The Waimea Inlet Forum was created as a result of the Waimea Inlet Management Strategy, an inter-agency strategy that included the Tasman and Nelson councils, statutory agencies, non-statutory groups and organisations, businesses and residents who have an interest in and a commitment to the Waimea Inlet and its sustainable future.
Issues the strategy and Forum hope to address include:
- Loss of coastal margin indigenous vegetation
- Loss and importance of margin and intertidal habitats
- Sedimentation
- Bird disturbance, predation and loss of habitat
- Migratory species
- Contamination
- Eutrophication
- Loss of high-shore habitat
- Loss of freshwater fish habitat
- Damage to archeological sites
- Weed and pest species, including marine
- Marine fish
- Providing for a range of uses
- Evaluating new proposals
- Providing for public access
- Recognition of existing assets and land use
- Reducing the risk of bird strike at Nelson Airport
- Supporting planting, trapping and rubbish removal
- Managing future land use
- Landscape, vistas and visual amenity
Addressing these will lead to the Waimea Inlet being a vibrant place, richly appreciated by the community for its open space, natural and ecological values. It will be happily remembered by generations for their activities, adventures and discoveries. Tangata whenua will hold mana as kaitiaki of taonga. And it will be shared with increasing respect.
