Category: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

“Contactless payments via debit or credit card on Route 29 will be part of the national testing of the system. Customers using the Greater Christchurch Metro network can continue to use their Metrocards until the new Motu Move ticketing system is fully rolled out here next year.

“Having contactless payments on this route will bring the benefit of an additional way to pay for visitors and residents travelling to and from the airport.”

Motu Move to roll out in 2025

Motu Move’s launch, in Timaru and Temuka, will follow in early 2025, with delivery in Greater Christchurch starting after this.

Giles says a smooth transition to Motu Move is the key reason for having the Route 29 pilot, and then a phased implementation of the solution.

“It’s vital that we do this right so our customers have a great experience with the new system from day one.

“Our priority is to make sure Cantabrians are supported in the change to Motu Move and that it gives customers an experience that’ll make travel by bus and ferry easier. Adding a pilot of contactless payments first and waiting just a little longer to start the roll out in Timaru and Temuka, and then Christchurch will help ensure that happens.”

More information about the specific dates and details for the Motu Move national ticketing rollout in Canterbury will be finalised in the next few months. See information about the rollout dates for other regions on the NZTA website.

Starting at the top of Scamander Stream, we’re targeting the problematic willows with proven techniques like the “drill and fill” method. This involves drilling downward sloping holes around the trunk of the tree and filling them with a weed control solution.

To tackle regenerating and immature willows, we use the “frilling” technique by cutting notches around the base of the tree and applying herbicide gel/paste to the cut area.

Working from the top of the waterway means a better chance of preventing any further encroachment of the willow via fragments traveling downstream.

“Scamander Wetland is a great opportunity to take a proactive approach to conservation,” says Ewan Bakker, Biodiversity Advisor.

“We have a wetland ecosystem here that’s largely intact with huge ecological, cultural and aesthetic values but with a burgeoning issue of invasive woody weeds. 

“By getting control work in there early, we’re preventing invasive crack willow from dominating and outcompeting native species and thus significantly impacting the health of the wetland.”

Preserving a wetland environment

Wetlands are internationally recognised as some of Earth’s most biodiverse environments.

In Aotearoa, our wetlands support the greatest concentration of wildlife out of any other habitat in the country.

Connected to our region’s lakes, streams, rivers, and estuaries, wetlands perform many valuable functions and are crucial to the health of our environment. Acting like a natural aquatic filtration system, wetlands clean the water that flows into them. They screen out nasty contaminants, add oxygen to our freshwater, remove excess nutrients, trap sediment and soils and return nitrogen to the atmosphere.

Wetlands are also considered taonga by mana whenua as they provide habitat for a variety of indigenous plants, fish, animals, and freshwater invertebrates.

Scamander is a largely healthy and thriving wetland ecosystem that supports a diverse array of native bird and aquatic animals, including the nationally vulnerable Australian crested grebe/pūtekeke, critically threatened Australasian bittern/matuku-hūrerpo, the eel/tuna and various species small freshwater fish.

However, like all wetland environments, invasive pest plants pose a serious risk to this habitat.

“Weed control is a long-term game and it requires continued efforts to maintain the gains we’ve made in this catchment, but it’s been encouraging to see what can be achieved when we take a proactive approach to protecting biodiversity,” says Bakker.

Wetland management is an important part of the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan.

“In Aotearoa, we could be facing the same situation. Losing these taonga species is not something we’re willing to accept.

“We’re extremely grateful for the commitment of Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) and Christchurch City Council for their support and for considering unique and innovative solutions to crucial issues.”

History of success in iwi-led innovation

Civil engineering innovation is no stranger to Wairewa, with the Rūnanga already investing significantly in the development of an outlet canal, bridge and groyne as a more effective method of lake-level management and to prevent widescale flooding.

Compared to the traditional method of a direct cut opening the lake to the ocean, the infrastructure enables control over the lake levels and prevents saltwater from entering the lake when it is open, mitigating issues like algal blooms.

Since it was put in place 15 years ago, water quality continues to track in a positive direction. Cyno-toxic algal blooms have decreased by 99.6 per cent and macrophyte beds (aquatic plants) are flourishing, providing habitat, oxygen and food sources for fish, invertebrates and wildlife.

“We’re always trying to be on the front of the waka in terms of our lake knowledge,” Robin said. “We believe Te Roto o Wairewa is the only low-land lake in the country that has been able to reverse this level of decline.”

Funding support available for fish passage initiatives

The Fish Habitat Fund is an initiative to address site-specific issues that threaten native fish populations and provide financial support towards remediating these issues. Up to $100,000 per year is available for projects that support general fish passage, any threatened/at risk freshwater fish species, increasing resilience of native fish strongholds in the face of climate change.

Find out more about managing instream structures on your land. 

Supported by the Ashburton Water Zone Committee, the Riverbridge Native Species Trust has recently launched a 12-month project to enhance and develop the QEII covenanted protected wetland, located on the south branch of the Hakatere Ashburton River, near Westerfield.

The Riverbridge wetland acts like a sponge, storing, filtering and releasing water slowly back into the surrounding land.

It is home to native and indigenous wildlife including the kōwaro (Canterbury mudfish), tuna (long-fin eel), koura (freshwater crayfish), tūturiwhatu (banded dotterel), brown teal, marsh crake, Australasian bittern, royal spoon bills and several waterfowl species.

The additional planting, weed and predator control will ensure that habitat within the wetland is protected and enhanced.

Over 36 species of birdlife have been recorded at Riverbridge (Riverbridge, Ashburton District County, CAN, NZ – eBird Hotspot).

Riverbridge has rich ecosystems that are thriving as the wetland matures. The enduring impact of this project reaches beyond its intrinsic biodiversity values, and out to the community.

Educational outreach and habitat restoration

Part of that outreach includes encouraging local schools and community groups previously hosting Hampstead Primary School in 2023 to help both students and staff better understand biodiversity values.

“We had a series of Tamariki through recently (approx. 250), and it’s a great opportunity for them to have a look at a wetland environment on the Canterbury Plains – (which is) quite rare for Mid Canterbury,” Ben added.

“They get to see what can be done to build those biodiversity values and what needs to be done to help return the land to a wetland environment.”

Eco-sourced native trees will be procured and planted. These will primarily be Pittosporum Tenufolium, Ribbonwood, Kahikatea and Kanuka, but may include other varieties. The ground will be prepared by deep ripping and spraying before planting. Eco-sourced native plants provide habitat for native bird species that visit the wetland.

The enhancement of the existing wetland will occur over 12 months, with initial work expected to be completed by April 2025.

Please note, that all site visits and tours must be pre-arranged with the Trust.

Project funding

If you, or your community group, have a project that needs funding, visit

ecan.govt.nz/zonefunding to learn more.

Photo credit: Sam Barrow

A mountain of mahi has helped transform 500 hectares of land that was bought with the help of crowdfunding, into a public conservation park. 

Between October 2020 and May 2021, more than $900,000 was raised to help the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust purchase the block between Christchurch’s two highest peaks – Mt Herbert/Te Ahu Pātiki and Mt Bradley. More than 3,000 individuals and organisations contributed to the purchase.

The land has since been transferred to the Te Ahu Pātiki Charitable Trust, which was set up by the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust in conjunction with its partners; Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke Inc, Orton Bradley Park and Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata. The new Trust’s core purpose is to protect the land, restore native biodiversity, enable non-motorised vehicle access and support mana whenua values.

The park is now protected in perpetuity by a QEII covenant and it’s hoped that in decades, native forest will once again cloak these iconic hills. 

A taonga/treasure

Te Ahu Pātiki (which is also the project name) is wāhi taonga, a place of importance and ancestral significance to mana whenua – both Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke and Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata.

The Trust’s co-chair, Roy Tikao (Ngāti Wheke), says the project aligns perfectly with key taiao pou within each Rūnanga.

“It’s about ensuring that the natural environment is maintained and enhanced, guided by our values of mahinga kai, ki uta ki tai – from mountains to sea, the umbilical cord between Papatūānuku/the land, and Tangaroa/the sea.”

Weed control is a key priority

Project execution and achievements

The project focused on more than 400 individual repair jobs across the region, including repairs to more than 5kms of stopbanks and planting more than 60,000 native and exotic trees.

“In many cases, we were using existing vegetation that was still standing or that had washed out in the flood. We were able to drag it back in while it was still alive and replant it, turning a liability into an asset.

“The other big part of work was erosion and scour protection. In some of the more constrained areas, such as through Geraldine township, we used rock protection to protect riverbanks from erosion.”

While the project is complete, some sites remain vulnerable and continue to be monitored closely particularly while new vegetation becomes established. Recent flood events have tested these areas, providing valuable information for ongoing improvements.

Community impact and future preparedness

Councillor Ian Mackenzie, lead for Community Preparedness and Response to Hazards, said completion of the project marks a significant milestone in building future resilience for the safety of our communities.

“This achievement not only protects our residents but also ensures the long-term sustainability of our infrastructure. We’re proud of the collaborative effort that has gone into this project and remain committed to serving our communities by continually improving our preparedness for environmental challenges.”

Mark Faichnie, area supervisor – central, worked on the project from emergency response flood patrol to the reinstating of damaged sites across Ashburton. “It was an amazing sense of achievement, to have delivered all that work. I hope it provides landowners and farmers some security and reassurance.”

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) co-funded approximately $8.3 million of the total cost of $22.6 million, through a one-off emergency fund.