Bay of Plenty Environment Forum 2015 Our connected waterways Dr - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Bay of Plenty Environment Forum 2015 Our connected waterways Dr - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jan 07, 2024 161 likes •481 views

Bay of Plenty Environment Forum 2015 Our connected waterways Dr Mike Joy Ecology - Institute of Agriculture & Environment Massey University Palmerston North Why should we care about our freshwater lakes and streams they are 100% pure

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Bay of Plenty Environment Forum 2015 Our connected waterways

Dr Mike Joy Ecology - Institute of Agriculture & Environment Massey University Palmerston North

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Why should we care about our freshwater lakes and streams they are 100% pure aren't they?

  • 1. Why we should care (the sad reality) = why

what you are doing is so important

  • 2. What the problems and causes are
  • 3. What healthy freshwater ecosystems need
  • 4. How to get them back there
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Why should we care? Indigenous vegetation

  • Lost - > 70% indigenous vegetation and still losing it

fast

  • Loss of native habitat in agricultural land - from 53%

in 1950 to < 8% now = 68% ecosystems now listed as threatened Groundwater

  • steadily increasing N levels

Lakes

  • Nutrients - 44% of NZ lakes “polluted” (>64% in

pasture catchments) = algal and cyanobacteria blooms, + sedimentation + pathogens …

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Rivers and Estuaries Sedimentation – River beds higher than surrounding land in many places – pumps and stop banking

  • most harbours and estuaries are so choked with

sediment from land-use change leading = big impacts on oceanic commercial fish species (NIWA)

  • in stream habitat loss for fish and insects

Nutrients – excesses lead to oxygen fluctuation, mats of slime on stream beds, habitat loss, cant bathe … Why should we care?

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Too much nutrient the Manawatu example

Why should we care?

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ANZECC trigger level Nitrate Why should we care?

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Healthy Doubtful Moderate pollution Severe pollution Insect community index MCI

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Human health

  • pathogens E. coli

NZ now has the highest frequency per-capita globally of coliform enteritis, campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis and salmonellosis 18 – 34K NZers contract waterborne diseases p.a.

  • benthic cyanobacteria mats (already killing dogs and

horses and one day children) Why should we care?

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Ministry of health risk level Pathogens Why should we care?

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Biodiversity

  • 33 % of all spp. threatened or at risk ++
  • 74% of freshwater fish ++
  • No. of NZ Species Threatened and At Risk

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 1997 2002 2005 2008/11 Year Taxa Threatened and At Risk

Why should we care?

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The government response to the crisis – lies and denial Why should we care?

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“A fresh start for freshwater” NPS objectives 2014: (making the problem dissapear)

ANZECC 2000 guideline NOF 2014 bottom line

A B C

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“A fresh start for freshwater” NPS objectives 2014: (making the problem disappear)

Primary contact (health ministry level) Secondary contact (safe in a boat?)

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What is not in the National Objectives Framework: Temperature, O2, physical impacts, groundwater, estuaries, offshore impacts, benthic cyanobacteria, pathogens, clarity.

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Clearly the government has failed so I guess its up to us now – all power to community groups

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Healthy waterways what do they need? How can we help them? If we make it suitable for the native fish – covers pretty much everything.

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What's different about our fish? – Benthic, diadromous*3, nocturnal, cryptic, not herbivorous, mostly endemic and threatened, not tolerant. What do the fish need ? Water Access up and down (flap gates, dams, irrigation intakes) Habitat = cover - interstitial spaces, food, oxygen, temperature, clarity, Recruitment = spawning habitat,

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The sides in flood

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What's different about our fish? – Benthic, diadromous*3, nocturnal, cryptic, not herbivorous, mostly endemic and threatened, not tolerant. What do the fish need ? Water Access up and down (flap gates, dams, irrigation intakes) Habitat = cover - interstitial spaces, food, oxygen, temperature, clarity, Recruitment = spawning habitat,

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2m

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How sediment effects stream life

Direct effects Indirect effects Suspended sediment Choking blocking gills fish and bugs Deterring migrating fish, starving visual feeders, lowering productivity by restricting sunlight Deposited sediment Removing habitat, blocking interstitial spaces, crunchy food for grazers Loss of substrate for periphyton to attach to

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Restoration and protection of our waterways: 1. At the higher level the best cheapest & easiest way to protect waterways is not to pollute or damage them in the first place, so its vital to be involved in advocacy and protection (be political & vocal)

  • 2. At the ‘coal face’ its riparian planting, removing

barriers, reinstating & restoring wetlands, protecting & replanting catchments, monitoring being the eyes

  • f the councils …
  • 3. Start at the top and work down the catchment for

water quality and for fish passage start at the bottom and work up

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  • The role of citizen science in an environmental crisis
  • How community restoration and monitoring groups can

work with the NPS to truly protect and restore freshwater environments

  • Monitoring (SEV, SHAP, RIT)
  • Education
  • Restoration action
  • http://www.envirolink.govt.nz/PageFiles/31/Stream%20Habitat%20Assessment%20Prot
  • cols.pdf
  • http://www.niwa.co.nz/sites/niwa.co.nz/files/import/attachments/Restoration-

Indicators-4-WEB.pdf

The role of science in an environmental crisis?