressures on the catchment.
• Monitor the effectiveness of work undertaken.