I wish to congratulate Carrington Estate for finally fencing off wetlands bordering the Wairahoraho Creek at the Maitai Bay end of their property.
For many years (since last century in fact) stock on what was once the American Bob Haigh's Angus stud has particularly in summer months, congregated in theseareas and defecated at will. Being tidal, with each tide the effluent has flowed into the stream and out into Karikari Bay.
The previous owners, who professed to be conservationists, ignored my suggestions to fence them off, but after Peter Wiessing from NRC met with them in 2011 they promised to do so, and stated they had trees earmarked for riparian plantings.
Eventually they made a token effort funded by taxpayers, I believe, and stuck in a few waratahs and strung up a couple of hot tapes, which lasted about as long as one could expect, and no plantings.
Not long ago Peter met with Jackson Su of Carrington's, and I'm very pleased to say they have now completed the fencing, which they are not really obligated to do under Nick Smith's plan, which doesn't require them to until 2025, as I understand it. Hopefully something can be done about riparian plantings of these areas now.
Congratulations to the NRC and Peter who has endured a number of complaints from me over the years.
All that is needed now is for the FNDC to stop procrastinating and sort out who is responsible for the maintenance of the public access to Karikari Beach, which is and has been non-walkable for the past few years because of the gorse growth.
