Environment and Flood Protection

Greater Wellington’s Environment and Flood Protection activities achieved 76 percent of their 17 performance measures this year. 

What we deliver for Te Taiao 

Greater Wellington is responsible for the regulation, protection, and enhancement of the Region’s natural resources. We are responsible for regulating the use of these natural resources, protecting the highest value biodiversity areas, managing flood risk across the Region, and managing public land on behalf of the community including eight Regional Parks. We also look after the Region’s harbours and manage environmental threats such as pest plants and animals. We do this work through regional policies, plans, resource consents and working collectively alongside our community and partners.

Leveraging technology to support biodiversity and restoration 

Mapping and monitoring the environment is important, but can be difficult. This year, we made smart use of  technology to get better insights by using technology such as remote sensors, drones, and 3D cameras. This helped us expand our understanding of marine habitats on the Kāpiti Coast, and record recovery of important species such as short-tailed bats in Pakuratahi Forest, Australasian bittern in Lake Wairarapa, and populations of lamprey and bluegill bullies.

The use of ‘eDNA’ sampling allows us to take a sample of water or soil and analyse it for signs of wildlife in the area. Combining this with citizen science apps and drone-mounted camearas, we can more efficiently map elusive native species as well as pest species, especially in hard to reach areas. What we do with the information we gather is also changing. Our capability in translating and integrating the data we collect has taken a leap forward, using new data capture and reporting tools. With better data and insights in hand, we can make smarter decisions about how to deploy limited resources.

Wildlife recovery exceeding expectations

Ongoing restoration work in the Wairarapa Moana, Predator Free Wellington programmes, and other biodiversity works are giving back vitality to indigenous species. Populations of the critically endangered Australasian bittern are growing in the Wairarapa Moana and counts of other indigenous birdlife in the areas of the Miramar Peninsula from which predators have been eliminated have risen faster than expected. Oftentimes it takes years of sustained work before results show, so it is particularly rewarding to see so many successes this year.

Protecting our freshwater

This year, we continued our commitment to the health for Te Taiao by notifying on the first change to the Natural Resources Plan. This work is a culmination of engagement across the region, particularly around Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Te Awarua-o-Porirua. Notifying a plan change is one of the last steps in a long chain of collaboration with mana whenua and communities across the rohe. As a result, the final ‘official’ plan change has been built on a bottom-up process that gives voice to what our rohe cares about, and a clearer picture of the long-term vision for healthy freshwater and marine environments. 

Our Whaitua Implementation Programmes – catchment-based approaches to planning – have shown that planning is ultimately stronger when communities are part of the process. Bringing partners together in a Tiriti House model enables a closer working relationship with mana whenua, Greater Wellington, and Kāpiti Coast District Council.

Improving flood resilience

This year we’ve taken steps to improve core flood protections, including an upgrade to the Mills Street stopbank – a key asset that helps protect Te Awa Kairangi, Aotearoa’s most densely populated floodplain. This protection has been extended from the 65-year level to a 200-year level of protection and coincides with work to and enhance the health of Te Awa Kairangi through river and shore restoration. Council approved a change to the Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi project, bringing the flood mitigation portions of the project in-house to be delivered by Greater Wellington. This change is expected to save money and improve end results by better alignment with other flood programmes. 

We are also expanding our understanding of nature-based approaches for flood resilience, including working with mana whenua to deliver a nature-based solutions assessment for the Waipoua.

Through the Government budget announcement in May 2024, 16 projects to the value of $30 million have been funded within the Wellington Region as part of the Before the Deluge signoff. This investment will see major upgrades and improvements in the Region’s flood resilience. 

Our Climate Resilience Programme gained international recognition, being a finalist at the Floodplain Management Australasia awards and receiving ‘highly commended at the Taitaura Local Government Awards for broader outcomes
excellence. 

Supporting hazard planning and disaster recovery 

We supported the disaster recovery in the Wairarapa with the categorisation of properties impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, visiting impacted properties and speaking with landowners to help assess the flood risk. As we continue to improve the resilience of our natural and constructed flood protections, we are also widening our understanding of flood hazards and how to plan for them by delivering flood hazard mapping to Masterton and Waiwhetū and supporting flood hazard mapping in the Wairarapa Combined District Plan.