TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 LET’S HAVE UK BEGINS A GREAT ‘FOR THAT, MASS CHRISTMAS... I APOLOGISE’ VACCINATION PROGRAMME FEATURE INSIDE PAGE 7 FEATURE INSIDE PAGE 11 THE Environment Court has parties subsequently appealed that signed off the resource consents decision to the Environment Court. for the rebuilding of Wharf 7 and “We’ve worked through the issues the slipway at Eastland Port, raised, and have collectively come projects that have been years in the up with solutions that address planning. them,” Mr Gaddum said. Eastland Port was advised of the “We significantly altered the plans NOD TO court’s decision, which means the based on input from local hapu, two major infrastructure projects iwi, other stakeholders and the can go ahead, last week. community. “This is the culmination of a “Key outcomes include ensuring process we started five years ago,” that the integrity of Te Toka a Taiau, said the port’s chief operating officer the historic rock at the mouth of the Andrew Gaddum. Turanganui River, is respected and “It’s a significant milestone for preserved. Eastland Port and Tairawhiti, “The slipway upgrades will and one we’ve worked together to provide an enhanced habitat for PORT achieve,” juvenile crayfish and marine The rebuilding of Wharf 7 and the invertebrates, and we will monitor slipway were part of the port’s plans and report on a wider range of to maintain and upgrade essential environmental factors.” infrastructure, some of it more than Mr Gaddum said that developing 100 years old. closer relationships with hapu and “They are the first stage of the iwi was fundamental to the future Twin Berth project, which will help success of all projects at the port. support, future-proof and grow the “We have formalised a WORKS economy of Tairawhiti,” Mr Gaddum consultative partnership with the said. hapu of Turanganui-a-Kiwa and are “This will allow for two 185–200 currently finalising the protocols for metre long ships to berth at once, how this will operate.” Environment Court signs off and open up the possibilities of With the changes and initiatives shipping containers to and from the agreed by all the involved parties, region via a coastal service.” the consents went back before consents after all parties agree The resource consents for Stage the Environment Court and have One were lodged in 2017, and now been signed off by the chief originally granted by independent Environment Court judge. commissioners in 2018. Several CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 GO AHEAD: The Environment Court has given its final approval and go ahead for the upgrading of Wharf 7 and the slipway at Eastland Port, two major infrastructure projects that will be part of future-proofing the region’s port. Demolition of the existing wharf will take place after the squash and kiwifruit season, then the 18-month construction work will begin. Picture supplied ENROL Your journey to NOW! START success starts here FEB 2021 Check out our FREE programmes* free.eit.ac.nz MĀORI STUDIES * conditions apply 34817-08 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ..............9 Farming .............14 Classifieds ... 17-19 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............10 Television ...........15 Sport ............ 20-24 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ............ 6-8 World............ 11-13 Racing ................16 Weather .............23 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, December 9, 2020 TREE DEATH: For the first time mature native ramarama trees have been reported infected with myrtle rust which has caused them to die. Picture supplied The deaths of large mature trees have No laughing matter been reported THE first known case of mature East Cape in April 2018. “What birds and insects are going to tree death due to myrtle rust infection However, by then it had been be impacted by the loss of this species? has been observed in the East Cape, acknowledged that myrtle rust could not What plants will take their place?” suggesting localised extinction for some be permanently eradicated and efforts Unfortunately, what is also not well native myrtles could become a reality. had moved on to management and understood, is the extent of myrtle rust “I’ve been monitoring myrtle rust in research. across New Zealand. native forests for the last three years,” While he waited for science to catch Researchers are working hard to says Roanne Sutherland, a myrtle rust up to the disease, he kept an eye on the understand the disease and develop researcher at Crown research institute trees. management tools within the Beyond Scion. Mr Atkins has detected infection on Myrtle Rust and Nga Rakau Taketake “We’ve had seedling death occur, but several species, although ramarama research programmes. this is the first time the deaths of large, (Lophomyrtus bullata) and rohutu However, long-term monitoring mature trees have been reported.” (Lophomyrtus obcordata) have been of native forests on a much greater Myrtle rust, a disease affecting plants hardest hit in the East Cape. scale than is currently taking place, in the myrtle family, is caused by the “If someone had told me four years CLOSE UP: Myrtle rust infection on is essential to measuring the impact pathogenic fungus Austropuccinia psidii. ago that ramarama was going to be on ramarama that was found on the East of myrtle rust and to find natural The fungus is windborne and arrived the threatened plants list, I would have Cape. Picture supplied resistance. on westerly winds from Australia in 2017. laughed,” he says. “If we can find individuals with natural Myrtle rust has now spread across “Where I live there are tens of By 2019, Mr Atkins noticed that young resistance to myrtle rust infection, we the North Island and parts of the South thousands if not hundreds of thousands trees were dying. Now in 2020, Mr Atkins can then collect seeds from those trees to Island, threatening New Zealand’s native of ramarama in seedling carpets.” has seen fully mature trees die. repopulate areas where trees have died,” myrtles, including pohutukawa and Since myrtle rust infects new plant Without adult trees, there will be no says Graeme Atkins. manuka. tissue most easily, and Lophomyrtus is seeds, no more seedling carpets and no You can help if you see myrtle rust this Dead trees were first observed this a particularly susceptible genus, these possibility of recruitment. summer, by not touching it, and taking spring by Graeme Atkins, a biodiversity seedling carpets were the first to die off. Ramarama may disappear from the photos to upload to citizen science app ranger who has worked for the Then, infection started preventing local environment. iNaturalist.nz. Department of Conservation for 26 years. mature trees from producing flowers and “The wider ecological effects of this are For more information about the disease Mr Atkins found infected plants in the seeds. unknown,” says Roanne Sutherland. go to www.myrtlerust.org.nz Get your Gisborne Herald • Gisborne woman Anna Dolan talks to the Guide about her two poems that were home-delivered accepted for the recently published anthology, Somewhere a cleaner, a celebration of those in an essential service. • When it comes to Labretta Suede and The Motel 6 we’re lost for words and at the Herald we’re a big fan of words. Only two apply right now – buckle up. • Tis the season of festivities . and festivals, which we can do in New Zealand. Rori White tells us about the upcoming heat wave of the Smash Summer Sesh 8. TOMORROW PLUS: MUSIC GUIDE • FILM REVIEWS • GUIDE GOSSIP The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, December 9, 2020 NEWS 3 18-month HONOURING C COMPANY: Campaign medal timeline to researcher David Stone (rear, left) and Warrant strengthen Officer Aaron Morrison, with NZDF personnel archives and Wharf 7 medals staff members Geoff Fox (front left) FROM PAGE 1 and Christina “The final design details and costings Kotuhi are of Wharf 7 are currently being worked ready to help through,” Mr Gaddum said. descendants “It’s expected that contract negotiations of C Company will be completed in the new year, and veterans register awarded once final board and shareholder to receive approval is received. Construction is unclaimed planned to begin in the second quarter, campaign after the squash and kiwifruit season. medals. “Contractors will demolish and then Picture by rebuild Wharf 7 so it has the strength to Paul Rickard allow mobile harbour cranes to operate on it, and provide a stronger, more resilient lifeline asset for Tairawhiti. Construction is expected to take approximately 18 Ensuring old soldiers not forgotten months.” Mr Gaddum said the port team would work closely with its customers, other port by Wynsley Wrigley previously received their campaign medals. Aotearoa.” users and the community to make sure He has researched and identified about 125 Mr Stone said one family would be receiving they remained updated. THE last surviving Maori Battalion soldier deceased soldiers who could be honoured at nine campaign medals, but the average was ‘We’re aiming to minimise the impacts Robert (Bom) Gillies says he will be in the ceremony. four per soldier. He said some were career of the construction work as much as Gisborne in March when descendants of “We have a venue and a date, it’s cool,” Mr soldiers who went on to serve with J Force possible.” C Company veterans are presented with Stone said.