MEDIA RELEASE

November 15, 2011

Environment Canterbury welcomes Land & Water Forum Report

Environment Canterbury has welcomed the recommendations in the third and final report from the Land and Water Forum, which has been released in Parliament (November 15, 2012).

“Environment Canterbury has been closely involved in the work of the Land and Water Forum over the past three years, and we have worked alongside the many organisations involved in the development of the latest report,” said David Caygill, Environment Canterbury’s Commissioner with responsibility for water.

“The report reflects the national consensus on how to reform water regulation and practice in New Zealand. It further defines and highlights the importance of the role regional councils have in managing freshwater.

“We will now consider the recommendations in the third report and are looking forward to working with the Government on how to implement them.

“We are fortunate in Canterbury as the collaborative approach to decision-making recommended in the latest report closely aligns with the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.

“The Strategy – which was launched in 2009 following years of community and stakeholder discussions – puts decisions on water management into the hands of local communities.

“In Canterbury we have also notified a proposed Land and Water Regional Plan – to replace the existing Natural Resources Regional Plan – which provides the framework for the decisions being made by communities as part of the Strategy.

“The proposed Land and Water Regional Plan sets interim limits as well as a collaborative process for communities to agree on how to set and manage nutrient and water limits for specific catchments.”

Setting limits is also a requirement for regional councils under the Government’s National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management.

The Land and Water Forum was set up in 2009 and includes around 60 organisations and five iwi – representing a wide range of viewpoints – with an interest in land-use and water management.

This includes the agri-business sector, Maori interests, environmentalists, power companies, tourism and recreation, community representatives, as well as central, regional and local government and science and research organisations.

“We look forward to the continuing work of the Land and Water Forum and congratulate everyone involved for producing the third and final report which will shape the way we deal with water management issues for decades to come,” said David Caygill.

ends

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