Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area News
WRPS Annual Report 2021
WRPS Annual Report 2020
WRPS Annual Report 2019
Auckland Council is giving the Waitakere Ranges a chance to recover from Kauri dieback
Thanks to the huge efforts by Te Kawerau ā Maki, the Waitakere Ranges Local Board, members of the Society, conservation networks, as well as many government agencies and the Environment and Community Committee of the Auckland Council, we are thrilled to report that by 1 May 2018, after engagement consultation with affected parties, all forested areas of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park will be closed until tracks can be upgraded and reopened to protect the forest from further Kauri dieback damage.
Auckland Council will put in place a Controlled Area Notice under the Biosecurity Act enabling them to stop public access and prosecute offenders for breach of the provisions of the Notice.
This is a fitting decision on the 10th anniversary of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act, which itself required the Council in this instance to have regard to the purposes and objectives of the Act when making this decision.
Here is the text from the Environment and Community Committee meeting and the resolutions.
The Waitakere Ranges Protection Society is inspired by the vision that the natural ecology of the Ranges is respected and managed in perpetuity as a genuine taonga for Aucklanders and for all New Zealanders.
This decision of the Council regarding the protection of Kauri in the Ranges, takes us one step closer to seeing this vision come to life. To help us on this journey and continue to help identify emerging threats and take action to deliver on this vision, please consider supporting the Society either through donations, membership or participation on the Committee. Click here for more information.
Waitakere Ranges Bibliography
Much has been written about the Waitakere Ranges over the years, but here is a selection of publications that you might find interesting.Some are now out of print, but many are still available in book shops and most can be borrowed from Auckland Libraries.
If you know of any books that should be added to the list please email us with your suggestions.
Myrtle Rust
Myrtle rust has been discovered in a Kerikeri nursery. Myrtle rust is a plant pathogen which can have serious consequences to various species of plants in the Myrtaceae family. It could affect iconic New Zealand plants including pōhutukawa, mānuka, rātā, kānuka, swamp maire and ramarama, as well as commercially-grown species such as eucalyptus, feijoa and guava.
Myrtle rust is caused by the fungus Austropuccinia psidii which is native to South America. In 2010, myrtle rust was detected in Australia where it has affected more than 350 plant species. The spores cannot be seen with the naked eye and are easily transported large distances via wind, contaminated clothing and equipment as well as shorter distances via insects and rain splash.
The identifying symptom of this disease is powdery bright yellow or orange-yellow pustules on actively growing leaves, shoots, flower buds and fruits of infected plants. Leaves may become buckled or twisted and die off. Severe infections can lead to death of susceptible host plants.
If you think you’ve seen the symptoms of myrtle rust, do not touch it. Call the MPI Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline immediately on 0800 80 99 66. Take clear photos, including the whole plant, the whole affected leaf, and a close-up of the spores/affected area of the plant. But don’t touch it or try to collect samples as this may increase the spread of the disease.
If you have questions about myrtle rust, email info@mpi.govt.nz or see the MPI Website
New Zealand Dotterels
NZ dotterels need your help at North Piha
Volunteers wanted
A group of nationally vulnerable tuturiwhatu pukunui, or Northern New Zealand dotterels, nested at North Piha last summer. Auckland Council put measures in place to protect the nests and the chicks managed to fledge, and Auckland Council need local people to help with monitoring their nests. They are seeking some dedicated volunteers who would like to help monitor the NZ dotterel chicks over summer 2017-2018.
For more information see this Dotterel Information poster from Auckland Council
Local Government News
Huia Water Treatment Plant
Watercare is considering the options to replace the Huia Water Treatment Plant, which at nearly 100 years old is reaching the end of its life. The Waitakere Ranges dams provide around 20% of Auckland’s water, so it the treatment plant is a critical piece of infrastructure for Auckland.
Over the summer, the Watercare project team has been investigating potential sites in the area that could be used for the new plant. This has included using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to identify sites that meet the key criteria of size, elevation that enables gravity feeding, proximity to existing infrastructure (e.g. pipelines), land slope and are outside dam catchments.
From this mapping exercise, Watercare have identified a long-list of possible locations and done an initial visit to check for fatal flaws (e.g. complete forest cover, poor access). They are now doing an initial technical assessment of the long-list to identify 3–4 sites to include in a short-list of possible locations.
The Society is on a stakeholder group that is meeting regularly for updates and providing feedback as the project progresses. Look out for updates on our webpage and in newsletters on how this is progressing.
Watercare will also undertake community consultation once it has identified a short-list and preferred site.
Te Henga Quarry Restoration
The Te Henga Quarry is due to close in March 2015 and re vegetation of the site will be undertaken by the quarry operator. Auckland Council Properties Ltd is Auckland Council’s delegated representative for the quarry site and is consulting with the Waitakere Ranges Local Board over a proposal to restore the quarry. As reported in the Western Leader (16 October 2014) David Rankin, Auckland Council Property Ltd chief executive said “The board is best placed to determine the nature of the work to be undertaken…”. For more details read the Te Henga Quarry Restoration.
Waitākere Ranges Local Board
The Waitākere Ranges Local Board is focused on a The Waitakere Ranges Local Board reports number of areas based on delivering tangible improvements for our communities.
The Waitakere Local Board’s Agreement sets out the budget and funding for activities and performance measures for the financial year and puts the local board’s vision into action. Local board agreements are part of the council’s annual plan. The Waitākere Local Board agreement for 2014/2015 is a part of the draft annual plan, which is currently open for consultation.
What’s the plan for Waitākere Ranges?
Following the first round of community consultation received in February and March, the Board is now reviewing feedback and writing the draft local board plan. Local board plans are guiding documents for local boards.
The plans, which are strategic three-year plans for each local board, reflect the priorities and preferences of the community.
This will be open for formal submissions from 7 July to 6 August 2014.
Feedback was requested on:
• working with our communities to protect the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area
• protecting and restoring the unique natural environments of our area, its forests and coasts
• fostering arts and culture, including developing Titirangi as the vibrant arts hub for the west
• supporting sustainable local economic activity, including enabling home-based occupations in the ranges
• revitalising our urban villages and town centres as attractive places to live and do business, connected by green walkways and cycleways
• supporting reliable and frequent public transport with connection to the electrified rail network.
The final plan will be adopted by 31 October 2014. If you have any queries about the local board plan, you can contact the Waitākere Ranges Local Board. or contact the local board office on 09 813 9150
09 813 9150.
Business stock take
The Waitakere Ranges Local Board has recently overseen a business stock take. It was carried out in May-July 2014 to assess the scope and potential for sustainable economic development within the WRHA.
Foothills walkway
The Waitakere Ranges Local Board is continuing planning for the proposed ‘foothills walkway”. The walkway will eventually traverse the length of the Waitakere Ranges Foothills from the Swanson Railway Station in the north to the Arataki Visitor Centre and Titirangi in the south. Work is currently being done to capture all the information required to apply for the resource consents for the walkway, and to lodge the application.
Piha Dune Management Plan
The Waitakere Ranges Local Board reports that Coastal specialist Jim Dahm has developed an operational management plan for Piha Beach from the southern side of Lion Rock to the southern end of Marine Parade South.
The plan considered the following:
coastal processes and shoreline trends
review of dune management to date
proposed dune management plan.
This plan was presented to the previous Waitākere Ranges Local Board for adoption at their 9 October 2013 meeting, but the board requested further time be allowed for the community to provide feedback. The consultation closed at the end of April 2014 and the Waitākere Ranges Local Board is now considering all of the feedback that was submitted.
View the plan: Dune Management at Piha: review and proposed management plan – October 2013.
Hard copies of the plan are available at the Piha Community Library.
The environmental health of the Waitākere Ranges
The environmental health of the Waitākere Ranges is an important focus for Waitākere Ranges Local Board.
Protecting and restoring the area’s unique natural environments will be a key priority of the new local board plan, with ecological weed control, animal pests and education around kauri dieback disease high on the agenda.
Auckland Council parks staff have worked with the local board to identify initial high-profile weed-control and restoration sites around the area.
Weeds targeted will include pampas grass, woolly nightshade, climbing asparagus, wild ginger and large stands of the giant reed, arundo grass.
“In the last council term, the local board delivered the first monitoring report required under the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act,” says Waitākere Ranges Local Board Member Saffron Toms, who holds the local board’s environment portfolio.
“We now want to implement the report’s recommendations, with significant focus on increased environmental protection,” she says.
Temporary signage will be erected at the sites to explain the work being carried out, and information highlighting the worst weeds in the heritage area will also be distributed to households.
Did you know?
The Waitākere Ranges Local Board area contains 40 per cent of Auckland’s native vegetation. Over 80 per cent of the local board area is covered in native vegetation.
(Information from the Auckland Council website)
Foothills walkway
The Waitakere Ranges Local Board is continuing planning for the proposed ‘foothills walkway”. The walkway will eventually traverse the length of the Waitakere Ranges Foothills from the Swanson Railway Station in the north to the Arataki Visitor Centre and Titirangi in the south. Work is currently being done to capture all the information required to apply for the resource consents for the walkway, and to lodge the application.
Auckland Regional Bat survey
An Auckland Regional Bat survey completed this year found bat activity in Te Henga (Matuku, & Lake Wainamu and Kawaupaka) but the Kokako Management Area and buffer in Ark in the Park area of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Parkland detected 910 bat passes over 10 nights – the highest rate ever recorded by Council. The Waitakeres are a bat hotspot, with advantages from pest control not just for birds and plants, but evidently for bats as well!
Forest and Bird’s Green Ribbon
Forest and Bird’s and Auckland Council’s Waitakere Ranges partnership project ‘Ark in the Park’, last month won a Green Ribbon award in the Stewardship Champions category. In the project based around the Cascades Kauri area in the Ranges Parkland, harnesses over 600 volunteers who contribute more than 9000 volunteer hours every year. The success of the project is obvious. With the reduction of animal pests and the reintroduction of whiteheads, robins, kokako and more to come, the forest resounds with birdsong.
A place of great significance to residents, tangata whenua, Aucklanders and visitors alike.
The Act recognises the importance of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park which covers some 17,000ha, or around 60 per cent of the heritage area, as an accessible public place with significant natural, historical, cultural and recreational resources.
The Act responds to concerns about the effects that development is having, or could have, on the landscapes and heritage of the Waitakere Ranges. It recognises the national, regional and local significance of the Waitakere Ranges and promotes its long-term protection and enhancement for present and future generations.
The Act also recognises that people live and work within this area (over 21,000 residents in 2005), and that many have contributed to shaping the landscapes that we see today and have helped protect its natural environment and human heritage. It seeks to set a benchmark for Waitakere Ranges’ residents goals and hopes for their communities and environment in 10, 50 and 100 years time. It aims to protect and enhance the area’s significant heritage features and the special character of each community in the ranges, and to provide a rural transition from the city’s urban areas to bush and coastal areas further west in the ranges.
View and print a high resolution map of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area .
The Waitākere Ranges Foothills Design Guide
The Waitakere Ranges Local Board recently reviewed and signed off on a revised version of the Waitākere Ranges Foothills Design Guide. Information about the WRHAA will now be included on LIM reports which will also include a reference to the (reviewed) design guide. This will help those seeking to build or develop in the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area.
The design guide is non-statutory and was first produced under the former Waitākere City Council. But board members agreed with a finding of the first Heritage Area Monitoring Report last year that said more needed to be done to promote awareness and use of the guide by landowners and council officers.
It funded the updating and reprinting of the document and has agreed it should be referred to in all Land Information Memorandums issued for sites in the Heritage Area.
For copies or more information on the design guide, contact nicholas.lau@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
For more information from the Waitakere Ranges Local Board see their Newsletter August 2014.
First community consultation event for the Bethell’s Beach/Te Henga and Waitakere River Valley Local Area Plan
The first community consultation event for the Local Area Plan (LAP) for Bethell’s Beach/Te Henga and Waitakere River Valley was held on Wednesday 4th June, 6.30-9.00pm, at the Waitakere Primary School Hall.
This LAP is prepared under the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008, whose purpose is to protect and enhance the heritage features of the Heritage Area. Please see the Auckland Council LAP newsletter for more details.
This event was an opportunity to celebrate this wonderful place and its people with talks by local iwi Te Kawerau a Maki, John Edgar from Waitakere Ranges Protection Society, local historian Mary Woodward and John Sumich from Ark in the Park and Habitat Te Henga.
Following the talks, there were thematic group discussions to start building relationships amongst residents, community organisations and council staff, form working groups around different topics, bring together the information that’s available to council, iwi and community on the area, and plan the work ahead.
Weed-free buffer project
The Local Board have carried out a new ‘Weed free buffer project’ focused on Bush Rd and Opunuku Valley. These areas were chosen because of the levels of weed infestation, interest, and conservation benefits. 72 properties were visited and provided with information packs, with 70% keen on further engagement. 15 properties were helped with weed management plans, 32 properties were provided with materials, 22 were provided contractor assistance. The result was targeted assistance with weed control, better awareness about regional park boundaries and improved biodiversity and habitat management.
Waitakere Ranges Visitor Management
Auckland Council have been working on a visitor management plan for the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area.
In May 2013 they released the final version of document the Waitakere Ranges Visitor Management Plan Background Report.
Plan Changes
Proposed Plan Changes 35, 36 and 37: These plan changes were publicly notified by the former Waitakere City Council on 10 February 2010. They are considered necessary to achieve the purpose of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008.
Proposed Plan Change 35 proposes to establish a new Policy Section 5B, entitled Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area. It also incorporates those elements of the Oratia and Waiatarua Local Area Plans that relate to the RMA into the District Plan.
Proposed Plan Change 36 proposes to improve regulatory provisions within the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area associated with rural activities, the enabling of future uses of rural land to retain a rural character, and to provide for the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of the people and communities in the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area. It amends rules for the Foothills, Coastal Village, Bush Living and Waitakere Ranges Environments. Plan change No 36 became operative on Monday 21 October 2013.
Proposed Plan Change 37 removes inappropriate District Plan provisions relating to Titirangi Village, and proposes new policy guidance and matters of assessment that seeks to provide long-term certainty for the desired future character and amenity of Titirangi Village.
Auckland Transport and design guide for urbanising effect of infrastructure
Auckland Transport have held a workshop to start developing a code of conduct/road corridor design & management guidelines to address the ‘urbanising effect’ of infrastructure. They plan to develop a design guide for the Heritage Area. This should help avoid adverse impacts from built infrastructure such as too many road signs or streetlights. See here for more information.
Heritage Area Newsletters
A Community Information Pack on the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area is now available.
This pack contains information on a range of issues relevant to the Heritage Area including its history, culture and biodiversity, the Regional Park, information on protecting and restoring the ecology of the area, and information on community links and resources.
The pack is an initiative of the West Coast Plan Liaison Group, the Waitakere City Council and the Auckland Regional Council. Packs are available to all residents of the Heritage Area.
You can download any of the pack contents from www.waitakere.govt.nz
Heritage Area Newsletters
Newsletter 1
Newsletter 2
Local Area Plans
A Local Area Plan (LAP) is a planning mechanism provided for under Section 25 of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008 and must be developed together with local communities.
The Act acknowledges that within the ranges and foothills there are diverse places and communities, each with a distinctive character and future. LAPs must identify the boundary of the local area and will set goals for retaining and enhancing the heritage features and character of each of these distinctive areas and providing for the wellbeing of the community.
LAPs and associated background reports have been completed for Waiatarua, Oratia, and Henderson Valley/Opanuku. A Foothills Background Report covering the whole of the eastern foothills area and providing context for the Foothills LAPs, has also been prepared. In addition, a background report has been prepared for the Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley area, in anticipation of a Local Area Plan for that area. In the future, LAPs will also be developed for the remaining foothills settlements (Anzac Valley and Swanson), and coastal settlements along the Tasman Sea and Manukau Harbour coasts.
Heritage Area Act News