Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee meeting

The Orari-Opihi-Pareora (OOP) Zone Committee will hold its regular monthly meeting in Timaru on Monday, 1 October.

At the meeting the committee will work towards gaining a better understanding of the opportunities for land use changes to contribute to the water management outcomes the community seeks, as reflected by the Canterbury water Management Strategy’s targets.

The OOP Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for water management recommends land use changes protect water quality for drinking water, customary use and indigenous biodiversity.

The Resource Management Act (RMA) apportions different land-use management responsibilities to Regional and District Councils. The Timaru and Mackenzie district councils, along with Environment Canterbury, will provide the committee with an introduction on the RMA, outline the responsibilities of regional and district councils, and discuss the opportunities to improve integration between councils.

Following this, the committee will receive a presentation from Environment Canterbury on wetlands in the zone, their biodiversity values, and what can be done to protect and restore them.

The committee will then receive an update from the Regional Committee before finishing the meeting by receiving a report from Environment Canterbury on its public access points to river environments project. The importance of access to water ways is identified in a number of recommendations in the OOP ZIP.

The OOP Zone Committee operates as a joint committee of Environment Canterbury and the Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils. The zone extends south from the Rangitata River through to the Pareora catchment. It includes all of the Timaru district and parts of the Mackenzie and Waimate districts.

Meeting Details:

Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee meeting
1pm, Monday, 1 October
Meeting Room 1, Timaru District Council offices, 2 King George, Place, Timaru
The full agenda will be made available at www.ecan.govt.nz/canterburywater prior to the meeting.