As you would expect, the representatives from tāngata whenua, industry and sectors, environmental groups, land users and staff from councils involved in the process over six years are now very familiar with what a ‘TANK Plan involves, but this currently means very little to most people – even though 85% of Hawke’s Bay people live and work on the Heretaunga Plains - in the cities and surrounds of Napier and Hastings. The TANK Plan will act as the formal rulebook all parties need to play to, to make sure the water resources of the Heretaunga aquifer and its inter-connected waterways are used sustainably, now and over time. The TANK Group’s work started back in 2012, by building a picture of the community’s values. From a discussion that has included primary production irrigation and industrial water use, being able to swim in and collect food from rivers and lakes, and developing new wetlands, the TANK Plan wraps these and other values of importance to the whole community into objectives, policies, rules, limits and good practice guidance. There is more information on the TANK Plan at hbrc.govt.nz, search: #TANK. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is a foundation sponsor of National Horticultural Field Day. The Regional Council works with the community to protect and manage the region’s precious taonga of rivers, lakes, soils, air, coast and biodiversity for health, wellbeing and connectivity.
See you at the Horticultural Field Days on 28 June 2018 at the Hawkes Bay A&P Showgrounds!
HORTICULTURE INDUSTRIAL VINICULTURE
0800 888 887 / hydralada.com