Looking after our unique rivers, lakes and coastal areas

The ‘’naturalness” of our rivers, lakes and coastal areas in Waitaha/Canterbury is a huge part of what makes our region special and in their natural state they contribute to our personal, social and economic wellbeing. However, these unique features of our landscapes can be negatively impacted by human activity.

With legislation and climate change, and the need to meet mana whenua and community expectations, we will have to change the way we have traditionally worked in connection with our rivers, lakes, wetlands and our coast.

People’s access to the coast can be affected by private land use or infrastructure and by protections in place for habitat, plants and animals.

Activities in the coastal environment and surrounding area can also have adverse and accumulative effects on the coastal environment and its values. For example, discharges into the coastal environment can lead to poor water quality and harm ecosystem health. This in turn can affect the health of fisheries and other sources of kai moana.

Drivers for change

  • National direction – we need to determine how Te Mana o Te Wai applies in areas that are still in, or nearly in their natural state. We also know that besides direct discharges into the marine environment, our coastal water and ecosystems are profoundly affected by what happens upstream – nutrients, pollution and sediment all end up in our hāpua/lagoons and estuaries.
  • Science and community feedback is telling us that a whole-of-river approach (ki uta ki tai – from the mountains to the sea) to our work in rivers will achieve better outcomes.
  • We also need to protect the relationship between mana whenua and their culture and traditions, to provide for recreational use/access, and protect sites of significance, habitats, natural character and animal/plant species.

What we heard

  • We should give our braided rivers more room to move.
  • Understand what is an acceptable level of risk for farming in a flood plain.
  • Support the removal of gravel from rivers to reduce flood risk.
  • No restrictions to most areas of the coast and foreshore.
  • Ban dogs from beaches, coastal wetlands and river mouths to protect birdlife.
  • Stop cruise ships coming into Akaroa and Lyttelton Harbour.
  • Reduce recreational fishing catch to sustainable limits, limit commercial fishing
  • We need education as well as safe and sustainable eco-tourism.

What we can influence

  • How natural character is prioritised relative to other values and how strategies to restore natural character are supported.
  • The level of support for activities that have social or economic benefits.
  • Provide regional guidance for reviving the natural character of rivers.
  • The way we work in rivers, with different tools and methods for flood protection and community resilience.
  • We can be more directive regarding when bylaws are appropriate. 
  • Which activities can occur, and where - for example, whether access to some parts of the coast should be on foot only, where boat access/launching is appropriate, and where vehicles can and can’t go. 
  • We can work to better identify coastal processes and the values that are under threat. 
  • We can set targets for the percentage of coastal areas under protection.