Wainuioru Community River Care Group Newsletter

​

 In 2017 we had a great turnout for discussion of river water quality and the probability of future regulations.

        Since then the Wainuioru Community River Care Group (WCRCG) has been formed and been registered as an incorporated society, and has begun several projects for ongoing water quality testing and restoration of riverbanks. Community activities are also on the agenda.

    The committee intends to report on what it is doing and would like to hear your views. We expect to have representatives of the Regional Council, Federated Farmers and Beef+ Lamb New Zealand at the meeting. They will speak on the funding available.

​

    Committee members have attended Whaitua discussions on waterway management in the Ruamāhanga catchment and, in the light of those, we'll describe what might be in store for our eastern area.

    Little data has been collected on the waterways in our catchment area, so we are carrying out quarterly tests at six sites on the upper Wainuioru and tributaries to establish what our waterways' health is. Our preliminary test results have been assessed and analysed by water scientist Alice Bradley, formerly of the Ministry for the Environment and now with Beef+Lamb NZ, and she will speak at the meeting.

    The group's first restoration project will be, we hope, on the riverbank at the Brancepeth Bridge, where we propose to remove ugly old willows and poplars and to plant modern poplars and native trees. This involves killing invasive old man's beard and fencing about two hectares. The site, on public land immediately downstream of the bridge, is prominent and an eyesore.

    We have applied for funding to gather expertise to produce a document covering best practice removal of old willows and to hold a small field-day or meeting to discuss which willows need to be removed, what their good aspects are, and then rehabilitation after removal.

    We have set up a website with information on current activities and on the history and flora of the area. The address is wcrivercaregroup.wixsite.com. We also have a group email address, wcrivercaregroup@gmail.com.

​

    Several bodies provide funding for projects such as those we plan, but the group will have ongoing costs for a wider range of water tests and the likes of website hosting. The committee suggested an annual membership subscription of $30 to cover such costs and if possible begin to repay the money the Wainuioru School Community Association generously provided to enable the River Care Group to apply for incorporated society status.

    Putting some $$ in ourselves would be important for the credibility of the group in the eyes of local government and national farming bodies. If you think you might like to support the group by joining, bring along some cash, dig out the old chequebook and bring along one made out to the Wainuioru Community River Care Group, or use one of the methods described on the next page.

​

In case you’re wondering why it’s worth contributing, here are a few thoughts from committee members:

“We all need to work together to improve the health of our local waterways – when water is healthy there are many benefits including environmental, economic and recreational. We have a motivated committee who are working on a programme of initiatives including regular testing.  You, the community, can help by contributing through an annual subscription to show your support and ensure this work continues into the future.”

"We would like to pay our sub because it is small contribution to a community-good project. We understand that for a society like the Wainuioru Community River Care Group to make successful bids for funding grants there must be community buy-in. It is exciting to think of the progress and improvement in water quality we will witness in coming years as a result of the work we are doing now."

    "I will be paying my sub to make sure continued testing with quality test gear can continue to be carried out."

    "We're happy to pay our sub as we believe this will help build community spirit, tidy up the eyesore that is the river at Brancepeth Bridge and help improve the water quality in the river."

    "I know that I am contributing to the investigation of the status, and improvement, of the health of the local waterways."

​

    The committee has good involvement with local representatives and experts of the Regional Council, Federated Farmers and Beef+Lamb NZ.

    A younger generation also supports our efforts. Pupils at Wainuioru School created about ten imaginative graphics with their concepts of the group's goals. Some are at the top of the page.

    Other communities in the eastern Wairarapa are thinking along the same lines and noting our initiatives. One of our committee members was recently invited to speak at a Whareama catchment community meeting on what we are doing.

​

    It will be great to see you all at the hall. A year has gone by since the first meeting and in that time much has been done that we can tell the community about – quarterly water testing, incorporated society status, planning of on-the-ground projects and applications for funding begun.

​

    WCRCG officeholders: chair Richard Johns, treasurer Sully Alsop, secretary Ant Hughes. Other committee members: Catharina Breukers, Eugene Breukers, Robin Briggs (newsletter), Tom Fuller, Kathryn Gordon (JNL),  Rachael Liardet-Smith, Terence McGruddy, Zandy Wallace, Hamish Wilson.

​

​

Membership subscription payment methods

​

1. Pay at the community meeting on Oct 8.

2. Pay on-line to our Wairarapa Building Society account, 02-0688-0089022-02.

Enter as account name WAIN  COM  RIV (note spaces);

Payee code: enter your name;

Payee reference: 100013420.

    Then send us a brief email, to: wcrivercaregroup@gmail.com

1. Post a cheque to Ant Hughes, 743 Ngaumu Road, RD10, Masterton 5890, or Sully Alsop, Omahu, RD10, Masterton 5890.

2. Visit our website, wcrivercaregroup.wixsite.com, and follow instructions there.

​

If you’d like a receipt, please ask for one (whatever payment method you use).

​

We welcome contributions to the website, words and pictures. Maybe if you have old photos of life on or near the Wainuioru and tributaries, or you can write a piece on the history or you experience of whats been happening on the river and streams. Maybe you're knowledgeable about the trees and other plants, or the birdlife or the geology.

If you have old photos and don't feel like scanning them yourself we can handle that. 

​