Lower Waitaki Zone Committee meeting

The Lower Waitaki - South Coastal Canterbury Zone Committee will meet in Waimate this Thursday, 15 March.

At the meeting the committee will discuss the process for appointing a new member following the resignation of a member last year. Expressions of interest to join the committee are open from 12-30 March 2012 and can be submitted via www.ecan.govt.nz/canterburywater .

The committee will also look to appoint a current member to the Immediate Steps biodiversity panel to consider applications for funding. The panel will include local biodiversity officer(s) and R?nanga representative(s).

The Immediate Steps biodiversity programme aims to protect and restore freshwater biodiversity and water-use affected terrestrial biodiversity in Canterbury. The fund provides the Lower Waitaki committee with $100,000 per year, over five years, to allocate to on the ground initiatives that contribute to achieving the goals and objectives of the programme.

The committee will finish Thursday’s meeting by receiving presentations on the Regional Land and Water Plan, Waihao Flow and Allocation Process, before discussing how the Ocean Cycleway project can link with biodiversity projects.

At last months zone committee meeting the committee finalised its water management Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP). The ZIP provides around 50 recommendations to councils and other stakeholders to provide future generations with the greatest environmental, cultural, social and economic benefits from the region’s water.

Once endorsed by councils, ZIPs form the basis for the design and realignment of council work and planning programmes for freshwater. The Lower Waitaki Zone Committee plans to present its ZIP to councils later this month.

The Lower Waitaki-South Coastal Canterbury Zone Committee operates as a joint committee of Environment Canterbury and the Waimate and Waitaki District Councils. The zone extends from the Otaio catchment in the north, to the Waitaki Dam in the south, taking in Waimate, Kurow and Duntroon.

Meeting details

Lower Waitaki Zone Committee Meeting 3pm, Thursday 15 March, 2012 Council Chambers, Waimate District Council, 125 Queen Street, Waimate

For a copy of the original agenda follow the link below: http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/Council/cw-lower-waitaki-agenda-150312.pdf