Call for greater protection of South Island's braided rivers

Friday, 8 June 2018

The Tasman river delta near Mt Cook, the breeding site for the critically endangered black stilt. Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board chairman Mick Abbott has called for greater protection of braided rivers before it's too late. File photo.

A new approach could see the Department of Conservation having more ownership in protecting the unique braided rivers in the South Island.

The news comes as Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board chairman Mick Abbott urged the Government to take a stand on protecting the South Island's braided rivers before it is too late.

Abbott, in his final letter to the board as chairman, says the status quo of braided river management, which sees them classified as unallocated Crown land, has led to further degradation.

'Braided rivers in the region are of international significance yet poorly protected. It is essential that braided rivers are given robust protection, and values of Ki Uta Ki Tai and protecting Canterbury's waterways from mountains to sea are given substance.

'It is a matter of urgency that the upper Tasman and Godley river beds are managed by DOC.

'Failure to act now could see further degradation of these rivers in ecological terms, and also the site of less adequately controlled tourism activity that have the potential to negatively impact on conservation values.'

According to DOC, gravel-based braided river systems are found in only a few places around the world: Alaska, Canada, the Himalayan region and the South Island of New Zealand.

They all flow from geologically young, rapidly eroding mountain systems and are characterised by wide gravel or alluvial beds, many winding channels, and highly variable water flows.

NZ's braided rivers are also a habitat for a number of endangered wading birds, including the black stilt (kaki), banded dotterel (turiwhatu), and the wrybill (ngutu pare). It also hosts several native lizard species, while two migratory and eight non-migratory native freshwater fish are found in the braided rivers and streams of the Mackenzie Basin.

Forest and Bird Canterbury field officer Jen Miller said there was a need for management of braided rivers to become more integrated.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage agreed there was a need for DOC to take greater ownership.

'The Department is active in discussions on how the riverbeds of the Tasman and the Godley can be best protected and managed,' she said.

Sage, who is also Land Information Minister, said DOC was discussing the possibility of land transfer with Land Information New Zealand (Linz) and with Ngai Tahu 'given that the Department puts considerable effort into predator and weed control on the riverbeds to protect threatened species such as kaki/black stilt, banded dotterel, black-fronted tern'.

'As a result of the recent Mackenzie review report DOC and Linz are working more closely together. Regardless of land tenure I would expect both agencies to ensure the outstanding habitat and landscape values of the riverbeds are recognised and protected to ensure that increased visitor numbers are managed to protect these values,' she said.

In last month's Budget, an extra $2.6m for was allocated for the next year towards protecting the Mackenzie Basin's nature and heritage.

'Lack of funding should not be an issue,' Sage said.