Award Nominee

By late summer of 2003 public concern at the state of Rotorua lakes water quality, particularly in Lake Rotoiti, had reached a point where a publicity effort was being organised and delivered by community members.

This process was led by the Lakes Water Quality Society, with strong representation from Lake Rotoiti residents. The society contacted the local Regional Council (Environment Bay of Plenty) seeking action on stock exclusion and restoration of foreshore sites around Lake Rotoiti. Many of these sites are infested with highly invasive and difficult to control weed species like gorse and blackberry. Discussion on support mechanisms sparked interest in the possibility of care group action. This led directly to the formation of the Lake Rotoiti Care Group.

The group worked initially as part of the Lake Rotoiti Ratepayers Association and produced a detailed plan for weed clearance and revegetation work on two local sites. Environment Bay of Plenty agreed to support the proposal in August 2003 and the group began work immediately.

The first site the group worked on involved a road reserve area bordering a wetland at Te Akau Road. The Rotorua District Council assisted by blading the site in preparation for planting. The Care Group carried out the planting and was then committed to ongoing weed control to deal with resurgent blackberry infestations. This is a major weed in the Rotorua district that has defeated many attempts at local revegetation planting. The group persisted however, with an intensive releasing programme for several months. This was followed by laying of mulch, and the group continues to regularly monitor the site and apply weed control as required.

Building on the success of this site, the group moved to the next stage of their plan - a site on the Okere Arm of lake Rotoiti, adjacent State Highway 33 upstream of the flood control gates.

After a season of heavy brushweed control assisted by contractors, native plantings were carried out in August 2005. The site has a history of garden waste dumping and is now in an intensive phase of releasing to control exotic herbaceous ornamentals, as well as summer grasses and flat weeds. Several working bees have been held involving a combination of mechanical and chemical weed control methods. The group fully appreciates that this is a long-term effort and is responding with commitment, vigilance and perseverance.

The group have recently initiated a third project, to clear gorse and revegetate the Whangamoa Point Reserve on Lake Rotoiti. The group has already felled all gorse on the site and painted stumps with herbicide. The Reserve is administered by the Department of Conservation who will assist the group with disposal (burning) of brushweed slash. Planting will be deferred for at least one season while follow-up control (spraying) takes place.

The group is currently addressing plans to undertake similar work on other Reserves around the lake.

Most group members reside locally and their recreation use of the lake motivates a strong interest in management of Reserve areas.

At its inception, the group comprised a core of four members with a call-up list of five to ten members. Through its success on public sites, the group has now built up a core of 10 members and a call-up list of nearly 60. This has come about through local networking and the visible success of weed control and plantings. The group is well organised with established administration and health and safety standards (e.g. GrowSafe training).

In addition to environmental outcomes, an educational process is taking place as members of the community work with local authorities and consultants to gain a practical understanding of land management issues related to water quality. At the same time, the community has united to take practical action in support of local environmental issues and a strong relationship has been built between the group and the local Regional Council.

Colin Stace, Environment Bay of Plenty (nominator)