HEARING at KAPITI COAST on 8 JANUARY 2013
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TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS BOARD OF INQUIRY MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway Proposal HEARING at KAPITI COAST on 8 JANUARY 2013 BOARD OF INQUIRY: Sir John Hansen (Chairperson) Environment Commissioner David Bunting (Board Member) Ms Glenice Paine (Board Member) Mr Mark Apeldoorn (Board Member) Page 1732 [9.32 am] 5 CHAIRPERSON: Be seated please. Now, Dr Knight and Ms Sefton. DR KNIGHT: Mainly me speaking, yes. CHAIRPERSON: Right. So you wish to speak to your representation, okay, 10 go ahead and you have a presentation as well. DR KNIGHT: I do indeed, yes. CHAIRPERSON: Thank you. 15 BIRD SONG PLAYED DR KNIGHT: That was the sound of a morning chorus at Ngā Manu Nature Reserve. Thank you for this opportunity to address the Board of 20 Inquiry. We also appreciate you taking the time to visit Ngā Manu Nature Reserve. I am Catherine Knight, a Trustee of Ngā Manu Trust and representing the Trust today. I am accompanied by Tony Ward, Trust Chair, Bruce Benseman, manager of our reserve and also a Trustee and Erica Sefton, our planning advisor. We are all happy to 25 answer your questions. Today I would like to present to you a brief overview of the history of Ngā Manu and the important role it plays both to the local community and nationally in preserving and promoting our national heritage before 30 briefly outlining four of the key points raised in our submission. The presentation is made up of 17 slides and will take about 15 to 20 minutes. Ngā Manu began as an idea in the mind of Peter McKenzie when he 35 was only 20 years old, while working as a zoo keeper at Wellington Zoo and inspired by his experiences working with wildlife in Australia, he conceived of the idea of establishing a zoo facility for indigenous rather than exotic species unprecedented at the time. 40 [9.35 am] Over time this idea evolved and Peter became aware not only of preserving indigenous fauna but indigenous flora. In 1974 he established Ngā Manu Trust with the objectives of providing a suitable 45 habitat for indigenous flora and fauna and opportunities to educate and Kapiti Coast 08.01.13 Page 1733 raise awareness of the value of New Zealand’s natural heritage among the public and, in particular, children. The first task of the Trust was to find a site that included a suitable 5 waterbody, a significant remnant of native vegetation and one which was easily accessible from Wellington and other regional communities. It also had to be affordable as the Trust’s funds were only limited. The Trust found that there were very few sites that met its criteria and the search continued without success for a few years. 10 Finally, in 1977, the Trustees found a small valley encompassing a wetland surrounded with bush which they believed to be a perfect site for a reserve. It was only when the site was visited by renowned botanist John Dawson that Peter realised the outstanding value of the 15 Ngā Manu forest remnant as an extremely rare example of lowland wetland forest now largely banished from the wider region. The Trust secured a lease for 13 years and 11 months the maximum permissible under the law and then the real work began to transform 20 part of a working sheep farm into a wildlife sanctuary. With only the help of a small number of volunteers Peter used a bulldozer to create additional wetlands, undertook fencing, pest control and planting. Through perpetual maintenance, vigilance and patience Ngā Manu has transformed from what was barren, windswept farmland to a lush 25 sanctuary for a myriad species of lowland flora and indigenous fauna. Today Ngā Manu offers a unique opportunity for locals and overseas visitors to experience first hand a rare lowland forest environment including birds and other fauna rarely encountered in the wild today. 30 The reserve hosts 18 to 20 thousand visitors a year, a third of which are school or community groups, a further third local or national visitors and the remaining third overseas visitors. As such it makes an invaluable contribution to both the local economy and the educational sector. 35 Ngā Manu contains the largest single remaining remnant of original coastal lowland swamp forest on the Kapiti Coast and plays a vital role in the local and regional network of conservation and wildlife sites such as Kapiti Island, Waikanae River, Tararua Ranges, 40 Hemi Matenga, Council reserves and other private bush protected by QEII covenants. Approximately 700 different species of native plants can be seen at Ngā Manu including many on the threatened species list. These range 45 from native grasses and ferns through to a 400 year old kahikatea. Over 56 different bird species come and go through the wetlands, bush Kapiti Coast 08.01.13 Page 1734 and surroundings. Species that can be viewed at the reserve include kiwi, tuatara, gecko, skinks, wetas, morepork or ruru, tui, wood pigeon, kereru, fantail, (INDISTINCT 4.08) blue duck or whio, kakariki, paradise duck and brown teal. 5 There are daily feedings of long and short finned eels in a pond near the information centre which provide visitors with a rare opportunity to get up close to these normally elusive creatures while listening to an educational talk. 10 For children in particular Ngā Manu provides an outstanding learning and experiential opportunity. From its inception the reserve has priorities its accessibility, availability and attention to school groups hosting hundreds of school groups over its 25 years to date. So 15 important is this part of its function the Trust recently established a purpose built multimedia education centre that can accommodate up to 100 students. [9.40 am] 20 Nga Manu is also actively involved in important species recovery and research programmes such as the Brothers Island Tuatara Species Recovery Project. The Trust supports and provides an invaluable field site for research on indigenous ecosystems and species including by 25 Victoria and Massey Universities and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Research projects the Trust has supported and/or facilitated include; Kereru Responses to Urbanisation, Behaviour of Kea in Enclosures, 30 Natural Fish Path (ph 0.46) Designs, Re-establishing Native Mistletoe. The Habitat Requirements of Brown Mudfish, Monitoring of Migratory Fish and Testing Tui Transmitters. The Reserve also welcomes documentary filmmakers, mostly recently hosting National Geographic which filmed part of a documentary on eels at Nga Manu. 35 The Trust’s role is to ensure that this rare remnant of lowland coastal swamp forest and the adjacent waterways are protected for the future. This leads into our outstanding concerns regarding the MacKays to Peka Peka expressway proposal. Our concerns are outlined in our 40 written submission but we would briefly like to reiterate what we consider the four key issues. Our first concern relates to potential effects of the proposal on local waterways, including Kakariki Stream, which provides a vital 45 mountains to sea ecological corridor. Kapiti Coast 08.01.13 Page 1735 The second concern we would like to reiterate here is with respect to the proposed realignment of Kakariki Stream. Sorry, I missed something there. 5 NZTA have proposed the creation of an artificial wetland to capture stormwater run off from the expressway. The Trust endorses the creation of a wetland to mitigate the effects of stormwater runoff and sees it has having the potential to enhance the ecological linkages between the various wetlands in the area, however in order to serve its 10 purpose in an enduring way it will have to be effectively designed, maintained and monitored. In respect to this issue the Trust would like to add some clarification to the points raised in our written submission. As outlined on page 3 of our submission the Trust seeks robust 15 monitoring standards to ensure the on-going health of local waterways. In addition the Trust requests that it has input into the development of the management plan for the proposed wetland area adjacent to Kakariki Stream and that this arrangement be formalised as a condition of consent. 20 The second concern we would like to reiterate here is with respect to the proposed realignment of Kakariki Stream. The proposal involves the construction of two new bridges crossing the stream within 500 metres of the reserve. The realignment of the stream for these bridges 25 is likely to put pressure on stream banks, both upstream and downstream. Being comprised largely of sand and peat these banks are highly susceptible to erosion. This realignment, without suitable mitigation measures, has the potential to cause extensive erosion, particularly in the case of heavy rain. 30 Such erosion could have serious consequences with the potential to cut off access into the reserve and the Mackenzie property at pinch points, and for its potential to damage or at worst severe the main sewerage connection from Waikanae East to Waikanae West wish runs adjacent 35 to the stream. The risk of lost access could be mitigated through NZTA implementation of alternative access linking into the East/West Link Road as per KCDC Plan Change 69 and 80. The third concern that the Trust would like to reiterate relates to access. 40 It is essential that safe and adequate access is provided to Nga Manu. Erica is just pointing to where Nga Manu is, which is the - - - CHAIRPERSON: I am sorry, that does not work very well. 45 DR KNIGHT: It is not very good, is it? Kapiti Coast 08.01.13 Page 1736 CHAIRPERSON: Would you like to walk over and point to it? It might be easier for - - - 5 DR KNIGHT: It is where the yellow oblong is.