What do Auckland's ethnic groups think of Regional Parks?

ARC has commissioned research to get some answers to these questions about its Regional Park network:

- why are Asian, Maori and Pacific people under-represented as parks visitors?
- why is the level of satisfaction for these groups lower, than for others?
- what are the barriers for ethnic groups to visit regional parks?
- how can those barriers be reduced?

An online survey was carried out, and 1000 surveys were completed. There is heaps of info in this report, and it is all very interesting. Why I've written this blog is that I want to use it as a vehicle to share some of the pictures I took when I visited Curitiba, Brazil (at the end of this blog). This city has an extraordinary ethnic mix (Brazilians, Japanese, Ukrainians, Germans and Poles - to name the majorities), and the city has a fantastic policy of parks diversity. Anyway. I digress. back to the ARC's research....

In summary the report explains:

...all Asian, NZ Maori and Pacific peoples are less likely to visit a regional park (than NZ Europeans)...
... the main barrier stopping people that currently visit (local) parks, but not regional parks, is a general lack of knowledge about regional parks, and in particular, their locations and what to at them...
... the things that appeal were similar for all ethnicities for many features, with seeing natural features, going to the beach, picnicking with friends, visiting the Botanic Gardens and going on a nature or bush walk receiving similar ratings across all groups....
... features such as booking a picnic site for a large group of 50 or more, attending an event, having children's facilities, and visiting a working farm, were all more appealing to Asian, NZ Maori and pacific peoples compared to NZ Europeans...
...Furthermore for nearly all features and activities, Asian, NZ Maori and pacific peoples would rpefer to have facilities such as BBQs, picnic tables, and places to prepare food available at regional parks...
...across all features and activities, around 15% of people were preparwed to travel for less than 30 minutes to reach the park they wanted to visit, 40% were prepared to travel around 30 mins to 1 hours, 20% 1 hour to 1.5 hours, 10% over 1.5 hours, and 15% were prepared to travel as long as it took....
...overall Asian people were more likely to want to travel shorter distances (less than 30 minutes), whereas Maori and Pacific peoples were more likely to be prepared to travel for as long as it took to reach the park they wanted to visit...

Interesting. The survey also was used to show respondents images of regional parks and information about what can be done at them, and after seeing that information, respondents indicated they were keener to visit reghional parks.

The report's executive summary concludes with the following:

...There is also an opportunity to increase satisfaction with regional parks for Asian, NZ Maori and Pacific peoples by providing more facilities and, if not making food available, at least letting people know where the opportunities to purchase food are close to or on the way to a regional park...

This is an interesting finding. ARC is in the midst of debate and discussion about the provision of concessions for operators to function provding backbacker accommodation (eg Hillary Trail), and perhaps food. There is a debate about having a cafe at Arataki. Visitors are becoming more demanding. ARC needs to respond. The challenge will be ensuring there are wild and remote sections of regional parks which are free of development, but there will also need to be other areas where much higher levels of amenity need to be provided.

Family and cultural groups clearly value and need the space of a regional park to hold a family gathering, and the facilities to feed them. That's an interesting demand to meet.

So. What about Curitiba?

Well. Just like Auckland, Curitiba has a Botanical Gardens which is very well visited and famous...

This is Curitiba's Ukrainian Park. Buildings and gardens and parts of the park layout reflect Ukrainian Culture. A "park" away from "home". Everybody goes there of course, but it's especially special to the Ukrainian population who have a significant say about what happens in this park.

This is Curitiba's "Open University of the Environment", built in another of its great park areas. The materials used to build this structure are all recycled. It is a bit like Curitiba's Arataki Centre - but with an emphasis on natural education, with strong links to the city universities and other places for learning.

And this is an image from Curitiba's "Polish Memorial Park". I didn't actually visit this one, and I suspect it's in a smaller more urban setting then some of the other Curitiba Parks. Nevertheless - a special public park space for another significant ethnic group that make up Curitiba's cosmopolitan population.

This is Tangua Park. Tanguá Park is an example of urban space being re-utilized on an old complex of quarries.

The Wire Opera House is part of the Pedreiras Park, together with the Paulo Leminski Cultural Space, where the Passion of Christ was enacted, and hosted many other big events since 1989, and can hold, in the open air, 10 thousand people seated or 50 thousand standing. (From Wikipedia)

The German Woods. The wood has various features to celebrate and promote the German traditions. There are 38 thousand square meters of native forest, which was part of the old farm from the Schaffer family. The replica of an old wooden church, built in 1933 at the Seminário neighbourhood, with neo-gothic decorative elements, shelters a concert hall called Bach's Oratorium. Other attractions are the John and Mary path, which tells the Grimm brothers tale, a children's library, the Philosophers Tower, a wooden observatory allowing a panoramic view of the city and the Ocean Ridge, and the German Poetry Square, with a reproduction of the Casa Mila façade, a German building from the beginning of the last century, originally located in the city centre. (From Wikipedia)

Interesting what a bit of creativity can do.
I wonder how Curitiba's ethnic populations would respond to a survey about its parks?

Waitawa Regional Park Visit

On Thursday 28th January ARC Councillors and Parks staff went on a site visit to Waitawa Regional Park. You go through Clevedon to get there. It's in the South East of Auckland Region, within the jurisdiction of Manukau City Council. This parkland was purchased in 2004 and is not available for public use. Yet. This headland (Pawhetau Point) looks East over the inner Hauraki toward South Waiheke.

Parks Officer indicates the Northern headland (Koherurahi Point) of this 188 hectare regional park. Both headland areas include significant pa sites with Maori diggings, pits, fortifications evident.

In this close up of Northern headland (Koherurahi Point) , you can clearly see the jetty at the end. This is used by the current tenant of the land - Orica - an explosives manufacturer. Orica's tenancy is coming to an end in under 2 years. The size of the land area has enabled this dangerous practice to continue - vacant land provides a safety buffer in the event of a possible explosion.

A very high amenity beach lies between these two headlands. The northern end of the beach is surfaced with a light gravel, while the south end has soft Waitemata Sandstone subject to erosion. This photo was taken almost at low tide which shows why the beach will be a good all tide beach.

Here we are walking out onto the jetty - made of concrete materials and apparently in very good condition. Immediately to the left is a concrete boat launching ramp. The debate was about whether public could use the ramp to launch boats, whether ferries might call to drop visitors, or whether the wharf and vicinity should be for fishers and walkers and non-motorised recreation (kayaks etc).

Lots of talking and looking and listening...

Looking back to the Point from the wharf, this particular headland was a very significant pa site. It is now covered in old - past their use by date - pines. Removing them without damaging the land and diggings etc will be a challenge. There is a narrow one lane cutting through to the wharf, which provides very limited motorised transport access.

This is the beach on the other side of that headland, looking South. (Photo taken from inside the bus - sorry about reflection!). This is also a very pleasant beach about 400 metres long. White shell surface, but with Pacific Oyster clad rocks there at low tide. Not such a good beach for all tide access. Lots of parking here.

A major purpose of the site visit was to explain the land management issues that arise on the bulk of the parkland back from the coast. This land is intended for active uses like mountain-biking, horse-riding and such like. The land had been used fitfully for animal farming (grazing), and about 27 hectares is pine plantation.

A lot of the hillsides are covered in gorse. There is a current program of weedkilling, and then mulching on site. I wondered a bit about whether heavy rain might wash the exposed top soil and mulch off...

Here's a hillside of dead gorse, ready for mulching and clearance. The plan is to plant grass first, them sow some areas with Manuka seed to allow regeneration of bush. You can see in the left foreground an example of the weed species that have proliferated. The gum tree is OK!

A program of stump removal is also underway, along with the removal a rushes - shown here. Cllr Bill Burrell gives an idea of scale! The idea on this land is to enable pasture to grow - without stump holes and suchlike which can form safety risks to strolling park users.

Waitawa does contain some remnant areas of native bush which will be protected.

But the pine trees will be harvested to generate some revenue to pay for improvements to road access and suchlike. Some concern was expressed during the visit to a truly scorched earth approach to pine tree removal. Some consideration of visual landscape from the sea, sun shelter, and natural beauty on the park itself, suggested that some clusters or copses of pines might be retained, and other transitional measures considered.

Throughout the park, there are many gentle pathways, weathered fences, offering peace and tranquillity.

These contrast interestingly with the presence of a number of "brick shit-house" constructions used to store explosives.

There are a number of these very strongly constructed buildings on the park. And while Orica is under an obligation to remove such structures on the termination of its lease, there is an argument for the retention of some: they add historical interest and context; they may be able to be re-used a adapted for use by potential concessions (such as Kayak hire, Mountain bike club storage). During the visit we learned of a developing Kayak trail also...

Waitawa is really about the coastal landscape. Such potential. Everybody was keen to open it up to public access as soon as could safely be achieved. Even if only a part could be opened up...

Just a kilometre offshore you can see McCallum's Island. This is being quarried away under licence for paving materials. McCallum Chip. Sad really. To lose an island like that, and for that. There are a couple of interesting and substantial ship wrecks on the island (you can just make out the tip of the bow and stern of one of these wrecks on the left of this photo.)

Another view through gum tree trunks. That's Coromandel in the background.

Conversations will continue. Here's the site visit under the welcome shelter of 4 or 5 pine trees.

Parts of the landscape looked a bit like Central Otago. So dry and brown.

But I guess the rain will come sometime. And then the wetland area in the heart of Waitawa Regional Park will come to life and do its job of keeping the runoff nice and clean. No nitrate runoff here thank you very much. Not even from Orica's Ammonium Nitrate stores!

ARC confirms $2 million for Long Bay Park addition

At full council meeting yesterday afternoon - 14th December - ARC confirmed an earlier Parks Committee meeting to contribute $2 million toward the cost of an additional 4.8 hectares of land at Long Bay Regional Park.

The land area - often known as "Area D" is shown in brown/orange on this map image. Area D is important for two reasons: the first is that it forms part of the backdrop seen when approaching the park by road (shown in the map); second is that the area has a boundary with a special "heritage protection area" which - though privately owned - has been set aside by the Environment Court. It may not be developed for urban purposes because of its heritage values.

The Long Bay Okura Great Park Society has been lobbying tirelessly for the purchase of additional pieces of land at Long Bay to protect existing regional park assets, and to improve public amenity at what is the most popular of Auckland's regional parks. Hundreds of emails were sent to ARC councillors seeking their support for a motion to contribute regional capital to support $5 million committed conditionally by North Shore City Council.

This digitally enhanced image shows Area D to the left, with the heritage protection area ot the right. The view is as you approach Long Bay down the road from Torbay Village. You can see the difference it makes....

Below is the email I sent in reply to the emails I received from Great Park Society members:

Dear xxxx,

Thank you for emailing me about this, and I understand and appreciate how much you – and other supporters of the Great Park Society – care about Long Bay and the Regional Park opportunities that still exist. I appreciate the personal views that you express.

You probably don’t really want to hear about my background in supporting Long Bay, but I want to use this opportunity say a few things. First – as North Shore City Councillor – I supported North Shore City Council initiatives to buy land there. Especially the big purchase that occurred there 7 or 8 eight years ago. At that time I was disappointed in the relatively small purchase that ARC made at the same time – "toe-nail clippings" was how I described the slivers the ARC bought then.

Ironic really. I recall that NSCC decided around 2002 to concentrate its purchase efforts in the North end of the Regional Park, leaving what we saw then as the most important Southern area to ARC, because we believed ARC would know better which pieces to buy there, and also, be in a stronger financial position than NSCC to purchase a substantial stake.

We were wrong. And when I was elected to ARC in 2004 I learned the main reason why. It was generally because ARC took these policy positions:

* Long Bay Regional Park was done. Nothing more to be done.
* ARC needed to concentrate on large regional parkland purchases, rather than buying land which could be seen as urban parks (ie Long Bay was seen by some that way. Ironic really. When ARC first bought land there, there was no urbanisation. Now….!)

I raised arguments like these:

* the backdrop needed protection (it was a major ARC policy that regional parks should be protected from being dominated or overlooked by even one house (eg Pakiri) let alone whole subdivisions)
* it is unsustainable for ARC to only provide large regional parks so far removed from Auckland urban area, that visitors need to drive an hour or more, there and back to enjoy them. Long Bay is obviously enjoyed by many who can access it by public transport, and by mini-vans and other vehicles at relatively low "carbon miles")

Throughout my last 5 years or so on ARC, I have been part of a consistent minority calling for more purchases at Long Bay Regional Park. However, ARC has worked tirelessly for planning controls to reduce the adverse effects of development. This is good but not enough.

One of the major gains of this Resource Management Act legal action has been the establishment of the Heritage Protection Area. I believe there is a compelling case to further protect the public interest in that area – the HPA, for the future, by purchasing some land in the vicinity of Area D. I also appreciate the co-benefit of that piece of land being in public ownership – because it will add to the backdrop effect for those accessing the park from the Torbay end.

So I will be arguing, at the ARC meeting this Wednesday, in support of ARC support for the partnership purchase of land at Area D, with North Shore City Council, and with a Trust which I understand has been set up to further assist. I expect there will be further information presented there, which will assist councillors make the best decision.

Thank you for your actions in leaving no stone unturned to achieve the best public outcomes at Long Bay.

Regards, Joel Cayford
I am pleased to report success, and to claim responsibility for leading the charge at ARC for the level of funding support that was finally agreed.

Walking to Whatipu in the Waitakeres...

A walk during the school holidays. Having been introduced to the Waitakeres courtesy of my daughter doing a Duke of Edinburgh tramp in the Cascades, I learned of a few others that are apparently "must walks". So here's me on top of one of the peaks on the Omanawanui Track, which runs from Whatipu Beach, along the Northern edge of Manukau Harbour, to a point in the road from Little Huia....
The same point, looking East into Manukau Harbour. That's Emily looking a little unimpressed. Very good walker and great company...

Along further we could see a higher peak, "surely we'll be walking around that one..."

But no. Another peak to climb. It was a hard but very rewarding walk. With extraordinary views....

By the way, this walk is in ARC's very own and vey special Regional Parks network. It is in the Waitakere Regional Park. (Sandra Coney - Chair of Parks at ARC - wanted me to remind you of that fact.)

And the Trig was just begging to be signed....

The first part of our walk was along the Kura Track along a beautiful valley with Nikau forest, and I think there were 4 or so river crossings. These get big when it rains hard - because the river system flushes very quickly.

Long Bay - Okura - Great Park - ARC's role...

Yesterday we had a deputation from the Long-Bay Great Park Society at the monthly ARC Council meeting. I would estimate around 50 members of the Society were in attendance. Very impressive. The submission related to the need to protect a piece of land presently zoned for urbanisation, and not otherwise protected.

In its submission, the Society was fulsome in its praise of ARC's efforts during the Environment Court action that has followed notification of Plan Changes and Structure Plans that relate to Long Bay land that overlooks and is adjacent to Long Bay regional park land and the beach.

During my time on ARC I have tried to get ARC to purchase more land, to ensure better protection of existing park assets, and to provide a better buffer between urban development and the coastal park experience. But my efforts have not found majority support among my fellow councillors who have prioritised purchase of parkland an hour or more away from Auckland, and accessible only by car.

However, ARC did decide to become heavily involved in defending public values during Environment Court and related proceedings. This action - in conjunction with expert evidence provided by Great Park Society (funded by them to the extent of about $400,000) - has led to the establishment of 3 buffer areas (which cannot be built upon), and a large Heritage Protection Area (the site of pre-European and colonial-European archaeology), which also have the effect of protecting the regional park and coastal experience from development.

I am advised that the value of land thus protected is around $30,000,000. The ARC's costs in this effort have been estimated at $1,000,000.

ARC has called for a report investigating further the Great Park Society's submission and call for further protection of another piece of land.

Duke of Edinburgh Tramp in the Waitakeres

A bunch of D of E students from Takapuna Grammar School after they did their first 20km tramp in the Cascades part of the Waitakere Regional Park. My daughter, Emily, is in the picture, but I won't say where. She'd be appalled...

It was remarkably wet. Mud everywhere. A test of character. Especially when it was raining as well.

I went along willingly as a parent help. Was assigned to "the rowers". Bunch of boys with varying levels of tramping experience. Was great fun.

And we shared the place with these wonderful Kauri trees. Found out later that the reason the kauri are still standing in the upper and lower kauri glens, is actually because the cutting rights for those small sections of the Waitakeres were never granted. They are even more precious now we know about the dreaded phytophthera. These threaten our Kauri trees. Apparently these creatures are slowly moving through the forests. We are not sure if they are carried on the boots of trampers. Or whether mud helps or hinders... disinfectant for boots is now routine. I hope this disease goes like the one we had a few years ago for Cabbage Trees and Puriri....

Morning Kokako Release in ARC Regional Park

Had to get up early for this event. Drove to the ARC before the birds had even thought of waking up. Out to The Cascades in the Waitakeres. Everybody else seemed to be there. Two hundred at least....

The kids were there to give two Kokako their favorite food. Sweet water and squidged up banana it seems. Mike Lee and Sandra Coney were allowed a go too...

But here's one of the stars - and the woman from DOC. Talk about commitment. These birds came from a long way south. She gave us clear instructions. In case the birds ran across the forest floor toward us....

She set them free running up a branch. They skipped their way into the forest canopy. Fantastic experience. The funny thing was the forest was alive with the sound of Kokako even before they were release. Found out the forest had a few Ipods strategically planted in trees - all periodically emitting Kokako calls of the right dialect. Anchoring calls. Keep the birds local.

Very interesting.

Puketutu - Not a Dump for BioSolids - So Far

On the 9th July 2009, independent commissioners - chaired by Leigh McGregor, declined Watercare's applications for consents needed to dispose of sewage biosolids into the quarry hole that will be left on Puketutu Island when Winstone Aggregates finish their rock quarrying operation there. I breathed a sigh of appreciation.

There is a god....

This project - continuously referred to as a "land rehabilitation" by Watercare - has been around for a while. ARC has been dragged into it - reluctantly as far as I am concerned, willingly as far as some others are concerned - because the temptation of a free regional park was dangled in front of it. Like this: Watercare buys the Island and uses a chunk of it as a biosolids dump, and ARC can have the balance for a regional park immediately, and the whole of it for park when the quarry hole is fully "rehabilitated"....

Stank, as far as I was concerned.

Made me think of Goebbels. He used to say, " if you tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth." Felt the same to me, the use of the word "rehabilitation" to describe the dumping of partly processed human sewage as a "beneficial use" of this material, as a good way of "rehabilitating" this hole in the Island.

Anyway, this picture comes from Watercare's website and is an aerial view of Puketutu. To the right, you can see the edge of watercare's Mangere Wastewater treatment plant. The sort of triangle area, also to the right, is the current Pond 2 Landfill site used to deposit biosolids now. It's capacity is to 2012 or thereabouts...
And, this picture shows Puketutu in the middle distance. The picture is taken from Mangere Mountain. In the background you can see the Waitakere's. And the Manukau Harbour is the water you can see. None of these pictures give a good idea of the topography of Puketutu. It is steep and undulating, and is about 140 hectares in area. It would make a fanatastic park. Views from it toward Manukau Heads are great. But please hold the biosolids...

I guess the decision will be appealed. But it must help push Watercare in a different direction. And about time. It's a worry with Watercare being supported as the vertically integrated entity in charge of all of Auckland's 3-waters, if it so resolute about least cost, business friendly approaches to water.

To quote summarised reasons for the decision to decline:

"...(a) There would be severe and irreversible adverse effects on the spiritual and cultural wellbeing and values of tangata whenua and their ancestral relationship with the Island if this proposal was permitted to proceed;
(b) The proposal would have adverse effects on the natural character of the coastal environment and the cultural values of tangata whenua which are both matters of national importance and of regional significance. Therse effects could not be adequately avoided, remedied or mitigated and in the case of iwi values would be irreversible;
(c) The properties of the biosolids are far from favourable, and will restrict the landform to a very flat, distinctly unnatural appearance, with prolonged and intrusive aftercare likely to be required;
(d) In purely physical terms consent to the proposal might be granted, subject in all respects to the imposition of appropriate conditions. However, the purely physical considerations are considered to be far outweighed by the significant adverse effects that would be caused for matters of national and regional importance;
(e) The disposal of biosolids is not an appropriate way to "rehabilitate" Puketutu Island: it will degrade the island environmentally and leave it in a worse state than that prior to its "rehabilitation"..... etc

Just as an end note to this posting, I note that Auckland's wastewater system needs a policy upgrade. For a start the "trade waste" option of tipping heavy metals etc into the sewer, in exchange for a nominal trade waste fee, must be stopped. Sydney Water stopped this practice almost 20 years ago. Their goal was to reduce the heavy metal contaminants that render biosolids dangerous to life and healthy land. Stopping trade wastes would begin the slow process of creating a better quality organic biosolids that is more likely to be composted usefully with greenwaste and used as a soil conditioner. I appreciate there are challenges with this. But it is becoming the Western world norm to genuinely reuse biosolids, and to recycle their organic content back into the ground.