Environment Canterbury releases Living Streams handbooks

Environment Canterbury has released its ‘Living Streams: A guide to restoring rural waterways’ handbook; a three part series that assists people and groups to improve and maintain the health of the region’s waterways.

There are three parts to the handbook – Investigations and Planning, Improving the Stream Environment, and Planning and Maintenance – providing practical advice from planting and fencing to removing willows or reshaping banks. Each book draws on the knowledge and experience of a wide range of people from community volunteers, landscape architects and nursery owners.

Community involvement is the key to restoring and maintaining the health of the 40 “living streams” throughout the region and Environment Canterbury is collaborating with groups, such as local schools, community organizations and land owners to achieve that goal.

“The Living Streams handbooks provide a wealth of information to those groups and individuals,” said Environment Canterbury resource care manager Phil McGuigan. “They cover the entire process of stream care starting with how to assess the health of a waterway followed by advice on planning a particular course of action, how to obtain resource consents if necessary, and how a project can benefit from being part of the wider community effort.”

Mr McGuigan said the handbooks also provide useful case studies so people can pick up useful tips and learn from the success of others.

“Environment Canterbury staff are available to assist people and groups with any projects aimed at improving stream health,” said Mr McGuigan. “Even those outside of the Living Streams project are encouraged to obtain a copy of the handbook and talk to us about their projects.”

Successful projects undertaken through the Living Streams programme include the restoration of water quality and spawning sites at Harts Creek and Boggy Creek which run into Lake Ellesmere/Te Waihora, the Pahau River in North Canterbury and the enhancement of the Taumatakahu Stream in Temuka. All projects were undertaken in collaboration with local communities and with support from Environment Canterbury.

The handbooks are available free from calling Environment Canterbury’s Customer Services on 03 353 9007 or 0800 32 46 36. There are also separate brochures covering hill country, inland basins and lowland streams.

ENDS

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