Gisborne council’s Ūawa catchment group looking for members

Flooding and slash debris at the Wigan Bridge, Tauwhareparae, Tolaga Bay, during Cyclone Gabrielle. Slash is one issue the Ūawa Catchment Group will be addressing. Gisborne District Council is looking for new members to join the catchment group. Photo / Ūawa Civil Defence https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064758934294

Gisborne District Council is calling for community members to join the Ūawa Catchment Working Group, which will play a crucial role in forestry plan changes and the development of a freshwater catchment plan.

This group will include community members as well as representatives from Ngāti Porou and Te Aitanga a Hauiti, the council said in a statement .

The discussions and input from the working group will inform the council’s efforts to address the erosion issues faced by the Tairāwhiti region.

Tairāwhiti is particularly vulnerable to erosion due to fragile soils and historical land use.

Forest harvesting on steep land, combined with severe weather events, has resulted in the accumulation of sediment and woody debris in waterways, flood plains, beaches and coastal areas.

In response to this, the council is planning to implement forestry plan changes and develop a freshwater catchment plan.

The aim is to regulate forestry harvest activities and effectively manage freshwater resources.

The council emphasises the importance of community involvement in these changes and sees the Ūawa Catchment Working Group as a vital platform for interested individuals to contribute to the catchment’s future.

Applications to join the group will be evaluated based on criteria such as strong links to the Tairāwhiti region or the Ūawa Catchment, experience in forestry, an interest in freshwater and the ability to work collaboratively.

Interested individuals have until Monday, June 3 to submit their applications.

For more details or to apply, visit the Ūawa Catchment Plan webpage.