Funding for inaka (whitebait) spawning and urban forest to be considered

The Christchurch West Melton zone committee will consider funding five new projects at its first meeting on February 25.

EOS Ecology Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and University of Canterbury installed straw bales along the banks of the Heathcote River and in Lake Kate Sheppard to provide a habitat for inaka spawning.

Inaka is a type of whitebait.

The proposal hopes to reverse the recent decline in spawning activity in the catchment by providing temporary spawning habitats in the form of 204 straw bales in various locations along the waterway.

The group also hopes to identify new spawning sites that can be used in future permanent inaka spawning restoration initiatives.

The group is seeking $49,949 in Immediate Steps funding from the zone committee. The total cost of the project is $268,819.

NIWA is seeking funding to create a small forest at a Kyle Street property in Riccarton. They hope to plant 2000 native plants along the 200m long boundary which comes alongside the rail corridor. An experienced plant ecologist has put together the proposed species list based on what would have originally been on the site, and using Riccarton Bush as a guide. NIWA is seeking $9,400 from the zone committee to purchase the plants and plant guards.

The Avon Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust has requested funding to clear fallen and overgrown willows and purchase 700 plants to go in Thistledown Reserve in Woolston. Earthquake damage to the reserve resulted in a reduction of maintenance and locals began taking it upon themselves to remove trees and plants without supervision. The proposed project intends to give locals the opportunity to work on the reserve with appropriate guidance.

The other projects include a survey of Riccarton Bush and planting natives to control soil erosion in the Cashmere Stream catchment.

The zone committee will also elect its chair and deputy for 2016 at Thursday’s meeting.

For meeting agenda click here

Christchurch West Melton Water Zone Committee Meeting
25 February 2016, 5pm
Fendalton Service Centre
Cnr Jeffereys/Clyde Roads

ENDS

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