Have a look at this Stuff, Nelson Mail article about the 2024 bird survey around Waimea Inlet.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350244563/fernbirds-return-good-sign-inlet-conservation
Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council have adopted the new Waimea Inlet Strategy and Action Plan
The Waimea Inlet is the largest semi-enclosed coastal inlet in the South Island and has international and national importance as a site for migratory birds. It lies within both Tasman and Nelson regions.
The Waimea Inlet Management Strategy was developed in 2010 to coordinate a cross-regional approach for the care of the Inlet. In 2019, an Action Plan was written to give effect to the Strategy.
The Strategy and the Action Plan have now been reviewed and updated, combining them into one document.
The new Strategy and Action Plan was adopted by Tasman District Council on 24 August 2023 and by Nelson City Council on 7 March 2024.
You can read it here.
Implementation is overseen by the Waimea Inlet Coordination Group, which was first established in mid-2017. Current members of the Group include representatives from both Councils, the Department of Conservation, Waimea Inlet Forum, Tasman Environmental Trust, and Te Tauihu iwi.
You may be able to watch a recording of the Nelson City Council meeting which adopted the Strategy here: https://www.youtube.com/live/1RpyUmLMRZw?feature=shared&t=3923. The discussion and resolution lasts just under 30 minutes.
Many thanks to all who joined our Community Planting Days on the Waimea Inlet in 2023
Many thanks to all of you who have been busy planting this winter. 13,000 plants were added to sites around the Inlet. This brings the grand total to 165,000 since 2014. This achievement is only possible because of the involvement of a lot of people – the community volunteers, school students, organisations, businesses, contractors, bakers, council staff and our generous funders. Thank you to every one of you.
If you would like to help with weeding and maintenance of the plantings over the summer, or to receive our weekly emails about planting days coming up through future seasons, please email bandedrail@gmail.com or give Kathryn a call on 544 4537.
Battle for the Banded Rail is a project working with local communities to increase the number of banded rail and other estuarine birds on the margins of the Waimea Inlet by restoring habitat and trapping predators.
Contact: Kathryn Brownlie
Email: bandedrail@gmail.com
Phone: 03 544 4537
www.tet.org.nz
What about rising sea levels?
Tasman District Council have at last started on planning the district’s response to future sea level rise.
Their attention will inevitably be focused on the effects of sea level rise on the people of the District. However, their increasing commitment to sustainability and environmental protection means that they are also likely to listen to and act on our concerns about the future health of the Inlet.
The Waimea Inlet Strategy says we will develop “a strategic response to maintain natural functions of the inlet and representative habitats, under changing conditions of sea level”.
So we have responded to the Council, explaining how the productive salt marsh and coastal margin vegetation can be given room to migrate inland as the sea level slowly rises.
Richmond Catchment Management Plan
Illustration in the Richmond Catchment Management Plan
After many years of preparation, Tasman District Council (TDC) has adopted a holistic approach to managing stormwater in Richmond.
It aims to improve flood resilience as well as protect our waterways and the environment. Since all of the town’s waterways flow into the Inlet, the quality of the flows directly affect it.
The Council asked to Waimea Inlet Forum to provide feedback to the draft plans. We responded with a submission. You can read it here
The final documents adopted by the Council take the form of an Urban Stormwater Strategy and a Richmond Catchment Management Plan, along with supporting documentation. A district-wide urban stormwater discharge consent application will be publicly notified later.
Full details of the final Strategy and Plan are on the TDC website:
Urban Stormwater Strategy
https://www.tasman.govt.nz/my-council/key-documents/more/environment-reserves-and-open-space/urban-stormwater-strategy/
Richmond Catchment Management Plan
https://www.tasman.govt.nz/my-council/key-documents/more/environment-reserves-and-open-space/urban-stormwater-strategy/richmond-catchment-management-plan/
The proposed water contamination risk objectives are:
A background report identifying existing stormwater quality and contamination risks was written in 2010. It gives a lot of detail about the quality of the various streams and drains entering the Inlet and is worth reading.
See the video about the Battle for the Banded Rail
The Battle for the Banded Rail is focused on restoring birdlife to Waimea Estuary in Nelson. It’s built on thousands of hours of volunteer work. In 2017 over 250 volunteers contributed more than 1,500 hours of time – checking trap lines, planting, weeding and more…
Tracey Murray and Kathryn Brownlie were recently interviewed about the achievements by Predator Free NZ.
Check out the video and you’ll see how the enthusiasm of volunteers is making a big difference around the shores of the Inlet.
Waimea Inlet Forum 