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Annual Reports
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Annual Reports
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GUARDIANS OF PĀUATAHANUI INLET INC - ANNUAL REPORT JUNE 2017
Introduction
On behalf of the Committee it is my pleasure to report on the activities undertaken by members and the committee in the past year.
Officers and Management Committee
The following officers and members comprised the Management Committee for 2016-17:
Chairperson: Tony Shaw
Secretary: Helen Reilly
Treasurer: Stephen O'Neil
Membership Secretary: Janet Ryan
Newsletter Editor and Webmaster: Michael Waldron
Committee:
Mary Dinniss (resigned March 2017)
Lindsay Gow
John McKoy
Philippa Richardson (resigned June 2017)
Christine Stanley
John Wells
- Mary Dinniss resigned from the committee in March this year to devote more time to her increasing work with Pāuatahanui Reserve Management Committee. We are very grateful for her contribution since joining the committee in January 2015, particularly in taking on monitoring of the seagrass transplant trials and the informal liaison she provided with the Reserve Management Committee.
- Philippa Richardson resigned just prior to the AGM for personal reasons. The committee extends there thanks to the contribution she made after joining GOPI from her previous role in PICT.
Submissions
Disposal of Motukaraka Point Recreation Reserve
At the time of the 2016 AGM we were waiting for a decision regarding the proposed disposal of the recreation reserve at Motukaraka Point.
The GOPI committee made a submission that the reserve should be retained for possible use as a site for a community wastewater treatment facility at least until plans are in place to connect Motukaraka Point to the city wastewater system and the feasibility of such a connection has been established.
In September 2016 we were advised that the Porirua City Council had decided to declare the land surplus and sell it, subject to the Department of Conservation agreeing to revoke the reserve status of the land. Advice to the Council from Wellington Water was that it is feasible to connect Motukaraka Point to the city wastewater system. As far as we are aware the Department of Conservation has not yet made its decision on revocation of the reserve status.
Consultation
Te Ara Piko Walkway
Members of the Committee had an onsite meeting with PCC staff to clarify questions about the Te Ara Piko section under construction between Motukaraka Point and Camborne.
Community activities
Inlet Clean-ups
The annual Inlet clean-up was held in October. The clean-up was jointly organised by GOPI and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand, with support from Plimmerton Rotary, who provided a barbecue at the finish, and a number of the volunteers who went out to pick up rubbish. Paremata New World gave us their support by supplying the food for the barbecue and donating a grocery voucher for a lucky draw prize. The clean-ups are invariably well supported by the local community and this was no exception with more than 80 volunteers taking part.
Annual Photographic Competition
This was the 17th year of the photographic competition which saw 149 prints put before the judge, Geoff Marshall. A new subject category was introduced, Scenic, which proved very popular and saw some stunning landscape shots entered. Unfortunately the Youth Photography Workshop at Pāuatahanui, planned to precede the competition, had to be cancelled due to heavy rain that closed Grays Road and generally threatened access to the location. The display will be at the regular venues: Porirua City Library, Palmers at Plimmerton, the Lighthouse Cinema at Pāuatahanui and a new site in the Aotea Countdown Supermarket.
The winning and highly commended photos have been added to those from previous years as part of our website.
The Porirua City Creative Communities Fund continued its generous support of the photo competition and we wish to record our grateful thanks. We also received willing sponsorship from local businesses many of whom have been long-term supporters of the competition. Harvey Norman Porirua were again very generous in their support, providing free printing of up 8 photos per competitor.
This year we were able to offer sponsored prizes in the names of 24/7 Fitness Whitby, Clark & Co Realty, Mexted Performance Sports Surfaces, Whitby Pharmacy, Mana Cruising Club, Mitre 10 Mega, Lighthouse Cinema and Plimmerton Motors.
Further sponsorship came from:
Aotea Lodge, Backyard Café, Big Salami, Black Rose Florists Plimmerton, Colours Hair & Beauty, Lavender Room, Leacroft Nurseries, Little Black Caravan, Mana Pharmacy, Marina Espresso, Natraj Indian Restaurant, Palmers Plimmerton, Ruby's Café, Tuk Tuk Thai Kitchen, Whitby Co-op Kitchen and Bar, Whitby New World, Whitby Pharmacy.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the support of the staff of Pataka who facilitate our prize-giving ceremony, as well as Whitby Newsbrief and Kapi-Mana News, both of whom provide excellent coverage of the competition.
Important Committee activities
Cockle Survey
The 2016 Cockle Survey was held in December, the ninth triennial survey carried out by GOPI. While always a major undertaking, this survey was made particularly challenging by the sustained heavy rainfall of 14-15 November, together with the Kaikoura Earthquake on 13 November. The extra sediment washed into the inlet as a result of this combination of events meant that the survey had to be postponed from the planned date of 27 November to 11 December. This postponement meant that a number of volunteers who originally planned to help in November were not able to take part on the later date. GOPI committee members, with the willing assistance of a handful of volunteers, spent several evenings, later in December, completing the survey counts.
The survey results indicate a marked reduction in the cockle population probably, at least partly, due to the increased levels of sediment deposited by the November floods. For the first time since 2001 there was a decrease in the overall population, with a 14% decline between the 2013 and 2016 surveys.
The longer the time-scale over which regular scientific surveys, like the cockle counts, are carried out, the more important and valuable the data becomes. The continued success of the cockle survey is largely due to the efforts of John Wells, GOPI committee member and former Chairperson. With support from his wife Margery, John has organised the last five surveys beginning in 2004. This is a major contribution to the available knowledge and understanding of the ecological history of the Inlet.
Seagrass Transplant Trials
Monthly monitoring of the progress of small plots of seagrass, transplanted within the Inlet, finished recently. The end result was that the transplanted plots didn’t survive. While this is, of course, disappointing we were very pleased to be involved with an interesting and very worthwhile project.
Education Groups
GOPI has been represented at regular meetings of people and organisations involved in education for Porirua Harbour and environmental education in the greater Wellington area generally. The purpose of the meetings is for all those involved to be aware of what programmes are being provided and what opportunities there are to work together.
We have decided not to add to our school worksheets for the moment, but we continue to remind teachers and education coordinators that they are readily available through our website. This information is always well received.
Pāuatahanui Lamb & Calf Club Day
Members of the committee were in attendance at the 2016 Lamb & Calf Club Day at Pāuatahanui School with a display promoting GOPI's activities. We are very grateful to the organisers for having us at these days for the last few years; the scale of this event and the tremendous amount of work involved in putting it on is an inspiration.
Future Projects
Boating Regulations and Signage
The committee will draw up a list of suggested amendments and clarifications to the rules to submit to the Greater Wellington Regional Council. We will also suggest improvements to signage around the Inlet providing information on the regulations.
Communications
We are very grateful to Michael Waldron for his work as Newsletter Editor and Webmaster.
Newsletter
We continue to receive favourable comments about the newsletter, which we produce three times a year. Although The Inlet is designed as a newsletter for our members, we also send it to the Mayor, Porirua City Councillors and senior staff at Greater Wellington and Porirua City Councils. This helps to keep issues of interest and concern in front of decision makers. We also send copies to the local residents’ associations and our fellow organisation, the Porirua Harbour Trust.
Website
Our website www.gopi.org.nz continues to provide publicity, information and a record of our activities. Michael has worked hard to ensure it complements the newsletter.
Newspapers
We are mindful of the huge importance of our local newspapers and I wish to thank the editors of KapiMana News and Whitby Newsbrief for their unfailing willingness to publish stories about our activities. In the past year, both newspapers have accepted a number of stories and photos that have ensured our activities are widely publicised in the local area.
Conclusion
In concluding I heartily thank the committee for their hard work in sustaining our campaign of care for the welfare of the Inlet and all members for their continuing support.
Tony Shaw
Chairperson
See also: 2017 Financial Statement
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