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Well Managed Crack Willows Needed for River Stability

Environment Southland’s programme to manage willows along Southland’s waterways is based on the need to maintain stable river channels, but also takes environmental factors into account and has been developed after consultation with a range of interest groups, including anglers.

Although the National Pest Plan Accord identifies crack willow as a pest plant, Environment Southland has an exemption from the accord, which enables it to maintain the existing willows because of their suitability for maintaining bank stability when their tendency to spread is managed. Whenever possible alternative species are planted, but in some places crack willows are the only practicable option, hence the exemption.

Environmental Management Director Warren Tuckey said most people were happy with the way the willows were being managed and that the Lower Mararoa River restoration project was a good example of the benefits of good river management. “We cleared a weed and willow-choked waterway and turned it into wonderful amenity that opened up access to huge areas of the river that had been completely blocked off,” he said

Mr Tuckey said Environment Southland also consulted widely on its river management programmes.

Fish and Game Southland General Manager Maurice Rodway said he empathised with anglers because the trees provide many advantages like shelter and food for fish. “Fish and Game supported willow management that was needed to reduce erosion and the adverse effects of floods. We also support the need to retain them for the many positive features they provide, including trout and wildlife habitat. So a balance is needed and generally we believe that Environment Southland achieves this,” Mr Rodway said.

ENDS

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Arguably Reassuring: Inspector-General Finds GCSB "Arguably" Legal

Of the 88 individuals:

• 15 cases involving 22 individuals did not have any information intercepted by GCSB.

• another four cases involving five individuals were the subjects of a New Zealand Security Intelligence Service warrant and the GCSB assisted in the execution of the warrants. The Inspector-General is of the view that there were arguably no breaches and the law is unclear.

• the Bureau only provided technical assistance which did not involve interception of communications, involving three of the individuals, so no breach occurred.

• the remaining cases involved the collection of metadata, and the Inspector-General formed the view that there had arguably been no breach, noting once again that the law is unclear.
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