St Lukes Environmental Protection Society

Liz April 28th, 2021

Kia ora tātou,

We have some plants on order for Roy Clements Treeway from Council. Thanks Huw and AELB.

Likely planting dates: 29^th – 30^th May

Upcoming :

• Possible planting day in Norgrove in July – Watercare decision.

Under Way

• Weekly weeding sessions back at Kanuka St forest on Tuesday mornings– thanks Sel, Damien and Mary
• Weekly sessions at MAGS Thursday pm – thanks Sel and Richard
• STEPS collected 3 Waitītiko DNA samples for nation wide water quality survey – thanks Freddie, Sel and Wendy.
• June got online payments set up since cheques going away – thanks June
• January application for CCF admin funding should be announced this month – thanks Trev
• Good links with Kura Kaupapa new groundspeople re moth plant and weeds… regular weeding under way. Thanks Dianne, Sel, Suzy & Graeme
• Plant and Food – moth plant / woolly nightshade fruiting again and ready to blow down the catchment.  TBD with volunteers this month. Thanks Sel, Shannon, Alistair and Stephen.
• Auckland Council Healthy Waters & Watercare have eradicated weeds on their land at Ahurangi – thanks Theresa and Shalini.
• STEPS Online campaign – TBD thanks Dan
• 2020-21  AGM – possibly August since so late last year because of Covid…

If you can help with any of these please let us know; or if you have questions. Please contact us via this site.

What other new initiatives would you like to participate in? Please let us know.

Finally this frog was sitting up a tree near the MAGS tributary of Waitītiko a few days ago. Apparently it is an Australian green tree frog… Litoria

Ngā  mihi nui,

Liz

Elizabeth Walker

www.meolacreek.org.nz

https://www.facebook.com/STEPSNZ/

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Liz March 19th, 2021

Mature trees in Auckland under increasing threat. Ewen Cameron, President Auckland Botanical Society Inc writes in March 2021 ABS Newsheet: It’s been a bad week [February 2021] for Auckland’s mature trees:

• A rimu and pohutukawa were felled at 15 Henry
  Street, Avondale.
• “While we were all asleep at the wheel, today (February 17th) the Greenlane area (160 Campbell Rd) lost four pōhutukawa, five puriri, two rimu and a kauri; all very large, established trees that have been there for over 100 years (as well as
  shrubs like native cabbage trees)” – Mark Lockhart pers. comm.
• Also, at Campbells Bay Primary School, the local community are fighting the Ministry of Education (MOE) to stop them from removing seven mature pohutukawa that have been part of the landscape for about 100 years. The school board approved a
  plan that removed the trees prior to Christmas and are still waiting for MOE to come up with an alternative design (if they do).
• On Friday 12th, the 120yr old impressive macrocarpa tree on the corner of Great North Road and Ash Street, on public land but at the margin of an Ockham housing development, was felled. It was a Scheduled Notable Tree in the Unitary Plan, until Auckland Council (contentiously non-notified) approve its removal on 23 December 2020. After a long protest and brave tree-sit, Big Mac was felled. It was interesting to see Mark Todd, director and co- founder of Ockham Residential, on national TV saying that tree protection should be reinstated immediately.
• Evidently the protection of the Canal Road site is now the longest tree occupation in NZ history. On 12 February I revisited the Canal Rd site and was pleased to see that no more trees had been felled.

The local Mana Rakau group were still present with signs, a tent, tree hammock in place, and all in good spirit. Many shirts were flying on rope lines and looked very colourful. These shirts had been donated by arborists in support of saving the native trees on the site. Auckland Council has still been silent on this “standoff.” I was then very saddened to learn on February 16th that some lowlife had overnight drilled  and poisoned all of the large trees, apart from the scheduled Pohutukawa and the titoki under its drip-line. Work is being done to try and dilute the poison – let’s hope they are successful.

The only remaining hope for many of the mature trees in Auckland is for Auckland Council and the Minister for the Environment, David Parker, to reinstate the General Tree Protection rules, as it used to be before the National Government required the protection removed from the Unitary Plan.

EMW Postscript: Note that the trees at Canal Road have now been cut down in March after 245 days of community protest. Some Canal Road photos are here.

Further background to some law changes which could protect mature forest, can be found at MFE site. Other views on changes needed are here, and some Auckland impacts here. As community members we can let our local politicians know our views.

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Liz March 19th, 2021

Kia ora koutou,

A reminder that Auckland Council is consulting on its Long Term Plan 2021-2031 Use the link to give your support to the extension of the Water Quality Targeted Rate and sustain improvements to stormwater infrastructure on the Auckland Isthmus. Closing time: 12 noon Monday 22 March.

With reference to our prior post below, Anin Nama from Watercare has provided responses below, and indicated willingness to discuss.

Q Which Western Isthmus projects are stopped?  Or will not start? As a result of Watercare Board decision of 23 December 2020? A: The Western Isthmus progarmme has not stopped and is funded to be completed by 2029.  Committed project will continue, including works that integrate with CI. However, while funding has been reduced in the first 4 years, we will still continue with the design of the works.

Q: Which overflows, creeks or catchments are affected?.  A: None, as the overall programme is still scheduled for completion by 2029.

Q: What benefits or usage of the Central Interceptor is delayed for 3 years? A: CI is still scheduled for completion by 2026 and will collect the large overflows in Meola and other overflows along its route.

Q: When will Eastern Isthmus project start ?  Will it now proceed regardless of delays in the West?.  A: The Watercare portion of the Eastern Isthmus is scheduled to start in 2025, subject to Healthy Water’s proposed targeted rate being approved in the current LTP process.

Q: What impact does this Watercare work have on the benefits of spending by Auckland Council Healthy Waters of the WQTR raised for water quality?  A: The benefit of the WQTR allows separation to commence early and reduce the volume of stormwater entering the wastewater network.  This allows Watercare to commence the necessary wastewater upgrades in the Eastern Isthmus.

STEPS looks forward to ongoing progress on water in the Auckland isthmus generally, particularly in the Western isthmus for the rest of this decade.

Ngā  mihi nui, Elizabeth Walker

STEPS thanks Councillor Fletcher and Margi Watson Chair of Albert Eden Local Board who acknowledged our letter and the questions raised, as did member Jon Turner Member of Puketapapa Local Board.

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