Charter for New Zealand’s rivers – a plan of action

Forest and Bird, Issue 266, 1 November 1992, Page 32

Charter for New Zealand’s rivers – a plan of action

Kevin Smith

ie. cs Ba RRs. Sa At least 10% of rivers to be protected by water conservation orders. Priority given to protection of threatened native wildlife dependent on rivers. No further dams on wild rivers. Extension of Queen’s Chain to the margins of all river courses to provide for unfettered public access and protection of riverside vegetation. Urgent development of a national policy statement on rivers under the Resource Management Act that ensures their ecological health and biological and genetic diversity from source to sea. Rivers not to used for the discharge

of industrial or agricultural waste, or sewage. Present unavoidable discharges treated to ensure no adverse environmental impacts. No new barriers to the upstream passage of migrating fish. Where feasible, removal of existing barriers or creation of fish passes. Priority given to the control of riverine weeds and the restoration of minimum flow levels, water quality and riverside vegetation of degraded waterways. Introduced freshwater species to be contained to present range. Liberation of new species prohibited.