In June 2008 the Waiuku Estuary Management Plan (The Plan) was presented to both Auckland Regional Council and Franklin District Council. This now means that the plan can be used to protect, manage and direct the use of the affected area of coast (land and water).

• Download the Plan (pdf here soon...)

It’s important to note this isn’t a “Council Plan” - it isn’t a statutory document, what it does is express a shared vision for the upper Waiuku Estuary and identifies actions to help achieve that vision. Council will be one of the partners who will work with the community to help make your vision a reality.

Planning is underway by Council for the following to occur: 

• A walkway from Tamakae Reserve to Riverside Drive reserve 
• Completion of the timber edging of Tamakae Reserve 
• Applying for consents for immediate mangrove removal in a couple of key points. Much of the removal work
  itself can happen using community volunteers.

If you add up all the work suggested in The Plan you would arrive at a multi-million dollar price tag so it is clear that Council cannot do all the work immediately. And neither would The Plan imply that we should - it is a community plan with community, business and private organisations able to work towards the vision.

Council officers will now identify projects from The Plan which should be included for consideration in the draft Long Term Council Community Plan 2009 - 2019.

The Vision of the Plan

The Waiuku Estuary is a valued community asset with significant potential, but is subject to numerous natural and human induced pressures.

The vision for the Waiuku Estuary is to: 

• Manage mangroves using environmentally appropriate and sustainable methods in selected areas where their encroachment has adverse environmental effects 
• Maintain, restore and enhance ecological, natural character, landscape, cultural and historic values
• Minimise the influences of catchment activities on sedimentation in the estuary
• Enhance public access to the coastline and estuary 
• Protect existing and future coastal development from coastal hazards 
• Provide for appropriate development opportunities in the Tamakae Reserve and Town Basin area that enhance linkages with the town centre and support and enhance environmental and historic values, tourism potential and economic development.