Reach high, take on challenges and dig deep to overcome fear. Never let anyone or any experience bring you down.
Tracing the source of a Hagley Park oil discharge and preventing future spills Something’s not quite right in an urban waterway running through Hagley Park. In Addington Brook, Christchurch, a small oil discharge has been found, and we’re asking the local community to check their properties for leaks and report spills that you see. Source…
Our fire team is ready to respond Large or multiple fires can stretch Fire and Emergency volunteer resources – that’s when our very own fire team steps in. From Kainga to the front line Source link
Check it’s all right before you light: plan ahead for stubble burning As summer approaches, many Canterbury farmers are preparing for crop residue burning – commonly called stubble burning. It’s an important part of arable farming, but it comes with responsibilities to help keep our communities safe. Why planning matters Stubble burning helps manage soil…
Be a smart skipper and keep your distance Waitaha Canterbury’s harbours are busy places. Large ships can’t stop quickly, and small boats are hard to see — a dangerous mix that can lead to disaster in seconds. Staying clear of big ships isn’t just good practice. It’s the law, and it could save your life. Why you need to keep clear…
Swimming after rain: what our new water-quality model really shows Recent media coverage has suggested large parts of Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour – and almost a third of Waitaha Canterbury’s monitored swimming spots – are unsafe for swimming following recent rainfall. We want to clarify what our water-quality monitoring is actually telling us, and how people…
A summer of action on Waitaha Canterbury’s rivers – our flood protection projects Flooding is Aotearoa New Zealand’s most frequent natural hazard – and it’s getting worse as our climate changes. Across Waitaha Canterbury, we’ve seen the impact first-hand: homes damaged, roads cut off and communities disrupted. It’s a big challenge, but as your regional…
Resource Management reform – a reality check for Canterbury The next three months will test Canterbury’s governance like nothing we’ve seen in decades. In the past month alone, central government has dropped three new bills, an amendment, multiple changes to national direction instruments, proposed rates caps, and a complete governance restructure on our desk. We’re…
Cleaner air for Waitaha Canterbury: Celebrating our region’s progress towards clear air Thanks to 25 years of regional planning, regulation, and community action, air quality across Waitaha Canterbury has improved dramatically — with high-pollution days dropping from up to 60 a year in some towns to fewer than 10 today. Monitoring across our seven towns…
Summer safety alert: Beware of rising river levels and unpredictable weather Before heading to your favorite Canterbury rivers or lakes this summer, check the weather forecasts and river conditions, especially for rainfall in the Southern Alps. Hot, dry nor-west winds often signal heavy rain in alpine headwaters, which can cause rivers to rise quickly —…
Do your bit to stop rubbish dumping at rivers and beaches this summer As the weather warms up, we’re reminding everyone that Illegal rubbish dumping harms the environment and leaves ratepayers footing the bill, and those caught can face hefty fines. Each summer, we receive reports from concerned locals region-wide about large piles of dumped…
The humble cabbage tree leaf proves a tough competitor at Wrybill Trophy Awards What if the leaves of the humble tī kōuka (cabbage tree) could be used for a greener, more sustainable and profitable future? That’s the question Yiting Su from Breens Intermediate explored in his winning science project at the 2025 Wrybill Trophy Awards…
Tiny pellets, big problem: How Christchurch is fighting plastics in our waterways Unannounced site visits to Ōtautahi Christchurch plastic manufactures have revealed significant improvements in the fight to prevent nurdle pollution — stormwater’s tiny microplastic foe. Nurdles are small plastic pellets used to make most plastic products, typically ranging from 2-5 mm in diameter. When they enter stormwater drains and flow into waterways, nurdles and other microplastics pose significant…
Stay safe while exploring southern lakes this summer The southern lakes of Mackenzie Country are among Waitaha Canterbury’s most popular summer destinations for boating, camping, and recreation. With the community, boaties, and energy companies all sharing these waters – it’s up to all of us to keep safety front of mind. Extra care needed near…
Top tips from a series of South Canterbury farming workshops South Canterbury farmers upskilled on their environmental practices at a series of workshops in Glenavy in October and November. If you missed out – here are the top tips from each workshop. Source link
Delays expected to bus routes 8, 27 and 125 in early January A week of upgrades to the Harewood, Gardiners and Breens Roads intersection will cause delays for Metro’s Routes 8, 27 and 125 from 5pm on Sunday 4 January 2026. The Christchurch City Council-led works include the installation of new traffic signals and upgrades…
Help stop the spread of freshwater pests Whether you’re out fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skiing, or boating on our freshwater lakes and rivers this summer, the threat of freshwater pests spreading and invading is more real than ever. These pests can choke native water plants and destroy spawning areas for the fish that call our…
Love Our Lakes: Protecting Mackenzie and Waitaki waterways as visitor numbers set to climb Stunning lakes, blue skies, and… thousands of visitors! With summer tourism set to boom in Mackenzie and Waitaki, Love Our Lakes is back to remind holidaymakers that we’re all responsible for taking simple steps to keep our iconic lakes healthy and…
Meet the robot protecting our harbours from marine pests Our coastal team can now tackle new areas of Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour for surveying and marine pest control , thanks to Kiwi tech company Boxfish Robotics and Earth Sciences NZ (formerly NIWA). Every year, we undertake biosecurity surveillance at four ports and harbours across Waitaha Canterbury, searching for invasive marine species that can damage Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine biodiversity. One of the biggest threats? Sabella spallanzanii,…
Final Council meeting of the year prompts robust discussions Canterbury Regional Councillors had a full agenda in the final council meeting of 2025 that prompted discussion around committee representatives, allowances, and nitrates on Wednesday 10 December. Councillors were appointed to represent the Canterbury Regional Council on several trusts and community advisory groups during the 2025-28…
Route 7 frequency increase causing increase in patronage too It’s not just the frequency that’s increased on Metro’s Route 7 Halswell to Queenspark service, but also now the patronage. In April the route switched to running every 10 minutes from 5.30am to 6.30pm on weekdays and every 15 minutes outside of those hours, and…
School students take action to protect Te Repo o Papatahora wetland A group of tomorrow’s scientists from Te Rōhutu Whio School in Tauwharekākaho Rolleston visited Te Pā o Moki marae in Southbridge in October to learn about the biodiversity of its surrounding land and help protect it for future generations. Ākonga (students) planted native trees…
‘Marine hotels’: Invertebrate lodgings provide insights into Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour’s health Deep below the surface of Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour are invertebrates offering important clues about the health of the harbour. Earth and marine scientist Dr Joyce Yager knows this better than most. She’s keen to learn more about the invertebrates that call Whakaraupō home and…
Enviroschools celebration 2025: Canterbury students lead the way in sustainability and action From bees to trees, recycling to restoration, this year’s Enviroschools celebration brought together creative and passionate young environmental leaders from across Waitaha Canterbury. Source link
A new national recycling system for farm plastics The future of on-farm waste management is looking brighter thanks to a new nationwide rural recycling scheme covering agrichemicals and farm plastics. The industry-led scheme will unite the Agrecovery and Plasback programmes into a single national system, offering free-to-use, simple, and accessible services for all users of…
Motu Move passes 100,000 tags in first month More than 100,000 contactless payments have now been made on public transport in Greater Christchurch using Motu Move, in the one month since the new system was introduced to Metro services. Launched on 10 November, Motu Move is the new National Ticketing Solution (NTS) which will eventually…
From guts to glory – Canterbury farmers encourage composting livestock mortalities Dealing with animal mortalities is part of the reality of farming. But rather than viewing carcasses as a waste product, several industry partners, a group of farmers and us are encouraging people to consider composting as an alternative option to an offal pit. We…
Canterbury voice critical in significant time of change Canterbury Regional Council’s Chair Dr Deon Swiggs says the Council is well positioned to consider and respond to proposed resource management legislation. Source link
Contestable funds now open to boost community-led environmental actions Community groups across Waitaha Canterbury can now apply for three contestable funds. Whether you’re restoring native bush and wetlands, improving local waterways or delivering catchment-scale action, these funds are designed to back practical, on-the-ground initiatives that make a measurable difference. Source link
Canterbury scientist makes history with national medal One of our most respected scientists has received national recognition for decades of dedication to Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater ecosystems. Dr Adrian Meredith, principal scientist for water ecology, received the New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society Medal, marking the first time a regional council scientist has achieved this honour….
Council reaffirms our Tuia agreement committing to working well together Representatives of Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) and Papatipu Rūnanga within Waitaha Canterbury signed an updated Tuia Agreement on Friday 5 December, committing to working well in partnership together. “Having a close working partnership with mana whenua is deeply important to us at Canterbury Regional Council….