23.03.10: State of the Environment (SoE) Report released today.
This important multi-agency report considers the health of the Kaimai and Northern Mamaku Ranges and Waihou and Tauranga Harbour catchments. It has been funded and commissioned by Environment Bay of Plenty, Environment Waikato and the Department of Conservation and acts as a benchmark document for the recently initiated Kaimai Catchments Project.
Department of Conservation Tauranga Area Manager Andrew Baucke said the group is pleased to have the document as a foundation for the future work of the partner agencies in the catchments.
Environment Bay of Plenty Group Manager Land Management Warwick Murray said that this report fulfilled the project’s first objective and provided the partner agencies with an assessment of the relative health of the catchments.
Environment Waikato Biosecurity and Natural Heritage Manager John Simmons recognised the collaborative efforts that had gone into the preparation of the report saying the work that has gone into this report is just enormous.
The 3 agencies are project partners with NZ Landcare Trust (NZLT) and their support helped secure a 3 year funding package from the Ministry for the Environment. NZLT Regional Coodinator Kate Akers said,
"I’m really pleased to have this report completed to help inform my work.”
The next step is to share the findings of the report with members of the community and the many stakeholders. Kate will then coordinate the establishment of forums to discuss and develop community, landowner and stakeholder priorities for the catchments.
