Donga Blocked: Ashburton Council ‘blindsided’ by DOC decision
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Councillors feel blindsided by a “flawed process” where the Department of Conservation denied a Wildlife Act Authority Application for the Ashton Beach enhancement project.
The plans were to construct a motorbike park on the donga (a steep-sided gully) area of an unused part of the Ashburton District Council’s Ocean Farm at the beach, and create a protected wildlife area around it.
DOC declined the application.
Lizard expert, Dr Mandy Tocher, independently reviewed the decision and said she “doesn’t understand why it was declined”.
“I was surprised, so was the DOC technical advisor, and the other herpetologist involved in the process,” Tocher said.
“This was a sound plan.
“[Council] has been the victim of a flawed process.”
Doc’s decision outlined that the proposal didn’t provide an adequate level of protection for lizards and a likely loss of lizards overall, Arowhenua didn’t support it, and it was inconsistent with the purpose of the Wildlife Act 1953.
Councillors shared their disappointment at the decision, with councillor Stuart Wilson describing the report as “disgraceful reading”.
Tocher stated that in her opinion, DOC staff may have failed to provide Arowhenua with accurate information and she felt the council had gone above and beyond to present a “well and truly adequate” proposal.
“Some strange information has been put in front of the decision maker, Duncan Toogood, who resigned the very next day,” she said.
In response to DOC’s decision, the council was presented with options to submit a revised application, appeal the decision, or accept the decision bringing an end to the project.
Instead, the council resolved to take its concerns over the handling of the application directly to the Conservation Minister, Hon Poto Williams, as well as conservation spokespersons from other parties, and Rangitata MP Jo Luxton.
They will also be seeking a sit down with DOC and Arowhenua to work through the issues that resulted in the decision, to see if it is worth resurrecting the project or starting from scratch elsewhere.
To date, the project has cost $17,420 +GST and the initial estimated total project cost was $55,000.
* Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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62.2% Summer
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36.3% Winter
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
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