Porirua Harbour - Polishing the Gem
A series of public seminars starting next week – Polishing the Gem – will reveal the current state of Porirua Harbour and catchment and what's being planned for its future.
Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash says the Council wants to improve and maintain the quality of Porirua Harbour so it can continue to be a recreational, cultural, ecological and economic asset for Porirua City.
"We are working closely with Greater Wellington Regional Council and Wellington City Council and have recently completed some important research that will help guide the restoration of the harbour."
She says environmental and coastal science specialists will speak at each seminar and there will be an opportunity for people to ask questions.
"It's vital that we understand the current state of the harbour, the level of silt build up and flushing capacity and how to restore it. These seminars will be a great opportunity to find out more about what needs to be done."
Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Barbara Donaldson says Greater Wellington is committed to revitalising Porirua Harbour and working with PCC to develop an effective action plan for the harbour.
“We recognise that the harbour and the streams which flow into it have to be considered as parts of the same system. We encourage people to come along to the seminars to hear the story of Porirua Harbour and find out what they can do to help revitalise it.”
The three seminars are as follows:
- Porirua Harbour
7-9pm Wednesday 21 October 2009
Venue – Helen Smith Community Room, Pataka, Porirua
This seminar will include a speaker from Ngati Toa talking about the significance of the harbour to the iwi, Keith Calder, Porirua Harbour Strategy Coordinator discussing land-use history in the catchment, and Juliet Milne GWRC Environmental Science Team Leader describing harbour contaminant issues and highlight Greater Wellington's monitoring in these areas, focussing mainly on contaminants and nutrient enrichment.
- Porirua Stream
7-9pm Wednesday 28 October 2009
Venue – Linden Community Centre, Linden
This seminar will tell the urban stream story beginning with environmental science leader Juliet Milne on stormwater and stream contamination, followed by consultant ecologist, Dr Paul Blaschke on Porirua Stream planning and eco-restoration priorities, concluding with Greater Wellington biodiversity coordinator Tim Porteous on catchment restoration.
- Porirua Harbour
7-9pm Wednesday 11 November 2009
Venue – St Mary's Church, Discovery Drive, Whitby
Coastal Scientist, Dr Jeremy Gibb, will describe the sedimentation history (patterns and rates) of the harbour and the results of the recent bathymetric survey, followed by forest ecologist, Peter Handford, on practical steps to reducing catchment sediment run-off.
Further notes:
Porirua City Council has committed $2.6 million over the 10 years of the Long Term Plan toward the Porirua Harbour & Catchment Management Programme. This has three key objectives:
- To boost the health and recreational use of the Porirua Harbour system;
- To improve the quality of water feeding the Porirua Harbour and coast from surrounding catchments;
- To maintain and enhance the quality of the harbour so it can continue to be a recreational, cultural, ecological and economic asset for Porirua City.
Greater Wellington Regional Council contributes $650,000 per annum on a variety of projects within the Porirua Harbour catchment. This includes:
- A joint project with PCC on ecological restoration in the Pauatahanui Inlet;
- Environmental monitoring and investigations of the harbour and the streams that drain into it;
- Support for environmental care groups working in the catchment's streams
- Pest control on council and private land;
- Management of Battle Hill Farm Forest Park;
- Flood protection and other biodiversity initiatives.
For more information contact Porirua Harbour Strategy Coordinator Keith Calder on 237 3598 or PCC Senior Communications Advisor Moana Wyatt on 0274 698532 or GWRC Senior Communications Adviser Matt Velde on 027 246 7691.