FIELD TRIPS
All Field Trips are on Thursday 4th December
All trips depart from and return to Te Pae Conference Centre
Field trips can be booked as part of your conference registration, please note that there are
limited numbers on each trip so book early to avoid missing out!
Waikēkēwai revival
Freshwater restoration under co-governance
Price: $100
Departs: 8.30am Thursday 4th December from the Te Pae Conference Centre
Approximate return time: 4.30pm
Morning tea and lunch will be provided at Ngāti Moki marae, bottled water will be provided. Please bring any additional food/snacks you would like
Bring: Clothing suitable for all weather conditions, sturdy footwear
Te Waihora – Lake Ellesmere holds significant cultural, recreational, commercial, and ecological value. Early Māori recognised the intrinsic value of this coastal lake with the name Te Kete-ika-a-Rākaihautū, which translates to “the fish basket of Rākaihautū”. However, decades of land-use change have seen these values degrade and fish populations decline. Restoration of Te Waihora is inherently complicated given the range of stressors affecting this lake. Under the umbrella of co-governance, Taumutu Rūnanga have led the way with targeted initiatives along two streams, Waikēkēwai and Papatahora, to mitigate specific issues before the waters flow into Te Waihora. Come along to hear about their restoration journey, what they’ve learnt, and their aspirations for the future.
Styx River
An unusual semi-urban river in trouble
Price: $70
Departs: 9.30am Thursday 4th December from the Te Pae Conference Centre
Approximate return time: 3.00pm
Packed Lunch & bottled water will be provided, please bring any additional food/snacks you would like
Bring: Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, jacket, camera. Reasonable footwear for walking along grass and walking tracks
The Styx River is Christchurch’s third, forgotten river. On the northern edge of the city, it is under increasing pressure from residential expansion. For an urban river it is unusual in having freshwater mussels (kākahi), pouched lamprey (kanakana) and mayflies. However, the benthic invertebrate diversity has been steadily declining for the last 15 yrs, despite seemingly good water quality. What is wrong with the Styx and what are we doing about it?
Remediating fish passage
A Ki uta ki tai approach
Price: $80
Departs: 9.00am Thursday 4th December from the Te Pae Conference Centre
Approximate return time: 3.00pm
Packed Lunch & bottled water will be provided, please bring any additional food/snacks you would like
Bring: Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, jacket, camera. Reasonable footwear for walking along grass and walking tracks
Diadromous life histories are commonplace among New Zealand’s freshwater fishes. Connectivity between headwaters and the sea are crucial for populations to thrive. Across the Canterbury Plains, waterways have become increasingly fragmented due to instream structures, such as weirs and culverts. On this field trip, you will visit three sites to see how fish passage was remediated and hear some learnings from people involved. You will also visit a fourth site to see a situation where fish passage has been deliberately prevented to protect a critically endangered fish, and the risks associated with this isolation approach.
Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Cycle Tour
Restoring freshwater spaces for multiple values
Cost: $90
Departs: 9.00am
Approximate return time: 3.00pm
Packed Lunch & bottled water will be provided, please bring any additional food/snacks you would like
Bring: Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, jacket, camera, backpack. Reasonable activewear & footwear for cycling and walking (approx 25km of cycling on cycle trail)
Cycle through the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor, through earthquake damaged, red-zoned land and learn about the different projects Christchurch City Council are undertaking. Works are underway to make the most of the earthquake devastation and re-connect the river to the floodplain through creating new wetlands, moving stopbanks, creating new community areas and undertaking river edge enhancement.
