Mangroves
The Mangrove Chronicle
However viewed, as good or bad, mangroves have continued their relentless expansion into the bays and waterways of Whangamata Habour.
A Resource Consent application to remove 38 hectares of mangroves was heard publicly in Whangamata over 3 days from 17/10/2011. The outcome resulted in a drastically reduced approval of an area of just 22.5 hectares. Effectively this approval covers the tidy up of 6.5 hectares of previously removed mangroves alongside the causeway and Patiki Bay leaving just 16.07 hectares for actual removal.
Whangamata Ratepayers Association views with great concern the outcome of this application and the staggering costs which ratepayers are expected to fund, for a pitiful result. Final costs for the resource consent are not yet known but Waikato Regional Council's indicative figure is $550,000. If this proves to be the case, each hectare of mangroves yet to be removed, will have a consent/administrative cost of $34,375 before any actual clearance takes place. The clearance and maintenance costs are also expected to be $550,000. Forest and Bird have appealed the Commissioners' decision, and if it goes to the Environment Court, cost will further increase by $200,000 to $300,000.
Members of the public, be they property owners, residents, visitors or holiday makers should be extremely concerned at the bureaucratic delays, costs and lack of positive action which has allowed mangroves to take over 24.5% off our harbour, in such a relatively short time.
The following timeline illustrates the problem.
Background
Whangamata Harbour comprises 410 hectares of intertidal sand/mudflats and channels of which 101 hectares are now established mangroves. Forestry, farming, other land use plus storm events have increased erosion in the surrounding hills and mangroves have moved in and trapped the sediments. Better land use must be undertaken or mangroves will continue to increase. Clearance is needed to reopen channels and flood ways, otherwise the sandy area s we now enjoy will become mud.
1944 Aerial photographs show a white sandy clear harbour with very small areas of mangroves bordering salt-marsh areas at the top of the Harbour.
1955 Small areas of mangroves evident in some bays but Harbour still pristine.
1970 Mangroves moving seaward and now occupying parts of the Mana and estuary.
1985 Mangroves previously confined to areas in bays now linking together.
1995 Continuous mangrove margins now evident in many areas of the Harbour.
1997 Local residents are concerned with the rapid expansion of the mangroves. The Harbour Care Group is formed and later incorporated, to see what could be done.
2001 Consent to remove a small area of mangroves in Patiki Bay is approved by the Environment Court on a trial basis.
2005 Whangamata residents request Waikato Regional Council to manage the spread of mangroves. The Council prepares a draft Whangamata Harbour Plan.
2006 The Environment Court authorizes a consent to remove seedlings from Whangamata and Otahu areas.
2007 (& 2005) Frustrated by the lack of action some residents clear an area of mangroves adjacent to the causeway. Other small areas receive similar attention.
2009 At a Waikato Regional Council meeting a minute decision approved, subject to application, for up to 75% of mangroves to be removed from Whangamata Harbour.
2010 Consented seedling removal by local volunteers is partly holding the mangrove line but mature plants are producing huge numbers of viable seed and the Harbour infill is continuing. Evidence of this seedling dispersal can be seen all along the Whangamata ocean beach at the moment.
2011 A mere 16 hectares of existing mangroves is approved by Resource Consent for removal. Whatever has happened to Waikato Regional Council 2009 proposals?
2012 As stated above, the Waikato Regional Council advise that the total cost to date including removal, disposal, consent and maintenance costs is $1,100,000. Environment Court Costs would add $200,000 to $300,000 to the $1,100,000, making a total of $1,300,000 to $1,400,000. The whole process is out of control, and "farcical" is much too kind a word to use, especially when the Waikato Regional Council's original Budget was a mere $309,000.
Footnote - Whangamata Ratepayers Association intends going to Central Government over the huge costs to Ratepayers to apply for consents. We need your help. Please join our Association.
However viewed, as good or bad, mangroves have continued their relentless expansion into the bays and waterways of Whangamata Habour.
A Resource Consent application to remove 38 hectares of mangroves was heard publicly in Whangamata over 3 days from 17/10/2011. The outcome resulted in a drastically reduced approval of an area of just 22.5 hectares. Effectively this approval covers the tidy up of 6.5 hectares of previously removed mangroves alongside the causeway and Patiki Bay leaving just 16.07 hectares for actual removal.
Whangamata Ratepayers Association views with great concern the outcome of this application and the staggering costs which ratepayers are expected to fund, for a pitiful result. Final costs for the resource consent are not yet known but Waikato Regional Council's indicative figure is $550,000. If this proves to be the case, each hectare of mangroves yet to be removed, will have a consent/administrative cost of $34,375 before any actual clearance takes place. The clearance and maintenance costs are also expected to be $550,000. Forest and Bird have appealed the Commissioners' decision, and if it goes to the Environment Court, cost will further increase by $200,000 to $300,000.
Members of the public, be they property owners, residents, visitors or holiday makers should be extremely concerned at the bureaucratic delays, costs and lack of positive action which has allowed mangroves to take over 24.5% off our harbour, in such a relatively short time.
The following timeline illustrates the problem.
Background
Whangamata Harbour comprises 410 hectares of intertidal sand/mudflats and channels of which 101 hectares are now established mangroves. Forestry, farming, other land use plus storm events have increased erosion in the surrounding hills and mangroves have moved in and trapped the sediments. Better land use must be undertaken or mangroves will continue to increase. Clearance is needed to reopen channels and flood ways, otherwise the sandy area s we now enjoy will become mud.
1944 Aerial photographs show a white sandy clear harbour with very small areas of mangroves bordering salt-marsh areas at the top of the Harbour.
1955 Small areas of mangroves evident in some bays but Harbour still pristine.
1970 Mangroves moving seaward and now occupying parts of the Mana and estuary.
1985 Mangroves previously confined to areas in bays now linking together.
1995 Continuous mangrove margins now evident in many areas of the Harbour.
1997 Local residents are concerned with the rapid expansion of the mangroves. The Harbour Care Group is formed and later incorporated, to see what could be done.
2001 Consent to remove a small area of mangroves in Patiki Bay is approved by the Environment Court on a trial basis.
2005 Whangamata residents request Waikato Regional Council to manage the spread of mangroves. The Council prepares a draft Whangamata Harbour Plan.
2006 The Environment Court authorizes a consent to remove seedlings from Whangamata and Otahu areas.
2007 (& 2005) Frustrated by the lack of action some residents clear an area of mangroves adjacent to the causeway. Other small areas receive similar attention.
2009 At a Waikato Regional Council meeting a minute decision approved, subject to application, for up to 75% of mangroves to be removed from Whangamata Harbour.
2010 Consented seedling removal by local volunteers is partly holding the mangrove line but mature plants are producing huge numbers of viable seed and the Harbour infill is continuing. Evidence of this seedling dispersal can be seen all along the Whangamata ocean beach at the moment.
2011 A mere 16 hectares of existing mangroves is approved by Resource Consent for removal. Whatever has happened to Waikato Regional Council 2009 proposals?
2012 As stated above, the Waikato Regional Council advise that the total cost to date including removal, disposal, consent and maintenance costs is $1,100,000. Environment Court Costs would add $200,000 to $300,000 to the $1,100,000, making a total of $1,300,000 to $1,400,000. The whole process is out of control, and "farcical" is much too kind a word to use, especially when the Waikato Regional Council's original Budget was a mere $309,000.
Footnote - Whangamata Ratepayers Association intends going to Central Government over the huge costs to Ratepayers to apply for consents. We need your help. Please join our Association.
