Central Hawke’s Bay branch of Forest & Bird presents ‘Making Room for Rivers’

Tom Kay, Forest & Bird’s freshwater advocate.

Tom Kay, Forest & Bird’s freshwater advocate, will be in Waipawa on Thursday night, June 1, giving a presentation about making room for rivers.

The talk is being hosted by the Central Hawke’s Bay Branch of Forest & Bird at the CHB Municipal Theatre, Kenilworth (Waipawa), and Tom will be talking about how the way the environment has been managed has exacerbated flooding and disaster risk, the impact of flood protection engineering on our rivers and communities, and the approach we could be taking instead.

Making Room for Rivers ­– allowing rivers to reclaim parts of their natural flood plains in strategic places – is a nature-based solution to climate change that will protect communities from devastating floods while restoring the environment and enhancing local recreation opportunities.

Tom Kay grew up in Hawke’s Bay, where he developed a keen passion for rivers while whitewater kayaking on the Mohaka River throughout his childhood. He now lives in Wellington with his partner, where he works as Forest & Bird’s Freshwater Advocate.

Tom has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Master of Science in Ecology from Massey University in Palmerston North – where his MSc research focused on measuring changes in river habitat over time.

His current interest is figuring out how to get decision-makers and policy writers to protect the natural character and habitat of rivers, and make “room for rivers”, rather than just focus on water quality, quantity and flood protection engineering.

More than 100 towns and cities across New Zealand have families and communities living alongside rivers or on flood plains protected by flood mitigation schemes.

As the effects of climate change continue to increase, more communities are going to face increased rainfall and larger floods.

Tom says: “Constraining rivers with stopbanks and concrete has given communities a false sense of security – that it’s safe to build homes and businesses right up to the edges of rivers. But constraining a river increases the depth of the water when it floods, so when a stopbank fails or is overtopped, the damage is much greater.

“Constraining rivers also changes their natural form, reduces groundwater recharge, and destroys wetlands and other habitat for native fish and birds. Numerous rivers across Aotearoa have been straightened and constrained, with thousands of hectares of river and wetland habitat destroyed in the process.

“Making room for rivers allows the land adjacent to rivers to flood safely, while providing for a whole range of other benefits such as riparian planting, wetland restoration and carbon sequestration, increased groundwater recharge, river habitat restoration for native fish and birds, and more recreation opportunities.

“When we protect nature, we’re also protecting our homes and our communities. It’s a win-win solution.”

Forest & Bird is advocating for the Government and councils to take a modern approach to flood mitigation that better protects communities and restores our rivers and wetlands.

Forest & Bird proposes the Government adopt three steps to kickstart improved river management in Aotearoa and better protect communities and wildlife:

• Develop a national Room for Rivers plan, including strategic managed retreat from high-risk flood plains. Embed this modern approach to flood management in resource management and climate legislation.
• Appoint an advisory group of experts to support the development of the Room for Rivers national plan and create practical guidance for councils on how to incorporate this and other nature-based solutions into district and regional flood management programmes.
• Establish a $500 million contestable flood mitigation fund to support councils to undertake Room for Rivers projects in their communities and educate the public about the benefits of working with nature to reduce flooding risks. in resource management and climate legislation.

Tom Kay on Making Room for Rivers:

Thursday, June 1, 7pm - 9pm

Central Hawke’s Bay Municipal Theatre, Waipawa

The presentation will be followed by a light supper for those who wish to stay and talk.