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Fare trial influences bus patronage bounce-back to pre-COVID levels Five months into a two-year trial of simple, flat fares, Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) believes the initiative is driving public transport patronage above pre-COVID levels. Source link
New study sheds light on sea-level rise in Christchurch A recent study of vertical land movement has shed new light on the extent and speed of sea-level rise happening in parts of Christchurch. The study, completed earlier this year by GNS Science, has shown that sea-level rise in some parts of the district could happen…
Pets on buses up for public discussion The Transport, Urban Development and Air Quality Committee (TUDAQ) of Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) has supported a notice of motion to include a policy on ‘Pets on buses’ in its draft Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP). The RPTP is a legislative document that sets out our objectives…
Get ready for new dam safety regulations If you own a property with a dam, you should start thinking about the new dam safety regulations that come into force on 13 May 2024. The new regulations provide a nationally consistent approach to dam safety, ensuring dams are well-operated, maintained and monitored. They’re designed to reduce…
From our Chair: Business as usual, with important conversations ahead It will take some time before we get any specific detail about how the policy changes signaled by the new Government will impact us here in Canterbury. Source link
A Minute with Marco – December Read Marco’s latest column about safe swimming and boating and the latest biodiversity projects. Kia ora, Another year has flown by, and for many, our thoughts are now turning to the long-awaited holiday period. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be looking forward to swapping shoes for jandals, firing…
Learn how to spot toxic algae in rivers and lakes If you are heading to a river or lake to cool off this summer, check for toxic algae (cyanobacteria) in and around the water. It can cause serious harm to dogs, pets and livestock. Toxic algae occur naturally in waterways, but when the amount increases,…
Environment Canterbury welcomes new study into our water quality challenge Environment Canterbury agrees with a new study that found achieving national bottom lines for contaminants across New Zealand will be a huge challenge. The report released by Our Land and Water, ‘Current state of water contaminants compared to bottom lines‘, found that substantial reductions of…
Preparing for a hot, dry Canterbury summer After experiencing years of easterly winds and wet summers, it’s time to gear up for a return to frequent nor’westers and a hot, dry season. Get ready for the possibility of high temperatures and water scarcity in an El Niño summer. Chances are, we’re in for a scorcher…
Proposal for $10.8 billion investment in Canterbury’s transport system Over the next 10 years, Canterbury councils and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency are proposing to almost double the investment in the region’s land transport systems to increase maintenance, manage risk from natural hazards, reduce emissions, enhance safety, and accelerate key transport projects across the region….
Help our braided river birds rest their wings this breeding season If you are exploring braided rivers this summer stick to well-formed tracks and avoid areas where birds are nesting. Braided rivers in Waitaha/Canterbury, in particular the Ashley River/Rakahuri, are the nesting sites for many rare birds after they have migrated from all over the…
Whakaraupō kura unite for shared sustainability action In the picturesque Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour area, two kura/primary schools have embarked on their annual sustainable community project. Whakaraupō is home to five Enviroschools comprised of three primary schools and two early childhood education centres. We are the coordinating agency for Enviroschools in Waitaha/Canterbury. We currently support over 122…
Council opts not to include Māori constituency The Council has decided not to include a Māori constituency in the next local elections in 2025. “We have previously considered the option of a Māori constituency and felt the best, most appropriate representation was direct representation by mana whenua. “Nothing has changed to alter our view of…
Stay safe on the water this Canterbury Anniversary weekend Whether you’re using a kayak, jet boat, waka ama, yacht, jet ski or stand-up paddleboard (SUP), the key to staying safe in and on the water is knowing the safer boating rules – be it a lake, river or the ocean. With the long weekend coming…
Correcting the record on the Rakaia River We understand our role in maintaining the special character of the Rakaia. It’s something we take seriously. Last Friday we withdrew our application to the Environment Court to clarify our role in upholding the 1988 Rakaia Water Conservation Order (WCO). The original declaration, which was filed in…
Bumper willow planting season protects from flooding Across South Canterbury rivers, close to 50,000 willows have been planted in one of our biggest seasons of pole planting ever undertaken, thanks to operational funding/rates, partner contributions, and central government funding. Poles are young tree stems, older and more robust than seedlings. When mature, these willow trees…
Got questions about water quality in Akaroa Harbour? Come along to our drop-in session to find out the latest on water quality in Akaroa Harbour. Grab a cuppa with water scientists from Environment Canterbury, health officers from Te Whatu Ora and infrastructure staff from Christchurch City Council who will be there to answer your questions…
Partnerships give boost to deliver $2M in environmental projects Thanks to our partnerships with community groups, rūnanga, landowners and other funding providers, we delivered 20 priority environmental projects across the region in 2022/23. These projects covered a wide range of environmental protection and enhancement goals, including protecting native braided river bird habitat in Waiau Toa/Clarence…
Braided river works reduce flood risk and enhance biodiversity Picture this – 1,200 international rugby fields full of exotic weeds. Thanks to central government’s one-off shovel-ready climate resilience funding, we’ve been able to clear weeds from this much land along more than 20 rivers in Waitaha/Canterbury. With our changing climate, the frequency and number of…
Rare braided river birds in Hurunui protected for another season We have awarded a further $50,000 to help fund the work of the Hurunui Waiau Braided River Birds Flagship Programme through its Zone Committee Action Fund. Over the last six years, this collaborative programme has worked to protect braided river bird habitats on the Hurunui…
Awards for champion businesses battling stormwater contamination Five Christchurch businesses can officially add ‘Stormwater Superhero’ to their list of achievements thanks to their heroic efforts to keep waterways clean. This year Cleanco Truck Wash, Oji Fibre Solutions (NZ) Ltd, Resource Recycling Technologies (NZ), IAG NZ Repairhub Ltd, and Red Spur Ltd have taken out the…
Young entrepreneurs wow at awards night A student-led company selling natural, sustainable dog treats won the inaugural Environment Canterbury Regional Excellence Award for Environmental Solutions. The Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) awards night celebrated high school students in Ōtākaro North and Ōtākaro South who had set up their own companies from scratch. There were seven awards…
Transition to cashless payment for buses and ferries Cash is set to be removed as a payment option on the Greater Christchurch Metro Network in 2024. This week, Councillors approved the recommendation as part of the implementation of the National Ticketing Solution (NTS) in the second half of 2024. As part of a network safety…
From our Chair: Plans being put in place for cruise ship passengers Ahead of the first cruise ship for the season docking at Lyttelton Port, I am pleased that ChristchurchNZ is working with the cruise line industry to ensure cruise ship passengers can access Christchurch city directly and affordably with less impact on our existing…
Silly season strandings: don’t get caught out! It’s that time of year, when swarms of Cantabrians take to our rivers and lakes for fishing, swimming, four-wheel driving, camping and exploring. This time of the year is when some summer weather patterns can catch people off guard and leave them stranded as a result of rising…
Summer safety alert: Beware of rising river levels and unpredictable weather It’s that time of year, when swarms of Cantabrians take to our rivers and lakes for fishing, swimming, four-wheel driving, camping and exploring. This time of the year is when some summer weather patterns can catch people off guard and leave them stranded as…
Volunteers sought for trapping project A community trapping project will help protect Ashburton’s precious riverbirds from predators. The programme is being run by us and the Department of Conservation as part of a wider riverbird protection plan. The aim is to recruit up to a dozen local volunteers who will service traps at specific locations…
From our Deputy Chair: A win for biodiversity and endangered species Header image: Kakī/black stilt, photographer: Steve Attwood. After more than 20 years in the making, central government policy has set the direction for how we’re going to protect, and improve outcomes for threatened, endangered and significant species and habitats. Source link
Community lead the charge on pest and weed control The Waiau Toa/Clarence River was at the centre of community discussions regarding biodiversity protection and weed control at a recent community hui. Led by our Kaikōura Water Zone Committee facilitator Jodie Hoggard, our staff, along with environmental agencies, water zone committee members, contractors, and the local…
It’s time to answer some tough questions about our region’s future Cantabrians are being asked to help shape the region’s future by completing our new survey. Our Chair Peter Scott said the survey asked people to rank conflicting priorities around environmental outcomes and goals, as the Council works to update regional plans and policies that…