1. Proposed BIC irrigation sites Note:
39 sites were assessed as candidate sites, of which the 36 sites shown here comprise the proposed scheme
Legend
Station boundaries
Proposed irrigation sites

2. Terrestrial ecology survey
Walkover survey in May 2014 noted:
Invertebrates – pan, pitfall and Malaise traps at four sites (not best time of year to sample)
Birds – observations, farmer accounts, DOC records, past local survey reports by others
Lizards – observations, habitat quality assessment
Vegetation communities – visual coverage, species list (richness), exotic plant and weed presence
Rare plants – walkover survey (not best time of year to sample)
Tools used to assess significance
DOC Threat Classification lists
LENZ/ TEC Environment Classification
ECan Ecological Significance Criteria
Waitaki District Plan Significance Criteria
National lizard and rare plant databases (DOC)
McCann’s skink (protected)
Pied stilt (At Risk-D)
Black stilt (Threatened-NC)
Banded dotterel (Threatened-NV)
Tekapo ground weta (Threatened-NC)
Coral broom (At Risk-D)
Piripiri (At Risk-D)
Cushion pimelea (At Risk-D)
Photo credits: Birds online, NZPCN and DOC

3. Examples of sites under progressively intensive development to productive exotic grassland (Plate 1 least – Plate 4 most)

4. Ecological significance of the proposed BIC irrigation sites
As assessed against the ECan criteria for determining ecological significance.
This map illustrates the updated (September 2016) assessment which found that some sites had declined in biodiversity values since the original survey in May 2016.
This resulted in several sites that were classified as ‘significant’ in the 2014 assessment, being re-classified as ‘not significant’.

5. Results of the BIC ecological assessment of site ecological significance laid over the DOC assessment of sites within which ecosystem values have been lost (N. Head EIC 2016) such that there has been a ‘permanent loss of natural ecosystems and indigenous biodiversity (para 9.12 EIC N. Head).
The green sites, apart from site BM6, are those that BIC agrees support significant ecological values and where DOC states that indigenous ecosystems still remain.
Many of the sites in dispute with Council (18 of those coloured red) are sites where DOC considers that indigenous ecosystems have been permanently lost and indigenous vegetation no longer remains (inferred from para 13.1 of EIC N. Head 2016).
Legend
Station boundaries
Proposed irrigation sites ecological values
Not significant values
Significant values
Underlying purple coloured shapes are sites where indigenous ecosystems have been lost.
(Map 4 of N. Head EIC)

6. 3 yrs March 2014 Glenbrook (same location as 2011)
1. Wind-blown seed produces sparse conifers that mature at age 3-4 years old (site GB1)
2. Conifer thickets progressively shade out ground vegetation after 8 years (north of GB1)
3. Conifer forest establishes (10 year old trees shown here) and excludes all native vegetation (north of GB1)
March 2011 Glenbrook
March 2014 Glenbrook (same location as 2011)
Reference point against which to assess wilding conifer spread
Dark points are wilding conifers
3 yrs