An evaluation of institutional responses to streams influenced by agricultural landuse : the Waikakahi Stream case study

Abstract

This report was prepared in partial fulfilment of the MSc in Resource Management at Lincoln University. The report is directed at Environment Canterbury, in particular, but also other environmental management institutions. It aims to contribute to improved institutional management of degraded lowland waterways impacted upon by agricultural land use. Agriculture has expanded significantly in New Zealand recently, and with this coinciding expansion has come a growing awareness that many of our lowland streams are degraded. The relationship between these two phenomenon is very controversial.

The central resource management issue is how to best manage the problem of the degraded streams. A number of management options are available to various groups and individuals within society. The focus of this study is on institutional management. Despite the fact that environmental institutions have significant legislative authority over the environment, there has been scant research or evaluations conducted on how successful they are, and where their management strengths and weaknesses lie

The study evaluates the management responses by five institutions, inclusive of Environment Canterbury as the 'lead' institution to the degraded state of the Waikakahi Stream in South Canterbury. The evaluation is based on criteria that fall under the general categories of goals and expectations, scale, space, time and the environment.

The results show institutional relationships to be one of the key strengths of the management process, despite some institutional perception differences that exist. The main area of weakness is that of goal setting and problem definition. From the findings the following set of recommendations was drawn;

Short-term recommendations;

• That the institutions develop clear and agreed upon objectives and goals for the future management of the stream. • That the institutions determine measures of success for the management process • That the institutions determine time frames for management goals and monitoring. • That a community vision (the Waimate District Community) is established for the district.

Long-term/Ongoing Recommendations;

• That fragmented information, information held by different institutions, and other interest groups, is collated and made available to institutions that currently lack information. • That Environment Canterbury continues to play a lead role in the management process and facilitates achievement of the above mentioned recommendations. • That the scale of social impacts is clearly defined. • That Environment Canterbury makes available its monitoring results to other institutions at regular intervals. • That Environment Canterbury continues to liaison with the other institutions and stakeholders. • That monitoring of water quality is continued but expanded to include biological indicators. • That the survey of avifauna present around the stream is repeated and continues to be so at regular intervals in the future. • That the process, inclusive of both successes and difficulties, continues to be recorded carefully and this information be readily available as an example for future lowland stream restoration projects to learn from. • That environment, scale, space and time are adopted as essential considerations for every stage of the management process both within and between institutions.

Recommendations for New Zealand in General

1) More monitoring and research is needed to determine; • the state of lowland streams, including extent and nature of degradation, • the relationship between degradation of lowland streams and agricultural land use • the strengths and weaknesses of other management types ( eg community-based environmental management) in such situations 2) That fragmented knowledge about various streams is collated to provide for a stronger understanding about what is occurring. 3) That time is spent on problem definition and institutions determine common goals. 4) That environment, scale, space and time are adopted as essential considerations for every stage of the management process both within and between institutions.