Initiatives necessary to keep rivers clean
A collaborative effort is needed to counter the huge problem of trees, debris and other rubbish that clogs the district's rivers after flooding, says Gisborne District Council rivers and drainage assets manager Jurgen Komp. 'What we really need is for the whole community to take ownership of the problem and for each sector to take its own action.'
The main source of the tree debris was old willows and poplars planted for erosion control years ago and now dying and falling over, Mr Komp said.
While forestry was not the main culprit, care was needed with prunings and logging waste, and residents who dumped garden waste and other rubbish near riverbanks all added to the problem.
River debris cost a lot of money in terms of damage and clean-up and last weekend's flooding highlighted a more active approach was needed, he said.
The council budgeted for $300,000 to maintain the 63 kilometres of stopbanks in the district and had no money for further vegetation clearance and replanting.
Mr Komp said the community had been successful in taking combined action on other problems, such as cleaning rubbish from the beachfront and it might be time for something like an adopt-a-stream scheme.
'We probably don't want more rules and regulations ? but the council can play a part if landowners, community groups and others get together and propose actions on their own initiative.'