FOM Autumn 2021 News Flash

FOM News flash Autumn 2021

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Boots on for Planting days

As those crisp autumn days return, thoughts turn to planting days, boosted this year by the funding Council has received for Project Mahitahi. The big one for us is on Saturday 29 May 1.30pm – 3.30pm at the Maitai Mahitahi (Groom Creek) Wetland, adjacent to the Maitai Campground.
This event will take place every May for the next three years. It commemorates the contribution that the many different peoples have made to our community over the years, and the stories, experiences, and traditions they bring.
There will be free busses to get people to the site, and food, entertainment and information as well as the plantings. A library display of stories of migration will be set up as a backgrounder.
But wait there’s more…
Watch the Council’s newsletter for info on further Project Mahitahi planting days involving Cawthron and Ngati Koata; for one at Orchard Flats on September 5 where Friends of the Maitai will help residents to plant trees.
FOM has funding from Council for 200 trees to add to our area at Groom Creek and we will plant these on our regular Friday sessions through May and June. The session is 23 April 1 to 3:30pm - if the plant care day is wet, the fortnightly pattern stays the same.

Fresh eyes on water quality
We recently welcomed Nigel Costley to our monitoring team, and he is putting the word out for more volunteers in the Science Society Newsletter.
We now have our new 24/7 multi probe, thanks to a Nelson City Council environment grant, and we’re working with the suppliers to sort out a few teething problems and find the right spot to site the football-sized probe. Steve and Tom have made a couple of reconnaissance trips up river during recent rain events to try and establish where the sediment in the river is coming from but unfortunately missed the peak flows so were unsuccessful in establishing the source.

Forestry Update
The forestry team continues to work hard on lobbying the Council on the impact of sediment from harvest and on the Council’s flawed valuation of their forest ‘asset’ which does not take any account of the cost of environmental impacts.
Unfortunately we had a rather disappointing response to our recent submission to the NCC forestry subcommittee - basically no response, not even a question after we had spoken at the meeting. We are drafting a letter to the Mayor with follow-up questions and have also raised these issues in our Long Term Plan submission.
We had a good outing with Tasman Pine Ltd and their Environmental Forester showed us their Stream Health Monitoring Assessment Kit test in action at Sharland Creek. However we are still not confident that the forest companies and Nelson Council have adequate procedures in place to determine how much sediment is entering the streams and rivers around clear-felled forest areas.

That subdivision!
The plan change required for the proposed Bayview Maitahi subdivision is to be lodged with Council this month. Our focus is on the impact on the river and environs and we included this concern in our Long Term Plan submission; renewing our call for detailed impact reports of the development on:

traffic and roading infrastructure
the recreational amenity of the Maitai Valley, the river and on Dennes Hole in particular
the ability of local schools to cope with roll growth, and other social impacts.

Save the Maitai has a very good website that answers questions such meeting future housing needs elsewhere in the city https://www.savethemaitai.nz

Remembering Pat Morrisey
We were sad to hear the news of the death of our long-time supporter Pat Morrisey. Pat had generously made a monthly financial contribution ever since FOM was set up in 2014, which has been a great help in meeting costs such as water monitoring chemicals, gardening tools etc. We planted a tree in tribute to Pat some time ago, near the whitebait spawning area on the lower Maitai, and we extend our sympathy to Pat’s friends and family.

Have your say

Council is now in the process of setting its budget for the next 10 years. The Long Term Plan includes sections on Council’s debt to rates ratio, biodiversity, housing, the new library precinct and climate change. To read what’s planned in the draft and to have your say and make a short submission before April 21.

https://shape.nelson.govt.nz/long-term-plan-2021-2031

Friends of the Maitai’s ongoing costs are low, but we always welcome donations and would love to hear from any supporters who feel they could make a regular contribution. one coffee a week costs $16 a month - just to put it in a day-to-day context.
Our kiwi bank account is: 38-9016-0313862-00

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*| Autumn 2021 News Flash|*

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Friends of the Maitai · Maitai Valley · Nelson, Nelson 7010 · New Zealand