Waimakariri

Tūhaitara Coastal Park covers approximately 800ha of land along the coastline from the Waimakariri River mouth to the settlement of Waikuku Beach. Stretching along the coast for 10.5 kilometres, it comprises many natural features of local, regional and national importance and was established as an outcome of the Ngāi Tahu Settlement with the Crown, with the lands being gifted to the people of New Zealand.

The area is predominantly plantation pine forest and sand dunes. However, the park includes areas of national and regional significance including the Tūtaepatu Lagoon, Taranaki Stream and Saltwater Creek freshwater coastal system, and The Pines Wetland.

The Tūhaitara Coastal Park provides a range of opportunities to preserve Ngāi Tahu values, retain and enhance rare indigenous biodiversity and provide recreational and educational opportunities for all people. The area is rich in history, and residents of the original Kaiapoi Pā and, more recently, members of the Tūahuriri Rūnanga, have had a close relationship with the landscape.

Tūtaepatu Lagoon was once a rich and important source of mahinga kai, and the area surrounding the lagoon contains the urupa for Turakautahi, who was the founder of Kaiapoi Pā.

There is also a significant forestry block in the coastal areas between Kairaki and Waikuku. During their growth phase the trees work hard turning carbon dioxide into oxygen, protecting the dune system in Pegasus Bay and providing shelter from Waitaha/Canterbury’s famous Nor’wester.

The coastal park is an excellent example of what can be achieved when restoration and conservation measures are taken seriously. Waterways such as wetlands and swamps are critical to survival of species and it’s fortunate that Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and other stakeholders in this project have recognised the area’s value for generations to come.

Kerbside waste, recycling and greenwaste bins were introduced in Waimakariri in 2019 so that the community can play a part in reducing the harmful effect of waste and improving the efficiency of resources. Residents are encouraged to recycle as much as possible, which in turn means less household waste is sent to landfill. Recycling also reduces the amount of energy it takes to produce items that would otherwise be made using new raw materials, and in doing so reduces our reliance on generating these materials from fossil fuels – all of which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Waste disposal, diversion and recycling services are also available at transfer stations in Oxford and Southbrook.

The Waimakariri District Council has tracked its greenhouse gas emissions since 2017 to better understand its emission profile and make positive changes. The major contributors to council emissions are wastewater, electricity consumption and vehicle travel.

Its Corporate Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan (PDF, 1.21KB) focuses on a sustainability culture, educating staff on making more informed choices, mitigating emissions, reducing air travel and lowering the amount of waste created.

Waimakariri District is geographically diverse, reaching from the mountain ranges to the ocean. Because of this, the District is susceptible to several possible natural hazards including flooding, erosion in coastal areas, earthquakes and liquefaction.

Waimakariri District Council’s natural hazard planning provisions include objectives, policies and rules to help manage risk and uncertainty. The District Plan provides the rules for how people can build on or develop land, whether it is residential, commercial or rural. It’s essentially the planning rulebook for building and development in the District, so that people are well informed and can protect their assets from changes happening in our environment.

Waimakariri has more than 300 sports grounds, playgrounds and reserves. These provide active spaces for community members to get together, play a favourite sport or just spend time in the great outdoors, all while green spaces are working to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Matawai Park in Rangiora, for example, has had more that 25,000 trees planted over its four hectares. It is laid out to reflect the native vegetation of Waitaha/Canterbury, with hill country, plains and swamp vegetation all represented. It's also a great place to have a picnic and explore with your family.

In 2022/23, the Council is planting 25,000 trees to sequester carbon and is investigating other opportunities for carbon sequestration on Council-owned land.

Healthy ecosystems will better withstand climate stress, while forests and wetlands are carbon sinks – natural systems that help to suck up and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Environment Canterbury provides funding so communities can plant trees and take action to restore waterways, protect habitats and wetlands.

The importance of water and looking after our waterways was highlighted when hundreds of native tuna/eels, some up to 60 years old, were rescued from Whites Pit near Ohoka.

One way we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions – a key contributor to climate change – is to use public, electric and active transport. Here are the ways Waimakariri is supporting more sustainable transport options:

• Environment Canterbury provides public transport services for Greater Christchurch, with buses providing regular, convenient trips into Christchurch city. The region is transitioning to a zero-emissions fleet by introducing low-emission and electric buses to the fleet. In the first year of use (2021) it's expected the move will reduce CO2 by 14 per cent.
• Waimakariri District Council supplies Park & Ride sites in Rangiora and Kaiapoi to provide free parking for residents who wish to bus or carpool, as well as places to keep your cycles safe. The Council is also prioritising investment in cycling infrastructure between its main towns, integrating walking and cycling into public transport planning, and ensuring new subdivisions include walking and cycling areas.
• Recreational and commuter cycling and walking are supported by investment in infrastructure, with a number of commuter and recreational paths already dotted around the District. For example, construction of a safe route between Waimakariri and Belfast has made it easier for people on bikes to commute and connect to and from Christchurch.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers are popping up in public car parks across Waimakariri after the Waimakariri District Council signed an initial agreement with Meridian to support the installation of EV chargers in Rangiora. Council committed to supporting the uptake of EVs in the District by making space available for charging infrastructure in Council-owned car parks, working with Meridian who have extensive experience with EVs and associated infrastructure.
• The Greater Christchurch partnership is looking at how the city needs to evolve. Greater Christchurch 2050 will describe the kind of place we all want for our future generations, and the actions needed over the next 30 years to make it happen. This work will culminate in a plan that is achievable for our region. This includes investigating mass rapid transport options.

While climate change projections show that overall it will be drier in Waimakariri with less annual rainfall, the frequency and severity of storms are expected to increase meaning flooding is a key impact the district needs to prepare for.

Environment Canterbury manages flood protection and controls work for the region. The region's largest scheme, the Waimakariri-Eyre-Cust Scheme, provides flood protection from the Waimakariri River to the Greater Christchurch area. Without it, a catastrophic flood could cause an estimated $12 billion in damage.

Thanks to a climate resilience grant, Environment Canterbury is able to fast-track further flood protection for Kaiapoi and remove vegetation choking the Ashley-Rakahuri and Okuku rivers which will help prevent flooding.

The results of Waimakariri District Council’s 2019 Community Survey showed over 70 per cent of respondents were either concerned or very concerned about climate change. Residents also asked us to show leadership by prioritising climate change.

In late 2019, we adopted a Climate Change Policy to ensure we're able to respond to climate change challenges appropriately. Following this, in 2022 we adopted a Climate Change Scenario Technical Report. The report, prepared by NIWA, will inform our climate change response in the Waimakariri District.

The NIWA report provides us with a broader picture of the predicted effects of climate change at a district level. This will provide crucial information for future strategies and plans around climate change.

As well as this, we are currently refreshing our climate change forward work programme. This includes carrying out a risk assessment to see what land and infrastructure is most at risk and working with the community to identify options for reducing this risk. This will form the basis of a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. We will be calculating an emissions profile for the District, developing our own emissions reduction plan and encouraging residents, businesses and communities within the District to come on this journey with us.