Ecosystem Services in practice at a catchment level:

a decade of integrated work on the Motueka River Catchment

Roger Young, Paul Gillespie Cawthron InstituteAndrew Fenemor, Chris Phillips, Garth Harmsworth Landcare Research

Will Allen Learning for SustainabilityMargaret Kilvington Independent Social Research

Why use a catchment scale?

•Natural geographical and hydrological unit•Flows and stocks of water, sediment and contaminants are contained within catchment boundaries•Regional governance largely reflects these boundaries

Simple systems

• Call for generic solutions (or recipes) that work every time and don’t require new skills or infrastructure

Complicated systems

• Require a high level of skills and coordination, formulae are necessary, and there is a high degree of certainty in the outcome

Complex systems

• Every situation is unique, uncertainty of outcome remains, expertise can help but isn’t sufficient, quality of relationships are crucial

ICM – a new approach?

•Managing multiple issues in an integrated way•Ridge tops to the sea•Economic benefit while maintaining environmental, social and cultural values•Working with communities

ICM….. is a process

Fenemor et al. in press. NZ Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research

The Motueka Case-Study

Why Motueka?

•Microcosm of NZ•Land use intensification•Increasing demand for water•Demand for sea space•Multiple interests

•Not broken yet

An Ecosystem Services approach?

“ICM offers a way of addressing and understanding the cumulative effects on the environment of all activities within a catchment. An integrated framework is required to ensure that individual redesign efforts cumulatively lead to the maintenance of natural capital…. and recognising that some activities may not be appropriate for the sensitivity of the surrounding environment.” (PCE 2004).

•Systems approach•Working across interfaces•Social process builds common understanding•Common metrics for managing the environment

“All is One” Tegan Lamont, Motueka High School

An Ecosystem Services approach?

Ecosystem Services at a Catchment Scale

Disturbance regulationWater regulation and supply

Erosion controlNutrient cycling

Waste treatmentRefugia/Habitat

Food productionRaw materials

RecreationCultural

11 of 17 ES’s mentioned in Costanza et al. (1997)

Ecosystem Services at a Catchment Scale

Disturbance regulationWater regulation and supply

Erosion controlNutrient cycling

Waste treatmentRefugia/Habitat

Food productionRaw materials

RecreationCultural

Ecosystem Services at a Catchment Scale

Disturbance regulationWater regulation and supply

Erosion controlNutrient cycling

Waste treatmentRefugia/Habitat

Food productionRaw materials

RecreationCultural

Water regulation and supply

•Up to 25% of river flow from Groundwater •Groundwater inputs affect water temp in gaining reaches•Temperature has strong effects on habitat suitability

River and Groundwater should be managed together

Olsen & Young (2009) Hydrogeology Journal 17: 175-183

Water regulation and supply

•Environmental flow setting•Instream habitat modelling

Minimum flow and allocation limit recommendations

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Flow (m3s-1)

Su

itab

le a

rea

(m2 )

Flow = 4 m3/s

Young & Thomas (2006) Report to TDC Resource Management Policy Committee.

Nutrient cycling

Nutrient cycling

Gillespie et al (in press) NZ Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

•Catchment loads modelled•Denitrification estimated•N Inputs ~40% of assimilation capacity•Eutrophication unlikely•Nutrients probably having beneficial effects on productivity•But there still could be some effect on harmful algal bloom intensity

Nutrient management not currently critical for the whole Bay, but could be site-specific effects

173 173.1 173.2

9-10 May 2001

41.15

41.05

40.95

40.85

40.75Silicon

Nutrient cycling/Waste treatment

1 to 2 km 6 km(AMA) + -

Cornelisen et al (in press) NZ Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

River plume ecosystems

Cultural• Cultural health indicators• Incorporate a Māori perspective of rivers/streams• Use of mātauranga Māori (knowledge)• Identifies issues and change from Māori viewpoint • Links Māori wellbeing and river/stream health• Reporting, planning and policy

He Oranga mo nga Uri Tuku Iho trust

IndicatorsTangaroa • Water Clarity• Water Flow• Water Quality• Shape and form of river,

riverbank condition, sediment• Insects• Fish

Tāne Mahuta• Riparian vegetation• Catchment vegetation• Bird life (species)• Ngahere/Taonga• Pests

Haumia tiketike• Mahinga kai• Rongoa

Tūmatauenga• Human activity, Use of river• Access • Cultural sites

Tāwhirimātea• Smell

• Links between science and cultural indicators• Some strong correlations, some weak• Strong correlation between cultural health and % of

catchment area in natural cover

Science/cultural monitoring together give a rich, full picture of the environment

Cultural indicators potentially useful for ecosystem services assessment

Harmsworth et al (in press) NZ Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research.

Ecosystem Services as a dialogue tool

• No one group/community/agency has all the answers

• Need to bring people together to share information

• Ecosystem services – fluid definition• Starting point for conversation• Shared interest but not yet a fixed view

Travelling River – Arts/Science collaboration

Ecosystem Services as a dialogue tool

• Other examples• AGM’s• Online discussion group• Sediment learning group• Community reference group• Watershed talk

Kilvington et al. A & B (in press) NZ Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research.Allen et al. (in press) NZ Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research.

Conclusions

•Many ecosystem services are apparent at the catchment scale•ICM – strong similarities to ecosystem services approach

•Systems approach•Working across interfaces•Social process builds common understanding•Common metrics for managing the environment

•Managing the interactions among ecosystem services a key challenge

•Examples of ecosystem services thinking

•Ecosystem services as a platform for dialogue

More info…

•http://icm.landcareresearch.co.nz

•Special issue of the New Zealand Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research on Integrated Catchment Management

•Due out next month•16 papers