Otago Canoe and Kayak Club

Conservation 

Conservation contents

OCKC Conservation Report

September 2001- 2002

The main activities carried out in the past year were: 

1. Submissions were sent by OCKC and individual club members opposing the application for resource consent by Contact Energy on the Clutha, Kawarau & Hawea Rivers. The process of dealing with the application has taken much longer than anticipated. Otago Regional Council required more information from Contact. Meetings were held with interested parties but because we were not informed in time were unable to attend. The date for the actual hearing is still to be set. Preparation work has been carried out for this hearing by club members with a colour handout being made outlining what has been lost on these rivers and the compensation sought. These will be given to people attending the hearing. A power point presentation has also been made showing the whitewater that has been lost and again outlining the compensation sought. Many thanks go to Duncan Lockhart who did a considerable amount of work in scanning pictures and developing the handout brochure.

2. The club has continued to oppose flood remediation work at Smiths Falls on the Kawarau River, mainly on the grounds that the river has a conservation order on it and the evidence does not show that such work would have a significant effect in reducing flooding. A reply has been received from Queenstown Lakes District Council to say that this part of flood remediation will not go ahead. A major victory for conservation!!!!

3. No further development or communication has been received regarding the use of jet boats on the Kawarau River and this will be followed up with the Queenstown Lakes District Council.

4. A letter was sent in response to the Department of Conservation, Mt Aspiring National Park Management Plan Review Discussion document.  In this letter we outlined eleven rivers of interest to kayakers.  We made some suggestions for managing the pressures that kayaking may place on the park facilities.  We requested continued access to all rivers in the park area. 

5. Ongoing networking with other interested parties and within the NZRCA. The following meetings were held with

-         Neville Peat of the Otago Regional Council outlining the concerns of the club;

-         representatives from DOC;

-         Prof. Alan Marks who is working with Forest and Bird to have the Kaikoura ranges made into a National Park. A letter will be sent to Forest and Bird stating OCKC’s support of this in respect to the Clarence River and the protection that National Park status would give to it.

Forest and Bird and the University Canoe club are also groups that we are arranging to meet and seek support for conservation matters.

Sue Abbott         sue.abbott@stonebow.otago.ac.nz                                         
Maggie Oakley                  moakley@paradise.net.nz 

Conservation contents