Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Fish, eels, punts return to cleaner Avon River

Fish, eels, punts return to cleaner Avon River

Associate Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Nicky Wagner today welcomed the completion of more than a year’s worth of cleaning and rehabilitation of the Ōtākaro/Avon River.

“The in-river works, which finished this week, mean fish are flourishing, water is flowing faster and the riverbed is cleaner,” Ms Wagner says.

“The work has also had an immediate tourism benefit, as deepening the riverbed in some areas has allowed Christchurch’s iconic punts to extend their river route and travel upstream even at low water levels during summer.

“The work to improve the health of the waterway and re-establish habitats has been a major feat, with almost 10,000 tonnes of liquefaction sand and silt being removed.

“Crews also cleaned 15,000 square metres of gravel beds, rescued more than 1,500 fish and planted 9,630 plants along a 2.9km stretch of the river.

“Experts tell us they have already seen evidence of increased trout spawning, fish diversity and an improvement with the in-stream habitat at various locations along the river.

“We also have reports that just days after building the specially-created eel boulder holes, scientists found a large long-fin eel had taken up residence in one of them.

“This much healthier river will be an even more beautiful attraction bringing people back to Christchurch to stroll along the promenade and enjoy the vibrancy of the central city,” Ms Wagner says.

The work was conducted as part of Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct, one of the Government’s Anchor Projects. More details can be found here:http://ccdu.govt.nz/projects-and-precincts/te-papa-otakaro-avon-river-precinct.

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.